Rx330 OEM conversion for Full OEM HID's Write-up

[Myevodream]

NSFW, I think it's just a matter of preference if you want any bit of light above the cutoff (by leaving the squirrel finders open), but I could be mistaken..

[Spoonwacker]

I used aluminum foil tape...took just a few seconds, and it's held up fine!

[MiniStiGuy]

I use this like clay stuff that is for muffler repair so its good for high temps.

[DocHolladay23]

quicksteel? that stuff is the shit! If there is anything zip ties or quicksteel can't fix I haven't found it

[NSFW]

I ended up using JB Weld after all. I finished the install this afternoon, but haven't looked at it in the dark yet.

 

Other than the 20 kV arc light incident, it went pretty smoothly, just kinda time-consuming. I did a couple things differently from most of the write-ups here...

 

First, I baked the headlights at 225F for 15 minutes to get them apart. That was based on a HID project someone did on an Xterra (I might be doing another HID swap before long...). To put the back together, 200F for 10 minutes worked fine.

 

Second, on a tip from LuckyBob here, I retained the OEM wires through the OEM grommet, and did not drill the caps on the backs of the housings. The D2S connector is a tight fit under the cap, but it does fit. This took some extra soldering (joints on each side of the OEM grommet), but it came out nicely.

 

Finally, the ballasts get power from the OEM wires that previously went into the grommet, so the original headlight connectors are still the only connectors. Undo those, and the headlight + ballast comes out as a single unit. Each ballast is held to the underside of the headlight housing by a strip of 3M VHB double-sided tape. VHB = very high bond = crazy strong. Everybody should keep a roll handy. I was carrying the headlights around by the ballasts today with no worries.

 

I'll get a picture or two, though probably not tonight.

[MiniStiGuy]

my wires go through the gromets but I have them directly through and not soldered.

[NSFW]

There's no way bulb connector was going through that hole, so there had to be at least one cut-and-solder in my case. I opted to solder both sides rather than cut and re-seal the grommet, but in hindsight it would have been a little bit more tidy if I'd done just one solder connection - the one inside the housing where it can't be seen.

[finse]

yeah MDX projectors should work. I believe its the 07 MDX that has the same as the non-afs RX, RX8 projectors.

 

I'm running 07 MDX projectors, and they looked identical to the RX330 pictures in the top of the thread.

[underpowerd]

So was just informed that my supplier for the RX Projectors sent me new Acura MDX D2S projectors instead, since the RX ones he had looked a bit torn up. He said the reflector bowls and front halves are the same as the RX's so I should still be able to do the same swap.

 

Edit, found that others have done this swap also, instead of the RX projectors. So I should have the Acura MDX D2S projectors with TSX-R clear lens coming by the end of the week!

 

RX writeup here should be absolutely fine with those if you use the lgt shield. here's the writeup for the full mdx: http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/08-acura-mdx-hid-full-optical-retro-131276.html?t=131276

 

best luck!

[Golf4283]

Hey to Underpowerd or anyone else. Could you possibly get me a picture the face of the RX330 non-AFS shield or the MDX Shield? I noticed that the top of the opening has a bowl U shape to it and I want to replicate that into my LGT shield to get a flatter cutoff at the ground. I really just need a picture that I can play with and blow up as a template for what there is. I was an idiot when I did my retro and threw all the shield out that came with my RX setup.

[MiniStiGuy]

the top part is the forground limiter. Some people actually take that part out to get more forground lighting.

 

Here is a stock rx330 shield that he just cut to fit his retro setup. next to it is one of his custom curved shields.

http://s59.photobucket.com/albums/g297/jvxdriver/hidplanet/DSCF6223_h.jpg

[Golf4283]

Yea I don't want any additional foreground lighting. I just want a nice straight beam across the foreground. I know with a flat shield this is next to impossible but I'd like to get it as flat as I can so we will see how it goes.

[underpowerd]

sorry, all the pics I shot are in the mdx thread.

 

i'll say the mdx cutout looks identical to msg's rx pic; i think you can get a pretty good template mocked up between them all. i'd pretty much trace the bowl for the general, then find the horizon by relating/measuring the comparisons -- the foreground cut/margins will be the only real eyeball work. good luck.

Edited January 6, 2011 by underpowerd

[Golf4283]

Underpowerd,

Do you have any pictures of the foreground on your retro? Just wanna see what I can acheive with my quest here.

[MiniStiGuy]

you don't want a flat cutoff though. The step is there for a reason to light up the side of the road so you can see things like deer, people, etc... but still allowing the lower section as to not blind oncoming traffic that passes by you. That is why the step goes up to the right and is not just a straight beam all the way across. What you'll find if you make it flat is that you actually don't have light going out as far since you have to keep them aimed down as to not blind oncoming traffic the higher steps would normally in front and to the right of the vehicle go further out but with it flat they will not project out as they should.

[Golf4283]

Mini you're missing my quest here. I want to adjust the foreground limiter. Not the cutoff.

[MiniStiGuy]

I really wish I had my extra light setup here and didn't leave it in California because I could give a demonstration of what I'm talking about.

 

I suggest you read a lot on Hidplanet.com as there are a lot of guys that try different shield types/setups and so I know someone has tried what you are thinking but again as I said earlier it is worse to be flat.

[MiniStiGuy]

Mini you're missing my quest here. I want to adjust the foreground limiter. Not the cutoff.

 

 

Ok well that's easy enough then. You can simply get some flashing and cut it to the shape of the stock forground limiter. Cut off the stock one and drill a screw hole in the top of the shield. In your flashing have it be a vertical I shape so that you can adjust it up and down. Then just play with it until you are satisfied.

[Golf4283]

haha that's what I plan to do. I just wanna see a picture of how the RX setup or the MDX setup is so I can use it as a template.

 

Sorry for the laugh but we just took a huge detour on the thread which gave me a largh.

[MiniStiGuy]

It's ok I obviously was thinking when you said flat that you were somehow planning to make the cutoff flat which would be horrible for output...

 

I know in his mdx thread he has a shot that shows how it looks but as far as output I'm not sure he has a direct output shot on the ground like I do in here.

[yogis wagon]

I finally did my RX-330 retrofit, everything looks good, but now I ha ve a problem. The first time I plugged the ballast, on one of them, the 9006 was inverted so it didn't light up. I corrected the thing right away and everything lights up perfectly, to perfectly !

 

Now my low beam are always on, exept when the hand brake is on, but in every other light switch position they are on. Would it be possible that I burned the relay in the fuse bloc or damage the DRL module ?

[ece_tim]

I would think the mis-plugged bulb is unrelated to your on-off issues. Sounds like your ballasts are being triggered off the wrong wire.

 

Post the details about your retrofit. Just triggering off of stock wires, added in pre-built or self-made harness, etc.

[MiniStiGuy]

I finally did my RX-330 retrofit, everything looks good, but now I ha ve a problem. The first time I plugged the ballast, on one of them, the 9006 was inverted so it didn't light up. I corrected the thing right away and everything lights up perfectly, to perfectly !

 

Now my low beam are always on, exept when the hand brake is on, but in every other light switch position they are on. Would it be possible that I burned the relay in the fuse bloc or damage the DRL module ?

 

You sir have the DRL system still engaged. Read up on the How to disable the DRL for your year on here and that will solve your problem.

 

The 05's have it easy with just a harness plug being disconnected but for 08's I believe you guys have it differently.

[Code]

09 is a plug in the drivers footwell. 1 minute mod

[underpowerd]

Underpowerd,

Do you have any pictures of the foreground on your retro? Just wanna see what I can acheive with my quest here.

 

none that would be fair (i've got 1 crummy cellphone shot, but the 55w 3000k 'deglassed' fogs running in it would kinda defeat your purpose )

 

if i get out there at night, i'll try to remember to snap one. really, i've got them subtly aimed for max distance and width without hurting anyone, so my shots might not be your best indicator. i drive a lot of unlit country stuff so i like to have those shoulders fired up and good distance without HBs. normally if i feel the need for more foreground, it's high noon with a snap of the fogs, but i don't think i ever really felt the mdx shields lacking, fwiw.

 

also note (if gauging my pics), i'm boosting the philips with 55w ddms. i had 35w initially for a few days, and they were fine, but 55w is hard to lay off of once you've tasted it.