HID Lights

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Jafeb

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Hi guys,

I just brought a 98 Mark VIII LSC with 67,000 miles but my right HID headlight is dimmer than the left one. Does this mean I need to change the bulb? Someone told I need to change the old thing. Also I was told it's discontinue.. Any advise?
 
The 98 has quick connect HID, they are not hard wired in like 97. You do not have to swap the hid in to the actual housing, but I would take the "bad" one of the housing and plug it into the other ones plug. This will rule out the ballast. If it does indeed light, bad ballast though. If not, bad capsule.

The HID capsules are not available unless used and for a decent amount.

Your options are to get a conversion kit that includes adapters, new ballasts and HID capsules. Its a one time up front expense, form there out you can just get the capsules for cheap.

Other options would be to convert to halogen. Ford has new OEM housings. these were the "solution" to the lack of HID capsules. However, since they use a standard base you can convert these new halogen housings to HID for an additional $80.
 
Where the heck you been? LOL

Ya, if ANYONE has HID stuff, Sonny does!
 
unity I have an early 97 and the HIDs are not hard wired in the have a plug like the 98 just a different style
 
Sonny, how on earth do you have HID stuff available now? And what are your prices?

Jafeb, take Sonny up on his offer... and get a spare while you're at it. That is the only way you are going to keep the HIDs, otherwise; get a conversion kit from Max and leave the halogens in there. Using aftermarket HID kits is NOT approved by the DOT and NOT legal.

For what it's worth, the people I have known to use that halogen retrofit kit say the lighting is better than the original HIDs anyways.
 
slowmkviii said:
unity I have an early 97 and the HIDs are not hard wired in the have a plug like the 98 just a different style
Click to expand...

yours have been changed already before you took ownership, only late 97's changed to the round plug, ealry 97's all had the tamper plug, they can still be unplugged but the plastic shrowd around the plug has to be cut off.
 
jamie97lsc said:
yours have been changed already before you took ownership, only late 97's changed to the round plug, ealry 97's all had the tamper plug, they can still be unplugged but the plastic shrowd around the plug has to be cut off.
Click to expand...

mine were not changed when I got it cause I had to change them when I put in my new head light
 
We are working with Ford to get DOT approved solution in place for the 9500 bases.

I have already submitted a solution to ford and thier engineers are looking it over to see if its a good solution which if they approve you will be able to find this fix at dalerships nationwide.
 
mafioso said:
We are working with Ford to get DOT approved solution in place for the 9500 bases.

I have already submitted a solution to ford and thier engineers are looking it over to see if its a good solution which if they approve you will be able to find this fix at dalerships nationwide.
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But they already have a solution, at least for 97/98. So it must be a solution more for the Gen 1s? I know its the same base on both. I am just not sure why they did not take the adapter approach also. Creating new housings would have been more work you would think - but on the flip side it does help for those with yellow housings. Maybe that it why, two birds with one stone sorta thing.
 
unity said:
But they already have a solution, at least for 97/98. So it must be a solution more for the Gen 1s? I know its the same base on both. I am just not sure why they did not take the adapter approach also. Creating new housings would have been more work you would think - but on the flip side it does help for those with yellow housings. Maybe that it why, two birds with one stone sorta thing.
Click to expand...

that is my exact understanding from Ford, its mainly to address the housing issue and the base issue.
The Halogen housings for the Gen2 have a hardend clear to to aid against UV damage which is the yellowing.
It going through Fords approval process(Must pass focal tests and compatibilty tests along with longevity test). Then it will goto a board of review by DOT. (you wouldnt belive the paperwork)
 
Where do the police actually care about hids? I've never heard of anyone get pulled over/fail inspection because of aftermarket hids.
 
Very true, but then again you might get a $hithole cop or an inspector so thats why Im trying to get with ford ;)
 
It doesn't matter if they are DOT approved or not, they will light the road up so much better & you won't blind anyone! A bunch of us has done this HID swap & it's worth it! A cop has never even looked twice at me. As for the GEN 2 Mark VIII, why would a cop or the DOT even question it anyways??? It came with HID's from the factory. The whole focal point is a BS argument if you ask me!

Besides, every ricer & crotch rocket out there has these aftermarket HID kits, LOL.


If you want to keep everything OEM then reach deep into your wallet & buy whatever Sonny has left now! I wasn't aware that there were any new bulbs anywhere! He must be hidding them. lol.
 
turborich said:
It doesn't matter if they are DOT approved or not, they will light the road up so much better & you won't blind anyone! A bunch of us has done this HID swap & it's worth it! A cop has never even looked twice at me. As for the GEN 2 Mark VIII, why would a cop or the DOT even question it anyways??? It came with HID's from the factory. The whole focal point is a BS argument if you ask me!

Besides, every ricer & crotch rocket out there has these aftermarket HID kits, LOL.


If you want to keep everything OEM then reach deep into your wallet & buy whatever Sonny has left now! I wasn't aware that there were any new bulbs anywhere! He must be hidding them. lol.
Click to expand...

Very Correct, we dont care because we are in the custom scene. but What about Grandpa Joe who wont mod his car in any way? wants the stealership to fix his HID bulb that went out?

We at HidSoltutions strive to provide OEM replacements avail for all markets.
 
As for focal points, I find it ironic that they try to center the lamp with an adapter? Of course that makes it off-center.... All the adapter needs to do is set depth.

Or better yet, all Ford needs to do is make some 9500 bases.
 
Well the hole when you remove the 9500 is oblong, so I had some *test* one machined to put the bowl back from a rebased bulb in the original location.

So far all of the tests have been very promissing. I know im not the first one to try. but if Ford is taking a second look I might be onto something.
 
mafioso said:
Well the hole when you remove the 9500 is oblong, so I had some *test* one machined to put the bowl back from a rebased bulb in the original location.

So far all of the tests have been very promissing. I know im not the first one to try. but if Ford is taking a second look I might be onto something.
Click to expand...

The hole offset of the housing corrected the offset of the lamp. So in effect the hole in the housing is there to re-center the original HID that had an outer glass shell. The glass shell is why the hole is not centered, but the actual discharge point is DEAD center.

So when using the new style lamps that do not have the outer glass shell, the hole will be in the actual center. There is no offset. This is why I will not buy a kit with the holes offset, its wrong. So if I decide to put my HID housings on I will have to think something up or find the right adapters. They were created long ago the right way and this was all pointed out.
 
right the Glass Casing is accounted for, since the glass shell on any rebase is not in the same place we had to put the bowl in the same place.

Im sure this subject is beating a dead horse.
 
mafioso said:
right the Glass Casing is accounted for, since the glass shell on any rebase is not in the same place we had to put the bowl in the same place.

Im sure this subject is beating a dead horse.
Click to expand...

Right. But I think you have it right.

Here is an example of it done wrong:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/LINC...018QQitemZ280255694660QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

adapter-rings.gif


As you can see by the thickness of the walls that insert into the housing, the inserted lamp will not be centered. However the lamp they are using has a centered discharge point - no outer shell to protect the capsule that causes the lamp to look un-centered.
 
today i noticed my head lights had moisture in them, should i be worried about that making my HIDs go out? also it there a halogen kit i can put in place of the HIDs? 97 mark
 
I dont know of a halogen conversion. The moisture is not good but it wont generally hurt the lamp. On a hot dry humid-free day take out the high beam lamp and drive around for a day, that should clear it out.
 
the moisture i get isant too bad, just a little foggy looking when it rains. there is alot of water spots on the chrome inside the head lights. how hard would it be to open them, redo the chrome then reseal them?
 
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