ZKW Burnt Projector Bowl Repair/Retrofit DIY doityourself

[cakM3]

Huge thank you for putting this together, Charlie.

This is one of the best DIYs I've ever seen.

Thanks Keith! If you see anything that can be added to my DIY to make it better please feel free to add to this



I want to add that I did get a pair of FX-R projector assemblies and was planning to retrofit these but at the last minute decided to go with the OEM M3 AL projector assemblies instead.

For one thing, there is a lot more cutting and trimming involved to get the FX-Rs to fit in properly and then trying to get the Xenon shroud to fit properly...that's another thing....

Much easier to go the route I went imho... In the end, I'm pleased with the results and I was able to transfer my original ZKW lens. FTW

[nk_zhp]

Are your FX-Rs for sale?

[cakM3]

nk,

Not at the moment. Still deciding whether or not I will retrofit my ///M with these or just swap the Bosh lens for ZKWs....

[sna77]

Charlie, do you consider the ZKW lenses superior to the FX-Rs?

[cakM3]

Steve,

I haven't compared the ZKWs side by side to FX-Rs but can say that looking at the FX-R retrofit guide (through research), it is much more complicated to do than the OEM M3 projector retrofit that I did using my DIY. Just based on the difficulty level of having to retrofit the FX-Rs, I'd say that the ZKWs are better...

I have heard that people who have had their headlights professionally retrofitted with FX-Rs have been extremely pleased with them though. For what I paid ( less than $200) to retrofit my burnt out ZKWs, going this route was well worth it for me. I have lighting that I'm very pleased with and still see the different colors at the cutoff which the ZKW lens provide. Hope this helps

[sna77]

Thanks Charlie! Food for thought...

[CERF04ZHP]

Charlie... Excellent DIY. Finally had a chance to read through it. Will get in touch when I'm ready to do it. Thanks again for putting thus together.

Sent from my HTC EVO using Tapatalk.

[cakM3]

No problem Channing! I'm glad to see that this is helping others

[edlvrt]

E46 ZKW HID retrofit with E90 reflector Bowls

Alright, to start, I first heard of the idea to use E90 reflector bowls from Fgin at http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=845704 Additionally, I purchased both of my projectors from Fgin, and he helped me throughout the process. So, here is a big thank you to Fgin

Charlie/mods, I added to Charlie's thread to try and keep the retrofit DIYs consolidated. If you prefer that I move it to its own thread, please let me know.

Why did I choose to go this route? After researching the options, it seemed that the FX-R required a fair amount of modifying and using JB Weld, with the potential for subsequent adjustments to get the lights to align. Charlie (cakM3) has a wonderful DIY at the top of the page, and I used it extensively during my conversion. But again it seemed like a bit more modifying than what I want to do, plus it involved soldering, which I can never get to come out right. The existing wires for the solenoid plug in directly to the new E90 reflector, so that was a plus for me.

One potential negative with this conversion is the way the DS2 bulb that comes with your E46 does not fully seat to get the entire bulb exposed within the reflector. I don't know enough about optics to draw any conclusions on the potential for light loss. You can modify the bulb to seat more fully, but I figured I'd leave that as another project for another rainy day. I am very satisfied with how they work regardless.

I won't go into extreme detail, as I am already standing in Charlie's shadow, but I'll outline some of my steps. I watched Solidjake's video to get my bearings while disassembling the housing.

Tools Needed:
Flathead, Phillips, and Torx screwdrivers of assorted sizes
Wrenches and sockets
Vice grips, needle noes pliers
Drill and bits
Dremel with cutoff wheel and sanding wheel (with safety glasses)
Liquid electrical tape (the covers on the wires for the bi-xenon solenoid were cracking)
Hammer and long, small diameter rod for removing the pins securing the lens to the reflector housing
Assorted small screws
Thread locker
8 #6 flat washers
An extra set of hands to help remove the projector assembly housing from the exterior shell

OK, remove everything as Charlie explains above. I had difficulty getting the bottom clip that attaches to the self leveling motor to release. Eventually, I used two flat head screwdrivers, one entering the assembly from the low beam bulb opening, the other from the high beam opening. By positioning them on each side of the clip, you can squeeze the screwdrivers together and open the retaining clip slightly. This is where your assistant pulls the projector housing away from the exterior shell. Once that pops off, use your same two screwdrivers, again one per side, to open the two prongs holding the top attachment while your assistant pulls again. The below image gives you an idea of how the screwdrivers work in unison.



Once you have the projector out, remove the bulb (if you haven't already) AND the bulb retaining clip/wire, as that will get used with the new reflector. Save the lens, but the plastic bowl is trash. Mail if to the NHTSA if you want. Also, save all screws/hardware as they will be reused.

Next, on your new E90 projectors, remove the nut and two screws that mount the adaptive headlights motor. Now, you will need your long, narrow rod and hammer to drive the hinge pins out to separate the lens from the reflector. I used a long drill bit. Drive the top pin out the top of the assembly, and knock the bottom pin out of the bottom. I used a 3 lb hammer and it took some force to remove the pins, but they will come out. Take care that you strike at an angle that won't damage the shutter.



Now you need to trim off the excess from your reflector using the Dremel and cutoff wheel. The pictures below show where I have started to cut the top of the housing, and the bottom picture is after all three cuts are complete (driver's side reflector). The Dremel goes through the plastic like butter.



Next, sand off the raised lip on bottom of the front of the reflector (bottom left in the picture)



Sand a channel along the side of the reflector where you just sanded the ridge off. When you go to reassemble the projector, there will be a bolt and several washers here.


Now, drill holes as Fgin shows in his thread to allow the pins to align. This will take some trial and error to get the pin holes and the bolt holes to match up.

Once you are happy with the fit at the top, drill a hole opposite the side your sanded the channel to attach the lens to the reflector with the small torx screw that you originally removed when taking the projector off the housing. Clean the lens, and reassemble the reflector, lens, and projector housing using the two longer torx screws at the top, and the remaining torx at the bottom with 4 washers to prevent the housing from cracking.



Again, look at Fgin's post for ideas on how to secure the bulb. It is fairly easy to bend the clip that came with the E46 to make it work, but you will likely need a screw to secure the top. Put it all back together and enjoy. I still need to align mine a little better, but overall I am very pleased with the ease of conversion and the light output. The first one took a few hours simply because I was a nervous RANDO. The second one took 1.5 hours from car to work bench and back on the car again.

[cakM3]

edlvrt, that's okay that you added to my DIY thread.

Its good to keep everything consolidated Results look good as well