mrsullivan

Well I tried to do the right thing. Realizing that I am quite challenged in the area of wiring, lighting, etc., decided to have my local mechanic help to install my CATZ HID kit. Was around to see the job in process, but had to go out of town during the final stages. Picked up the car today and turned the lights on tonight for the first time.

The HID install was done incorrectly so that the HIGH beams have the HID, not the low beams... ugghh!! This mechanic is usually very good, but no so much in this case I guess. Of course, I am going to call him Monday, but just curious if anyone on the board can speak to how this happened.... I am trying to get a sense as to whether this is a HUGE screw up, or just a small one. Hoping that it is just wiring? The install looks really clean, no drilling, etc.... just doesnt come on with the low beam, only when I put on my brights do the HIDs kick-in...

the_buch

Your mechanic is dyslexic ... it should be a simple fix ...

mrsullivan

wiring?

Terry Adams

It's an easy mistake to make. The low beam bulb is at the top of the enclosure, shining down, and the high beam is at the bottom. Should be a simple unclip and reclip to the right connectors, which you could try yourself. Unless the hole he drilled in the back of the plastic enclosure lines up with the high beam connectors. Then you gotta drill again to give the connectors room to protrude past the enclosure before connecting.

Terry Adams

I noticed you said "no drilling". If you check the written instructions it shows drilling a hole to line up with the low beam connectors. Notice the plastic enclosure is raised at the back of the high beams where your mechanic installed the kit, so he did not need to drill to provide the extra clearance. I think you need to drill to provide the clearance.

kkim

Terry,

I believe he has the Catz kit which requires no drilling.

Should be a simple fix... move the HID bulb to the low position and put the original high bulb in and reclip w/ the proper connector.

BTW, I have my HID in the high beam position and love it there... to me it's more effective. Talk about lighting up the road!!!

edit- when you have only the low beam on, which bulb is on in the headlight... top or the bottom?

Terry Adams

Glad it will be a simple fix with no drilling.
Kelly, here in almost constant suburbia, we rarely get a chance to use high beams.

Blaine S

FYI - in one of the original HID install posts the pictures show the HID bulb going in the high beam position. I followed the instructions and pics and ended up having to move the bulbs to the low beam position and it wasn't difficult.

mrsullivan

right now, the the HID bulb is on the bottom, the original bulb (i guess low beam) is on the top... sounds like it will not be an easy wiring switch, instead that the actual bulbs need to be moved around and re-clipped (?)...

graham_mitchell

From your description, it is not just a matter of swapping the bulbs. If you just did that, then the HID bulb would be in the right location, but when you turn your normal headlights on, the high beams only would come on.

You will also need to re-wire the igniter/ballast to the main headlight power supply instead of the high-beam wiring.

mrsullivan

thanks graham...

mrsullivan

would someone who has done the CATZ install be willing to walk me through it over the phone...my mechanic and I are having difficulty... if so, please PM

thanks!!

vjd3

The Catz kit does require drilling a hole in the plastic headlight housing to run the cables back to the ballast, etc.

All your mechanic has to do is disconnect the factory lead (it's red, as I recall) and pull the Catz bulb out of the high beam slot and connect the low beam lead and put it in the low beam slot. If the bulb will not fit into the low beam slot, take a small round file and work the metal around the slot a little bit until it slides in. Pretty common problem.

Other than that, if it worked as the high beam, it will work as the low beam ... you don't have to rewire the igniters or anything, when the low beam wire gets the current it will light the bulb. This should be a 5-minute fix.

Vic
95 C4

mike cap

Sulley,

WTF?? I assume that you did the Catz install using the existing fender connectors and retained the slide in and out feature. If so, then Graham is correct and the wiring needs to be changed back at the connector in the fender wells. The tech selected the wrong pins.

I can email you the writeup (Dan finished mine a few months ago) with pics for your tech and you are welcome to call me about this. My office number is 800-333-0519. Select the operator and tell one of the gals that you want to speak to me - Porsche related. They'll track me down.

mrsullivan

thanks Mike C.

! I love this place...