IceShark

To all that have asked, I've given up on the true upgrade with wiring. Not enough takers. And forget H$$$la Super H-4. It is not as good as Cibie, but almost, and they are a big shipment problem. That is enough, I wash my hands. I want guys with good lights.


If you want some Cibie E-Code headlights and good bulbs @90/100 let me know. The lights/leneses will be $80. Plus actual ship. The bulbs for 90/100 will be $10 a copy. 55/65 will be $2.50. So, the lenses and standard bulbs will come in at $85 plus some shipping.

EDIT: shiping in my shop is actual/ guess I should add in for missed.

regards, Dan

Rewire to take full advantage will be more, which I'm sure not many will be interested in..

These are better than the normal Hella E-Code H-4, including the Supers.

Danno

So these are actual e-code headlamps? With the sharp cut-off between lit and unlit areas so you don't blind oncoming traffi? Also with the high right side so you can see signs as well?

Tom Pultz

[quote]Originally posted by IceShark:
<strong>And forget H$$$la Super H-4. It is not as good as Cibie, but almost</strong><hr></blockquote>Hmmm. This sounds like a reversal of opinion. Previously you were touting the superiority of the Hella Supers. Maybe not being able to get them at a reasonable price changed your point of view... or do the Cibie lens really work better?

booster

The Cibie's are the better of the two, Ice is that price of 85+shipping for the two? If so I'll take a set.

flyloki

Actually in my correspondance with Iceshark he said he preferred the Cibies but that he thought most folks would want the Hellas as they were better known here in the USA. I think I'll be buying a set of the e-codes myself.

IceShark

Yes, flyloki is correct. I have always thought the Cibies were better, even than the Hella Supers, which are rather rare in North America. It was a market awareness decision to suggest the Hella Supers because I thought they would sell better, however, the standard E-Code Hellas normally available are not very good. But better than DOT.

Tom, it is not a reversal of opinion on the Hella Supers. I believe I told you that they were quite a bit better than the "normal" E-Code Hellas you have, but also noted that Cibie and Hella Supers were same ballpark competitors, with Cibie being a bit better in my opinion, but not enough to get bothered about.

Hella Supers are very good lights and I was proposing them in this kit that never seems to get off the ground because of Name Brand recognition. Cibie is arguably better, but they have long ago pulled out of the North American market due to marketing SNAFUs and being acquired by Valeo. I can get either, but Hella Supers will cost more and be a 3 month lag. For a lens that is about a push. I have to get off the dime for a couple people that want to upgrade so I am getting them Cibies which should arrive in North America in a few weeks.

Sorry if I am being redundant and sounding like an Olympics Figure Skating Judge. The Cibies are better at light, Hella has a better marketing presence in North America.

If you want some of these lights, let me know. I only have a lock on 30 of them now. The lenses will be $80 for a pair, bulbs extra. Should I say $79.95? 55/60 watt bulbs will be $5 for the pair and 90/100w will be $20/pair.

I'm also offering an adjustable voltage regulator with brushes for the alternator. Comes set at 14.4 volts, but you can change that, I wouldn't though. Cost to Rennlisters will be $17, plus $4 shipping if it is sent alone. It will get the battery up to full charge quicker. End result will be a higher system voltage, mine is 13.9 under load.

Tabor

IceShark, now you have me interested.

Can I install the brushes and voltage regulator myself, or will I need to take it to an alternator shop?

Thanks! <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

IceShark

Tabor, you can install it yourself pretty easy if you have access to the rear end of the alt. Almost as easy as changing out a bulb.

But you need to have some room at the rear of the alternator if this is your first time doing it. you have a N/A right? I'm not that familiar on that alt setup and making room to work to say if you could change it in place. In any event, you don't need to take it to someone to do this, it is very simple.

Tell me which alt you have or model 944, if you are sure you have the original alt, and I can put your order in. It is a very simple upgrade that has so many tangential benefits.

booster

What do we need to do about getting a order to you Ice?

IceShark

Russ, Just e-mail me at wraydan@msn.com and let me know what you want. Some guys are just ordering the lenses and others want the whole wiring kit. You really want the whole wiring kit or cook it up on your own at some point. The stock wiring just can't deliver the voltage you need. Since light output of halogens changes at about the 3.4th power to voltage delta (change) it is a very big deal.

The Cibies have been ordered and I have been advised they should be in the USA mid-March. About half the order has been spoken for so far. I can probably get a few more without having to re-order from Europe if this project gets subscribed more than I think it will.

I will be ordering the wiring parts when business opens up this morning so I don't know delivery or hang-ups on that yet, but I am trying to get the wiring out to Ribs and his rebuild by the end of the week. That is the plan anyway. If there is a supply delivery problem, I'll get Ribs the wiring that one wants to install when things are apart and easy.

So that is the current schedule.

Roy LaZelle

IceShark: I have a couple of questions on the euro 90/100 conversion.
(1) I have been using some 3M stick on plastic headlight rock guards. My local Volvo dealership has been discouraging rock guards this because of lens cracking due to heat build up... sort of defeating the purpose of the rock guards. Any thoughts about this ???
(2) I also have some Bosh euro H4 headlights that I bought a number of years ago that I am planning to put in my 944. Has the H4 spec changed over the years so this would not be advisable ?
Thanks --Roy--

IceShark

Roy, your Volvo dealer is probably correct with respect to a heat issue caused by stick on plastic sheets. I haven't personally tried this with 90 watt bulbs so can't say for sure. I do know that the cheaper/light weight lenses like the kind that sell on e-bay for $40 can crack from the heat overload of a 90 watt bulb without the added problem of a plastic shield. Since the 944 has pop-up lenses that are protected much of the time, I wouldn't use the plastic and just replace the lenses every 5 or 7 years if they get road rash.

The current E-code specification has been in place for quite some time and I believe the only recent modifications have been to deal with HID arc lamps.

E-Code, as well as DOT, do not specify a narrow fixed in stone construction so not all lenses by all manufacturers are the same. As I was explaining to another Rennlister about headlight bulbs, DOT says they should be 1,000 lumens +/- 15%. So two different but legal DOT bulbs could vary 30% on light output. And is the origin of the 30% more light marketing claims.

Now if your old Bosch lens is a good E-Code design, I don't know. You can make a gross evaluation by comparing it to another headlight with just your eyeballs and some targets. To do it totally correct you need some expensive test equipment which is well beyond our means.

I had you down as a "maybe" on the headlights. Should I scratch your name off the list?

Roy LaZelle

IceShark: Put me down for 3 90/100 bulbs, and an adjustable Voltage Regulator. I will start out with my old Bosch H4's and see how they work. What do you have / recommend on the relay front, since I want to change over to relays (along with my 4 gage welding cable re-wire). --Roy--

IceShark

Roy, relays are no problem, I have some 40 amp ones. You will want 1 relay per pair of beams (so 2 total for high and dipped beam headlights). You will also probably want to put them in a box for corrosion protection. And a couple fuses. Are you going to reuse the headlight connectors? You will need those then.

And do you want 3 H-4 90/100w bulbs or 3 pair? Usually it makes sense to replace them in pairs if one burns out. Unless you have a defective bulb that burns out early, when one goes the other is far enough along on its lifecycle that it has coated the envelope with enough tungsten (even though it is not apparent to the naked eye) to cut down light output such that you may as well replace that one also. A reason why you should always compare new lightbulbs to new lightbulbs when trying to decide which is better.

IceShark

I am resurecting this thread in a selfish attempt to stir up any more residual interest.

I am placing the final adjustable voltage regulator w/h brushes order on Monday. If anyone else wants in let me know as I don't think I can order these units in less than 10 at a crack. Final price is $16.50, plus shipping. That will push the price up to $21 if shipped alone, no extra shipping cost if it goes with something else like the headlights.

The Cibie headlights are caught in the 9-11 aftermath and Customs backlog. They should be in my hot little hands by the end of the month. There are a few pairs still available, I have no real clue how long it will take to get a new order filled. Probably 4 to 8 weeks.

The wiring kit is coming along with all sorts of upgrades:

Roy LaZelle, I have canned the NEMA 4X box idea because I can't find standard boxes at a reasonable cost to hold 4 relays and fuses and fit in down by the headlights. I'm getting sealed weather proof relays and connectors from the guys that supply the OEMs. These are first class materials. Costs more than a standard relay alone but cheaper than alternatives. They and the connectors should last for longer than the car will unless you turn your lights on and off over a few hundred thousand times. Then you will have to replace the relay, which is a plug in.

I'm also about to conclude a deal on fiberglass sleeve for the wiring harness at a reasonable cost. Tight *** wiring harness, similar final price to standard plastic, will take 1100F heat, abrasion protection, won't hold water in the sleeve ..... just all around pretty damn good stuff.

So, that is where it stands. Most upgrade wiring connector shells should show up by mid next week.

Regards,

Ice