Xenon Bulb upgrade/replacement

[JPMo]

So finally got to drive my car at night was disappointed with the light output. I have the AL headlights so the burnt bowls shouldn't be an issue but I found the output to be very weak and non xenon like, almost like my old mitsubishi lancer (haha). Im hoping I just need to replace the bulbs so what do you suggest?

Also I'm curious about angel eyes. I like them in the newer cars but I've found in the E46 they tend to look out of place. Which brand or style looks the most factory?

thank you

[Adi]

Apparently the AL bowls can also be burnt, it is just not nearly as common as the ZKW. If this is the case, then here is one option to replace the projectors: https://www.retrofitlab.com/en/xenon-projectors-1/bosch-al-bi-xenon-projectors-1.html

You can also buy used AL projectors on ebay quite easily, and also retrofit FX-R projectors - www.lightwerkz.net and www.theretrofitsource.com

As far as replacement bulbs go, my favourite are the OSRAM Cool Blue Intense as they give a modern looking white colour, but still have great light output.

If you are purely looking for light output, then the Osram XNB are a good option. See here for a comparison of CBI to the predecessor of the XNB, the SVS: https://www.hidplanet.com/forums/forum/general-discussion/specific-questions/55589-osram-xenarc-66240-nightbreaker-vs-66240-cbi?p=1010220#post1010220

[Vas]

Apparently the AL bowls can also be burnt, it is just not nearly as common as the ZKW. If this is the case, then here is one option to replace the projectors: https://www.retrofitlab.com/en/xenon-projectors-1/bosch-al-bi-xenon-projectors-1.html

You can also buy used AL projectors on ebay quite easily, and also retrofit FX-R projectors - www.lightwerkz.com and www.theretrofitsource.com

As far as replacement bulbs go, my favourite are the OSRAM Cool Blue Intense as they give a modern looking white colour, but still have great light output.

If you are purely looking for light output, then the Osram XNB are a good option. See here for a comparison of CBI to the predecessor of the XNB, the SVS: https://www.hidplanet.com/forums/forum/general-discussion/specific-questions/55589-osram-xenarc-66240-nightbreaker-vs-66240-cbi?p=1010220#post1010220

You actually linked the wrong website for Lightwerkz.

Correct link below:

https://www.lightwerkz.net/

If your car has AL headlights, the projector lens is frosted vs a clear lens on the zkw. It is a common mod to replace the frosted unit with a clear lens to get more of a crisp output.

As far as bulbs, if you want the best bang for your buck, look into these http://www.lightwerkz.net/index.php/components/hid-bulbs/d-series/morimoto-xb35-d2s-bulbs.html

Otherwise a popular bulb option is the Osram bulbs but those come with a hefty price tag.
http://www.lightwerkz.net/index.php/components/hid-bulbs/d-series/osram-66240-cbi-d2s-bulbs.html

[Adi]

You actually linked the wrong website for Lightwerkz.

Correct link below:

https://www.lightwerkz.net/



My apologies, thank you for the correction.

[az3579]

Apparently the AL bowls can also be burnt, it is just not nearly as common as the ZKW.

I've never heard of this...

[JPMo]

Thanks for the info guys!

[Adi]

I've never heard of this...

Neither had I until recently. I found this posted on TheRetrofitLab's youtube video for AL-Bosch projector replacement:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA_7vAVA7PY

"The BMW 3 E46 OEM xenon headlight suffers sometimes from burned projectors. Most of the times it's the ZKW headlight that has burned projectors, but also the AL Bosch Automotive Lighting headlight has this problem. The reflective coating can be burned away complete."

I realise that this could be just their claim to promote sales of their replacement projectors, so I have actually emailed them to ask for more information. I will post their reply. I suspect it is exceedingly rare, unlike the ZKW.

[az3579]

"The BMW 3 E46 OEM xenon headlight suffers sometimes from burned projectors. Most of the times it's the ZKW headlight that has burned projectors, but also the AL Bosch Automotive Lighting headlight has this problem. The reflective coating can be burned away complete."

I realise that this could be just their claim to promote sales of their replacement projectors, so I have actually emailed them to ask for more information. I will post their reply. I suspect it is exceedingly rare, unlike the ZKW.

I would agree with the bolded statement. ZKW is the one everyone talks about, so whatever failures that may occur with the ALs is probably so insignificant (number of failures) that it's not even worth thinking about. It's kind of like how every once in a while you'll hear of a transmission needing replacement, but doesn't necessarily mean that the transmissions are known failure items.

Let us know what they say! Oddly I came across a pic with the title "burnt FX-R projector bowl"... I didn't visit the site, but I found it very strange for that to even be possible at this time, considering they're not that old.

[WOLFN8TR]

Hey BP. "Cut off Line" LoL [emoji2]

[az3579]

Hey BP. "Cut off Line" LoL [emoji2]

:rofl

[sillieidiot]

Apparently the AL bowls can also be burnt, it is just not nearly as common as the ZKW. If this is the case, then here is one option to replace the projectors: https://www.retrofitlab.com/en/xenon-projectors-1/bosch-al-bi-xenon-projectors-1.html

You can also buy used AL projectors on ebay quite easily, and also retrofit FX-R projectors - www.lightwerkz.net and www.theretrofitsource.com

As far as replacement bulbs go, my favourite are the OSRAM Cool Blue Intense as they give a modern looking white colour, but still have great light output.

If you are purely looking for light output, then the Osram XNB are a good option. See here for a comparison of CBI to the predecessor of the XNB, the SVS: https://www.hidplanet.com/forums/forum/general-discussion/specific-questions/55589-osram-xenarc-66240-nightbreaker-vs-66240-cbi?p=1010220#post1010220


I've never heard of this...

It can happen when you use crappy HID bulbs or run bulbs that are higher rated like 55w ones. It's not an AL problem, all OE projectors face this problem. There was a bunch of threads on it on HIDp at one point when people were experimenting with 55w-80w HID kits.

[Adi]

It can happen when you use crappy HID bulbs or run bulbs that are higher rated like 55w ones. It's not an AL problem, all OE projectors face this problem. There was a bunch of threads on it on HIDp at one point when people were experimenting with 55w-80w HID kits.

So they did email me back, and referenced the end of their AL projector install video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA_7vAVA7PY). At about 3:52 you can see the burnt AL projector bowl. Obviously we can only speculate as to whether this happens with normal 35w bulbs or only on the higher powered bulbs.

[az3579]

So they did email me back, and referenced the end of their AL projector install video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA_7vAVA7PY). At about 3:52 you can see the burnt AL projector bowl. Obviously we can only speculate as to whether this happens with normal 35w bulbs or only on the higher powered bulbs.

That assembly looks like a ZKW assembly. It's got the hole for the city lights in the housing itself, and the lens installed on the projector is a clear lens that doesn't have a line through it. These are staples of E46 ZKW lights.

I'm not sure if all AL housings need drilling for the city light holes (Derek's does), but I am pretty sure that all the AL projectors (if stock) have the line going through the projector lens. I just wish I remember what my ZKW projector bowls looked like on the unburned part (as far as finish goes) - I don't remember the unburned sections looking so matte, so the matte finish in the video does kind of suggest AL bowls.

The cutoffs shown at the end of the video also look a little too sharp to be AL's (once again, assuming the lenses are stock and haven't been replaced with ZKW or other lenses).

The video just screams ZKW to me, but it would be interesting to see some of the actual AL burnt bowl cases. I'm intrigued by the possibility that they have the problem too, I've just never heard someone complain about the ALs.

I guess I'm a bit confused. Most of the clues pointed to ZKW but the inside of the bowl looks different than a ZKW one...

[sillieidiot]

So they did email me back, and referenced the end of their AL projector install video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA_7vAVA7PY). At about 3:52 you can see the burnt AL projector bowl. Obviously we can only speculate as to whether this happens with normal 35w bulbs or only on the higher powered bulbs.

Well it's no any OE I know that. Only aftermarket ones have a sticker on the base. All the more legit ones just have their labels printed on the base. No name ones don't have anything printed usually. But that burn that they show at the end is totally not normal. The AL projectors are all metal, it would take a ton of heat to even do that unlike the ZKW which are plastic.


That assembly looks like a ZKW assembly. It's got the hole for the city lights in the housing itself, and the lens installed on the projector is a clear lens that doesn't have a line through it. These are staples of E46 ZKW lights.

I'm not sure if all AL housings need drilling for the city light holes (Derek's does), but I am pretty sure that all the AL projectors (if stock) have the line going through the projector lens. I just wish I remember what my ZKW projector bowls looked like on the unburned part (as far as finish goes) - I don't remember the unburned sections looking so matte, so the matte finish in the video does kind of suggest AL bowls.

The cutoffs shown at the end of the video also look a little too sharp to be AL's (once again, assuming the lenses are stock and haven't been replaced with ZKW or other lenses).

The video just screams ZKW to me, but it would be interesting to see some of the actual AL burnt bowl cases. I'm intrigued by the possibility that they have the problem too, I've just never heard someone complain about the ALs.

I guess I'm a bit confused. Most of the clues pointed to ZKW but the inside of the bowl looks different than a ZKW one...

It's an AL headlight. The hole isn't already there for the US headlights. This is the Euro version.

The line going through the lens is only a product of the US variant. He has the Euro unit that doesn't have the line. You can tell because when he fires it up and shows you the cutoff. The dimmer one has a Z-shaped cutoff. For the US/DOT we have the "step" cutoff, which is the brighter one at the bottom.

The new AL projectors that they install are replica ones with clear lenses.

[az3579]

It's an AL headlight. The hole isn't already there for the US headlights. This is the Euro version.

The line going through the lens is only a product of the US variant. He has the Euro unit that doesn't have the line. You can tell because when he fires it up and shows you the cutoff. The dimmer one has a Z-shaped cutoff. For the US/DOT we have the "step" cutoff, which is the brighter one at the bottom.

The new AL projectors that they install are replica ones with clear lenses.

Gotcha. Thanks for the clarification.

[JPMo]

So got the osram bulbs and switched them out. There's a definite improvements but still not quite where I want. I did notice that what I think are the bowls had a brown color from outside and a crack. My car has the AL headlights, does this mean I have burnt bowls!? ���� my ultimate goal was to get as close as possible to the modern bmw light output. What would I have to do to get there and why are the newer cars so much brighter?

[az3579]

Did you install the ALs yourself, out of curiosity?

[JPMo]

Did you install the ALs yourself, out of curiosity?

No everything came as is when I purchased the car. Im beginning to wonder if I actually have ZKW headlights with an AL lens cover...would that be possible? But then again, My projector lens are frosted, which indicates Al correct?

Also does anyone know of a source where I can mail my headlights to get a retrofit done, I dont think im ready to do that kind of DIY just yet

[Vas]

What about the labels on the top of the headlights ?

[JPMo]

What about the labels on the top of the headlights ?

Ill check it out in the morning, 11pm my time currently

[sillieidiot]

So got the osram bulbs and switched them out. There's a definite improvements but still not quite where I want. I did notice that what I think are the bowls had a brown color from outside and a crack. My car has the AL headlights, does this mean I have burnt bowls!? ���� my ultimate goal was to get as close as possible to the modern bmw light output. What would I have to do to get there and why are the newer cars so much brighter?

Well the outside of the ALs do have some brown on it. But it's normal. But I have never seen a crack. Just take a picture of your lights so we can identify it for you.

The new cars are brighter because 1) newer projector tech 2) the headlights are bigger so you can have a bigger projector 3) all xenon components are new so it should be operating at peak efficiency.

Some of these newer cars have headlights so big, I can no longer fit them in my oven to open it. It's takes so much longer to use a heat gun. Not to mention I'm 50% less efficient with only have one good hand.

[JPMo]

I'm being too lazy to go outside and take my headlight out and see what the label on top says but I did manage to get a shot of the light output. Pretty horrible as you can tell and this was after putting the Osram CBIs in
27882

[sillieidiot]

Well since it's a Z shaped cutoff. You probably have the ZKWs.

[JPMo]

Well since it's a Z shaped cutoff. You probably have the ZKWs.

Great... :facepalm:facepalm:facepalm I can't drive around with such poor output so looks like that is now priority #1. Thanks for the help everyone

[az3579]

Well since it's a Z shaped cutoff. You probably have the ZKWs.
My thoughts exactly. The cutoff on ALs is way more blurred.

That said, the ZKW cutoff sure is pretty for a stock setup.

Sent from my LG V10 using Tapatalk

[JPMo]

Anybody in the south Florida area that can help with a refurb?

Does this seem like the right thing if I wanted to swap over to an AL projector?
https://www.retrofitlab.com/en/bosch-al-bi-xenon-projectors-1.html