George Khawahie

I've been looking into doing the conversion for summer time night driving, but wanted some feedback.

I've been looking at Autooptiks H4 capsules and they don't mention something very important. How do I connect the stock 3rdgen bulb connector to an H4 bulb? Do those guys include some sort of adaptor to convert the the connector(s)?

As for bulbs, I've mainly been checking out eBay and the brightest I've found so far is 5000K.

I'm not going for the *****-blue look, but the bright clean white look.

I'd appreciate any feedback you guys can offer! Yes I searched, but wanted current feedback and thoughts.

P.S. I did see ChevyKen's conversion..

Jza

Originally posted by George Khawahie
>I've been looking into doing the conversion for summer time night driving, but wanted some feedback.

I've been looking at Autooptiks H4 capsules and they don't mention something very important. How do I connect the stock 3rdgen bulb connector to an H4 bulb?

H4s and stock Camaro headlight connectors are interchangable. (It will plug right in).. However, the terminals (high, low, and ground) are in different positions. So you have to switch the wires around to work correctly. You can easily pull the metal connector out of the plastic housing by inserting a tiny screwdriver or paper clip into the slot above the connector and pulling the wire out the back of the connector.

>As for bulbs, I've mainly been checking out eBay and the brightest I've found so far is 5000K.

Another catch, the stock wiring can only handle so much current. If the H4 bulbs you use exceed that maximum, you risk melting wires.

>I'm not going for the *****-blue look, but the bright clean white look.

True HIDs are another matter altogether. They're actually a gas-arc bulb similar to flourescent lights in office buildings and require a ballast and sometimes a starter in order to use. They also don't have a high/low beam function; only one beam. True HIDs are expensive.
Fake HIDs are ***** bulbs.

>I'd appreciate any feedback you guys can offer! Yes I searched, but wanted current feedback and thoughts.

Didn't look in the tech articles, though, did you? It will show you which wires to move around to use an H4 bulb, as well as an upgrade that will let you use high-wattage bulbs limited only by the quality of the housings you install them in.

Z28guy83

ive done it the h4's plug right in but you need to add a relay or 2 so you can have them as youre hig low beam but they are 99% brighter than a stock replacement but the housings are everything make sure you get a good set

George Khawahie

Why do need the relay(s)?

Jza

You don't need relays if the H4 bulbs are a very conservative wattage. You need relays for higher rated bulbs because the stock wiring is only 16 gauge and will fry if you go over 75 watts per bulb (approximately; I make no guarantees that 75 is safe without relays). Using relays, you can run the bulbs directly off the battery or alternator with heavy gauge wiring, making it safer, and brighter due to less voltage drop (the circuit only travels 4 or 5 feet, instead of the 20 or so foot round trip the stock wiring makes).

Plus you can run your Knight Rider scanner off of it so it comes on with the headlights.

You can't just "plug" the stock connector into an H4 bulb. It's pinned differently. If you did, it's not working properly. Here's a diagram. The center is the pinout for the bulbs Camaros use, and the top is an H4 bulb.

George Khawahie

LOL! I don't do that **** anymore, so no worries.

But yeah, I'd definatley want some bright lights. The good ones I've seen on eBay run 90W/100W, so I definatley want get something in that range.

The relay deal sounds pretty good. I'm assuming I connect the original wiring to the relay, relay to the car battery, and relay back to the headlights?

If anybody has action done this conversion with relays, I'd love to get some feedback.

Redarrow1

Hey George! I thought they finally ran you outta here. I haven't seen your name in like two years. You still got the camaro convertable with Circuit City in the trunk? Post the latest pic.

George Khawahie

LOL @ the circuit city crack... Yeah, I'm still around. I run www.3rdgen.org now for the off-topic crowd.

As for the IROC, yes I'm still driving it. I removed the LCD/DVD because I was going to build custom housing for the LCD, but just lost intrest. So all thats left are the 2 12" MTX 6000's powered by a ClassD MTX 500D.

Here's one my recent pictures (a few months old):


As for running a relay, I'd like to do that. I'm going to keep researching and try to find the best capsule out there. For the time being, I will stick to something like 55W (I have friends running at that wattage with no problem) and continue looking up stuff on the relays.

Do you guys have any good sites to suggest that'll show me how to wire this deal up?

Jza

https://www.thirdgen.org/newdesign/t...tupgrade.shtml

George Khawahie

I skimmed through that one a few days, but I'll definatley read it in full.

fiream

H4 Conversion Kit From www.prostreetlighting.com And you don't need any relays....

fiream

:hail: They do look Blue in person....Camera suck, but they are blue....

chevyguy1969

iTrader: (7)

I did mine, took about 15mins or so. I got my light housings from my friend Travis who works at A-Line Auto, he ordered them and they are made by a company called Matrix. They are a direct replacement designed to accept the H4 bulbs. The improvement in visability is incredible. If you have to use your high beams after installing them, you do not have them aimed correctly. Notice the difference in the high-beams and fog lights. I bought some after market fog lights that accept H3's and will have them in soon. Check out the pics and check out my site for more info on it.

Blackbird

The ragtop's looking good. I couldn't resist retrieving this from the archives. Hope you don't mind, for old time's sake...

What ever happened to Firechick anyway?

Camar_Hunter_c

well I have the bulbs for the conversion.. waiting for my rtax return to get the lenses. I have the Sylvainia on now and night/day difference. I can actually see better withou tthe highs on and just lows.. Highs get all yellow and shiznit...

George Khawahie

Wow! They really do look WAY whiter then the stockers. I'm not a big fan of the blue, but hopefully you don't see the film at night. Is there anyway you can get lights for the fogs that'll match the headlights?

Holy crap! LOL! That brings back some memories. As for Fire Chick, she's still around. She mainly posts on 3rdgen.org and nethirdgen.org.

soulbounder

Are the H4 or HID lights vastly better than the sealed composites we have? I mean, I can very well at night with my lights on dim and when they are on bright I can see pretty much everything. I've ridden in newer vehicles at night and their lights are good, but I can't see why they are claimed so much better. Maybe I'll have to go ride in a new Beemer or something at night. I hear those are among the best of the best. What's the ball park figure of a conversion kit. I've heard $250~$1000+.

ChevyKen

iTrader: (1)

Just for those who didn't see my conversion, these are Crystal Clear H4 conversions, currently with blue tinted H4 bulbs that give that very bright white light. After using them for a while, I LOVE the lighting they give - but I'd prefer if the blue didn't show up as much when the lights are off..





Ken

Camar_Hunter_c

you can go to H4's for around 100 bucks... 80 in lenses, get the set of bulbs on Ebay 4(2 Lows/2 highs) for about 20... so maybe 100-120 at most.

Custom85Camaro

i need help... i just instaled a conversion kit with H4 headlights on to my 1985 camaro. the problem is after i intalled my lights the high beams come on even when they are shut off... i need help so i can fix the problem. thanks for you help. ps. my high beams are still stock..

thanks.
Paul Lindemann
Custom1985Camaro@aol.com

devianb

I would be worried about the bulbs frying the wires to the ecm.

Custom85Camaro

im no longer running my car off the ecm.. but im still worried about my wires....

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

Is it possible to get the H4s without the cheezy blue tint?

CrazyHawaiian

Yeah you dont have to get them in blue. H4 bulbs use a colored film to change the color of the output, unlike a true HID kit where the color of the light is directly related to how bright it is compared to the light spectrum (5000k - 9000k). H4's come in a variety of colors including blue, green, purple, yellow, and white. I'm assuming you want the white light (none of that tacky stuff) so I sudget you go with PIAA bulbs. They have some of the best superwhite H4 bulbs on the market.

CrazyHawaiian

You can find H4 kits for around $50-$100 on ebay. They'll include the headlamp enclosures, the bulbs, and the wire harness. In fact, ebay has a bunch of them being advertised for 82-92 Camaro's. Unfortunately I dont know how good the quality of those kits are. They might be good, or they might be cheap ... I'm not sure because so many different vendors sell them. If you want to do a quality H4 conversion I would recommend Hella glass headlamp enclosures, and PIAA bulbs.

If you're talking a true HID retrofit, the cheapest I've seen online is $550 for the Sylvania kit. My friend can get it for $450 but thats a local deal here. This does not include the headlamp enclosures, so again I recommend Hella glass headlamps. The Sylvania kit includes the bulbs, wires, ballasts, and everything else you need besides the encloures.

For both of these, I'm only talking about 1 set of lights. So if you own a Camaro and want to convert all 4, double the price (thats how come it can cost $1000 to convert all 4 to true HID). Hope that helps.

Quick6

I had the same problem, Jza helped me out, check out the thread:
https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=115333

Does it look like this?

lock

So where is a good place to buy quality lenses?

Xenodrgn

Damn all of you who have bright *** lights. There is no need! I see just fine with my halogens. All those bright lights do is blind passers by, and make them fear for thier lives!

CrazyHawaiian

I dont see 'fine' at night when its raining really hard and the water is causing a reflection off the asphalt making it hard to see the lines for my lane. I would rather spend the xtra money to make sure I see everything in the rain and in the dark. For my safety and the safety of other drivers. People who blind oncomming traffic and make them fear for their lives (lol) have their headlamps aimed too high up. User Error!! You can make the same mistake with the stock lights ... just not as blinding because its not as bright. If you want to bitch at people about blinding, then bitch at the people with lifted trucks/suvs and upgraded headlights. Those blind everyone no matter where the headlamp is aimed.

CrazyHawaiian

Hella out of Germany makes good quality lenses. But I cant find out where to buy them. If you find out pls let me know.

Spdfrk1990

I bringin this back from the dead cause I want to do this. So you guys are using h4's for the highs and low's? In my protege i just got silverstars today they are h4's but its one bulb for the high and low. Now on the hatchback p5 they have seperate bulbs for the high and low but they use 9007's i think for the lows and 9005 for the brights so this kind of confuses me. Also let me get this strait all i have to do is buy the housings and bulbs then switch the wires around in the connectors and im good to go i heard some1 say they had to buy a harness and run a power wire why is that?? Ok sorry but i used the search and this was the best thread i found.

Spdfrk1990

Sorry i just reread what JZA posted but what housing should i buy i like the ones Chevyken has. Still dont get using both h4's tho if some1 could explain.

DaGreatKobe

is it ok to link product vendors from these forums? if so i found a page with conversion lights, kits bulbs, wiring harness upgrades. ultra whites for side markers, back up lights cabin lights u name em. check out the page www.lightlens.com

PontiacRacing

Here is a shot of mine. I think they add an updated appearance to the car and make it look newer. The lighting is better than the sealed beams that came on my car, but to get the best output I suggest upgrading your wiring.

IROCSS

Last I heard she sold the Firebird, bought a Subaru Outback and was getting serious with her BF/Landlord..

85camaro15

hids will conserve alot more power than a 100 watt halogen, also you will get the same if not more light. Most hids are also 35 watt to. Therefore not needing any relay harness. Much easier than the junk halogens.

mrrman

I put 6k HID's in my car....I like them alot...