So i ordered this HID conversion kit for my 97 prelude and the installation directions were kinda skimpy. Plug and play my ass. I'm having trouble keeping the bulb in the headlight socket and don't know how the oem rubber bulb cover behind the light bulb goes. Basically I need some help in installing this from you prelude owners who have done it before? I appreciate it.
lol i got my HiD's out of an M3 beamer and so obv they werent gona fit in perfect but i used zip ties and it held it in niceee...been in there for bout 8 months now and havent moved at all...not sure tho urs are supposed to fit right in, and the rubber backin i believe is jus supposed to slip rigth over the whole opening to keep the weather out
It's been a while since you posted...maybe you'll still read.
I think this should be put into the FAQ just because there is no way of getting a perfect fitting HID kit for the 5g lude short of doing a retrofit kit.
Basically, I'm going to assume that you bought an H1 HID kit. Wrong. You won't be able to get them to sit in there properly and will never be able to properly aim them...I know this from experience...
What I did was get an H7 kit, and modified the tabs so that they look like the tabs on the original adapter base for the prelude's h1 headlight bulbs. Then, it's plug and play from there.
It's been a while since you posted...maybe you'll still read.
I think this should be put into the FAQ just because there is no way of getting a perfect fitting HID kit for the 5g lude short of doing a retrofit kit.
Basically, I'm going to assume that you bought an H1 HID kit. Wrong. You won't be able to get them to sit in there properly and will never be able to properly aim them...I know this from experience...
What I did was get an H7 kit, and modified the tabs so that they look like the tabs on the original adapter base for the prelude's h1 headlight bulbs. Then, it's plug and play from there.
yeah thats exactly what i bought..whats the difference between H1 and H7 bulbs..do you happen to have any photos of how you did it? anything would be appreciated...
there is a huge difference...the h1s have a metal base with a prong and a tiny circumferential mounting tab with a dot in it...the h7s have a large mounting base with plastic tabs that normally your bulb holder would clip around. unfortunately, i don't have pics, and I can't take any at the moment since my car JUST went back to the body shop (I got backed into AGAIN) but I have to do it again as soon as I get the car back because my headlight got smashed. I also contacted one of the advertisers on this site who sells a "97-01 Prelude HID conversion Kit" and it is just an H1 so I will be providing him with a writeup as well so that he can change the way he sells the kits. See if your seller will swap your H1s for H7s and explain to him exactly the problem.
there is a huge difference...the h1s have a metal base with a prong and a tiny circumferential mounting tab with a dot in it...the h7s have a large mounting base with plastic tabs that normally your bulb holder would clip around. unfortunately, i don't have pics, and I can't take any at the moment since my car JUST went back to the body shop (I got backed into AGAIN) but I have to do it again as soon as I get the car back because my headlight got smashed. I also contacted one of the advertisers on this site who sells a "97-01 Prelude HID conversion Kit" and it is just an H1 so I will be providing him with a writeup as well so that he can change the way he sells the kits. See if your seller will swap your H1s for H7s and explain to him exactly the problem.
i don't think thats possible since my seller is from china and can't properly speak english...so the only difference is that instead of a metal base the h7's have a plastic base...is there a difference in performance wise and wattage or power consumption...will the h7 bulbs clip in properly into my headlight holder? do you know anyone who will want to trade their h7's with my h1's? haha...when you do do the writeup, send me a copy too? and sorry to hear about your car..send me some pics when you do get your car back?
yeah...sucks that everything we buy is cheaper when it's made overseas and sold by people who we can't communicate with...but, such is life. I'll be sure to get pics...I won't have the car back till about the 23rd...I got the appraisal in today at $2619.46. There is no performance or consumption difference, it's just the way the bases are mounted. If you are confident in doing the necessary mod yourself, just take your white plastic bulb holder base and hold it next to your h7 hid bulb. you will then be able to mark where you need to cut a few pieces out. trim slowly and carefully, and test fit after every cut, so you can avoid overcutting. i would advise using some sort of a snipping tool as opposed to a high speed rotary tool==unnecessary vibration could cause bulb to break. a good pair of dykes should get the job done.
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yeah...sucks that everything we buy is cheaper when it's made overseas and sold by people who we can't communicate with...but, such is life. I'll be sure to get pics...I won't have the car back till about the 23rd...I got the appraisal in today at $2619.46. There is no performance or consumption difference, it's just the way the bases are mounted. If you are confident in doing the necessary mod yourself, just take your white plastic bulb holder base and hold it next to your h7 hid bulb. you will then be able to mark where you need to cut a few pieces out. trim slowly and carefully, and test fit after every cut, so you can avoid overcutting. i would advise using some sort of a snipping tool as opposed to a high speed rotary tool==unnecessary vibration could cause bulb to break. a good pair of dykes should get the job done.
yeah, for right now i might just modify the base of the h1..maybe just glue the plastic ring to the base of the h1 bulb or do something so that it will be able to clip into the oem headlight assembly..but yeah send me the photos when you get your car back..that would be awesome..
I tried doing something like that as well...but because of the way the wires are, you won't be able to fit them...Basically I tried to drill out the inner workings of the white adapter base in order to hold the h1 bulb and run the wires through, but there is no feasible way to do it. The white adapter base converts the single prong of the h1 to a dual prong to provide ground and is filled with epoxy. You can try using some sort of rubber gasket to stuff between the clip and the bulb...
Replacement bulbs are only like $40 a pair shipped these days...I remember when they were $100 apiece for the bulbs... eBay Express: XENON HID KIT 2 BULB H1 H3 H4 H7 H11 H13 9005 9006 9007 - Description
here's some for $30.
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yeah sorry I got the car back from the shop like a month ago...I'll get out and get some pics for you. If you can afford it, there are some pretty cheap projectors out there for our cars...that would be a cheap way to go rather than doing a diy retrofit...and those fit a standard size bulb in there that you could just pop in.
at any rate...I'll try and remember to get out and snap some pics.
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hey sorry for not getting back to you ever...broke up with the ex gf she took the camera so no pics...I am seriously contemplating going with a retrofit tsx so I'd be willing to sell the kit cheap.
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hey sorry for not getting back to you ever...broke up with the ex gf she took the camera so no pics...I am seriously contemplating going with a retrofit tsx so I'd be willing to sell the kit cheap.
that's cool man..i modified my kit a lil bit and installed it already