Bought and installed the following:
* One piece Valeo ecode headlights
* Retro-Solutions 55W HID ballast upgrade kit with 4300K D2S HID bulbs
* Phillips SilverVision single filament PY21W yellow bulbs for side marker running lights (round bayonet base, not wedge)
* Elenik US Blinker Modules (
www.carpower-ltd.de)
The ecode headlight housings are not designed to have the running lights running on the side marker lights the entire time the headlights on turned on. If the parking lights are left on for a long period of time with the ecode housings, the parking light bulbs will melt the headlight housing. The other problem is that the male connector for the side marker light that comes with the ecode headlights is for a single filament bulb, whereas the US headlight housing uses a male connector for a dual filament bulb. The answer is not to add a dual filament male connector because this will melt the ecode housing due to the parking light being on constantly when the headlights are on. The European headlights only use the side marker bulbs for the blinker action, which is why they run a single filament, and they use the daytime running lights that are next to the high beams bulbs as their running lights. The answer to this problem is to run the Elenik US Blinker Modules, which allow you to run a single filament bulb for both the blinker and the running light action on the side marker light. The Elenik US blinker module is a slick device and is inexpensive. It runs the running light at 50% power so it does not melt the ecode headlight housing (it still is plenty bright, no problems there), and when the blinker is on it turns of the running light each time the bulb blinks. It works very well and you would never notice this is taking place. In fact, it might work better and making the blinker action stand out to other drivers because since the running light is out while the bulb is blinking it makes for more lighting contrast each time the bulb blinks.
The instructions and the picture on the box of the US blinkers are in German. Note that the blue wire connects to the incoming power for the parking light action and the yellow wire connects to the incoming power for the blinker action. The black wire simply taps into the existing black ground wire. The red and the black wires coming from the blinker module are the ones that go to the female bulb connector that powers the single filament light bulb.
Lastly, the black female stock OEM connector that has the three connections for the blinker, running light, and ground will need to be modified to fit into the white two connection male connector that holds the bulb and fits into the headlight housing. It took a chisel and small hammer and removed one connector from square end of the black three connection stock OEM female connector and removed the plastic clip and orange gasket like piece to allow the white male connector to slid deeper into the black the connector. To hold the connectors securely together I applied 100% silicone and allowed it to dry . It worked great. I tried to find a two connection female connector to replace the stock OEM one, but could not find anything at the dealer or with online automotive parts distributors so I settled with the chiseling method and I am happy with the outcome. The bulb connector still can screw in and out of the headlight housing like normal.
Originally Posted by GatosS4
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