Quick Help... Projector Bowls...

[JupiterBMW]

Can someone check out this auction for me and let me know if the projector bowl is included? I emailed the seller and clearly he has no idea, thought I was talking about the orange corner reflector...

So, can anyone tell from the pics if its included? Thanks in advance.. .

http://www.ebay.com/itm/230804234966?item=230804234966&viewitem=&sspagename=ADME:X:RTQ:MOTORS:1123&vxp=mtr#ht_500wt_1071

[Hornung418]

Looks like the housing got burned. Wouldn't buy.

Do you currently have Halogens?

[JupiterBMW]

No currently have bi-xenons.. Does that automatically mean auto-leveling? I have that too, just unsure what's standard and what's an option... Just looking for replacement bowls to replace my burnt ones... Ray Charles can see better than my car's lights at night... :biggrin

[Hornung418]

AL or Bosch are the best replacements, but keep the ZKW projector lenses.

[JupiterBMW]

Hmm, ok... Still looking for where to source these parts...? I read over on E46fanatics that one of the easiest fixes was to get projector bowls from E90 housings. They're apparently made by ZKW, but better quality and metal... Also, its an 'OEM' fix... Have you heard of this fix?

[Hornung418]

Yes, but its cheaper and easier to retrofit AL bi-xenon lights. Check Charlie's DIY.

Sent from my P.O.S. DroidX

[Mr Paul]

Hmm, ok... Still looking for where to source these parts...? I read over on E46fanatics that one of the easiest fixes was to get projector bowls from E90 housings. They're apparently made by ZKW, but better quality and metal... Also, its an 'OEM' fix... Have you heard of this fix?

I just purchased some E90 projectors from a guy on e46fanatics and plan on doing this retrofit in the next week or two. From all the research I did this appears to be the retrofit that requires the least amount of hacking on the oem housings.

[JupiterBMW]

Yes, but its cheaper and easier to retrofit AL bi-xenon lights. Check Charlie's DIY.

Sent from my P.O.S. DroidX

Yeah I need to read it again... I can see how the AL retrofit would be cheaper, but I would think the E90 ZKW would be easier... Can anyone clarify? Thanks...

[JupiterBMW]

Hey guys.. I have an offer to buy the projectors shown in the pics below... Is this all I need to do the retrofit to repair my lights? These are AL projectors, not sure on year or what car they came out of. Is this going to be sufficient? I was told $80 for this set, which to me seems good..

Charlie? Anyone??

http://i831.photobucket.com/albums/zz237/JackChristian/E46/9935aead.jpg
http://i831.photobucket.com/albums/zz237/JackChristian/E46/631609fd.jpg
http://i831.photobucket.com/albums/zz237/JackChristian/E46/549b3905.jpg
http://i831.photobucket.com/albums/zz237/JackChristian/E46/6577293e.jpg

[danewilson77]

I don't see the bowls? Not an HID expert either, though.

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk 2

[JupiterBMW]

From what I've gathered (comparing to Charlies DIY thread) the projector bowl is the chrome looking part. But I could very well be wrong. Also not sure if these are the correct AL lights, or if there are other parts needed.

[Hornung418]

Yes those are projectors. From left to right in the last pic: bowl, shutter, lens.

Sent from my P.O.S. DroidX

[danewilson77]

Yes those are projectors. From left to right in the last pic: bowl, shutter, lens.

Sent from my P.O.S. DroidX

Damn. Thanks Horney. I guess that is the bowl. Mine don't look like that :shifty

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Maintenance%20and%20Misc/BurnedZKWBowl02.jpg

[johnrando]

How many inches of bowls will it take to fix that?

[cakM3]

Those projector bowles are toast. At that point they will produce about 50% less light output than when they were brand new.

That's exactly how both mine looked like (see my projector retrofit DIY). I purchased the AL projector assembly as pictured (post #9) and rebuilt both sides and kept my ZKW lens. Swapping out lenses is very easy with the AL assembly (video in my DIY).

The difference was literally like night and day when I did my retrofit.

I tried to detail my DIY as thoroughly as I could in case anyone else 'had' to rebuild their headlight assemblies. I have links to additional hardware components to get the AL bi-xenon to function with the original ZKW harness (ZKW 2-wire to AL 3-wire converter).

Sorry I didn't post this earlier (was out to sea for 9 days of at-sea testing). Also take a look at the bi-xenon solenoid (as pictured in my DIY) the solenoid I used in my DIY works with the converter hardware I used for my conversion.

TT + iPhone4

[danewilson77]

How many inches of bowls will it take to fix that?

About 13"

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk 2

[JupiterBMW]

Those projector bowles are toast. At that point they will produce about 50% less light output than when they were brand new.

That's exactly how both mine looked like (see my projector retrofit DIY). I purchased the AL projector assembly as pictured (post #9) and rebuilt both sides and kept my ZKW lens. Swapping out lenses is very easy with the AL assembly (video in my DIY).

The difference was literally like night and day when I did my retrofit.

I tried to detail my DIY as thoroughly as I could in case anyone else 'had' to rebuild their headlight assemblies. I have links to additional hardware components to get the AL bi-xenon to function with the original ZKW harness (ZKW 2-wire to AL 3-wire converter).

Sorry I didn't post this earlier (was out to sea for 9 days of at-sea testing). Also take a look at the bi-xenon solenoid (as pictured in my DIY) the solenoid I used in my DIY works with the converter hardware I used for my conversion.

TT + iPhone4

Thanks for the help Charlie... Couple more questions... That converter you had, is that something I can easily get online? I didn't see links in your DIY. And do I need the AL solenoid also? This guy only has what's pictured above...

I'm getting grey hairs trying to find the necessary parts to do this retrofit. The more I try and find stuff, the more I want to just drop the $800 on a set of E90 headlight assemblies...

[cakM3]

Thanks for the help Charlie... Couple more questions... That converter you had, is that something I can easily get online? I didn't see links in your DIY. And do I need the AL solenoid also? This guy only has what's pictured above...

I'm getting grey hairs trying to find the necessary parts to do this retrofit. The more I try and find stuff, the more I want to just drop the $800 on a set of E90 headlight assemblies...

Not hard brutha :) Here's the link for the additional bi-xenon converter circuit I linked in my DIY (http://www.wolstentech.com/products/bixenon/bixenon.php)

Just copy and paste this URL and it should take you to the page where I purchased my set. All in all less than $30 for everything.

If you haven't done so, I'd suggest going over my projector retrofit diy (link listed in my sig) and see if this will help you out. In there, I have listed tools required, and a basic step by step procedure with tons of pics :thumbsup

If you already reviewed my DIY bear with me...(still getting over my crazy at-sea test schedule) its 4am and I'm currently at the San Diego Airport checking in :)

TT + iPhone4

[JupiterBMW]

Thanks again for all your help Charlie. I'm actually trying to go with the E90 ZKW retrofit right now as it seems quite a bit easier. All electronics are the same, so it should just be a bowl change and I think then I have to go from D2S bulbs to D1S... I forget exactly... But I'm chasing the parts, hopefully my current lead pans out... :)

If I do the E90 retro, I will write my own DIY! :)

[cakM3]

Yeah I think you are correct. Chad44 has the E90 retrofit in his. You can PM Chad and he could provide some insights on this :thumbsup

Keep us posted :)

TT + iPad

[JupiterBMW]

Werd. :thumbup Will do.

[JupiterBMW]

Ok, I'm just about 100% positive, but in this picture, that is the projector bowl shown, correct? After getting sniped out of an entire headlight assembly, I found this 'inner shell' for $40.... I think that's all I need.. Can anyone confirm?

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/BMW-E90-E92-E91-FRONT-RIGHT-HEADLIGHT-INNER-SHELL-1305305176-/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/$(KGrHqZ,!o4E-vqFo+iMBP)74rW+pw~~60_57.JPG

[Hornung418]

I forget, halogens or ZKWs currently? It's an AL housing, correct? That should be fine. You'll have to get the proper wiring to the complete the retrofit though.

Sent from Branson, MO.

[JupiterBMW]

Currently have ZKW bixenons... The parts pictured above are out of E90 bixenons (also ZKW, but with metal bowl)... From what I've read on E46f, everything is plug n play, no wiring to do.