Safe aftermarket LED headlight bulb info, finds and discussion

[Blindeye_03]

Ask him specifically about those black Depo's by mentioning that exact part number and how long it wold realistically to process and get them... If you want, ask about the Loro brand too and what he recommends... that's a good deal for those black ones, we know the Depo's are solid quality and may be worth waiting if you know you'll get them for sure in 4-6 weeks... I'm telling you I had simply one tab half broken off, sent him a pic and he refunded me $50, and this was after I didn't respond to the USPS request to have them inspected in time and he still took care of me... Just my story on their CS, FWIW...

Strangely enough the LORO and DEPO brand black euro projectors have the same part number...

I may just get the TYC lights again off of ebay even though they cost more. But waiting till Monday to get word from Constantine wont really make me get the lights any faster, no matter who I order from.

Im going to see how the halogens work on this very dark back road tonight to compare to the techmax leds.

EDIT: so the halogens did pretty well up till the end of the unlit backroads. I think it was the same spot the leds didnt light up either. There are lots of dips and turns while your lowbeams are just low. I installed a Woosh xpipe tonight so while the headlights were out I put the techmax back in. Its insanely easy to swap bulbs with the headlamps out lol. As long as my car is drivable tomorrow ill take the same route home again and compare. Ill see if I still feel like the leds light up more in front than the sides. I had felt like the bulbs created shadows or something on the sides/front. I also didnt have the fogs on . Who knows, ill stop rambling and just compare with my results tomorrow. I still want the euro projectors.

 

[Blindeye_03]

I'll be keeping the leds in the low beams for now. They performed the same as the halogen lights but I could see further down the road with them.

Constantine emaild me about the black depo lights :

"The handling time for the unit is 30 working days after receiving payment, and delivery will take about 7-14 working days."

 

[danbfree]

Strangely enough the LORO and DEPO brand black euro projectors have the same part number...

I may just get the TYC lights again off of ebay even though they cost more. But waiting till Monday to get word from Constantine wont really make me get the lights any faster, no matter who I order from.

Im going to see how the halogens work on this very dark back road tonight to compare to the techmax leds.

EDIT: so the halogens did pretty well up till the end of the unlit backroads. I think it was the same spot the leds didnt light up either. There are lots of dips and turns while your lowbeams are just low. I installed a Woosh xpipe tonight so while the headlights were out I put the techmax back in. Its insanely easy to swap bulbs with the headlamps out lol. As long as my car is drivable tomorrow ill take the same route home again and compare. Ill see if I still feel like the leds light up more in front than the sides. I had felt like the bulbs created shadows or something on the sides/front. I also didnt have the fogs on . Who knows, ill stop rambling and just compare with my results tomorrow. I still want the euro projectors.

I'm glad the LED's are helping for now, they do kind of shoot light off the sides a bit funny, I think that's from having more light in general than the reflector housings typically handle... but let me go off topic and ask real quick, do you mean you got an intake crossover pipe?

 

[Blindeye_03]

I'm glad the LED's are helping for now, they do kind of shoot light off the sides a bit funny, I think that's from having more light in general than the reflector housings typically handle... but let me go off topic and ask real quick, do you mean you got an intake crossover pipe?

Correct, I installed the intake crossover pipe and had the headlights out. Getting the pass side low beam in was a billion times easier lol. It's doable with the headlight installed. It's just so much easier with it out.

 

[danbfree]

Correct, I installed the intake crossover pipe and had the headlights out. Getting the pass side low beam in was a billion times easier lol. It's doable with the headlight installed. It's just so much easier with it out.

Yeah, once you get used to removing the headlights it's just worlds easier to work on, especially that passenger side... But going back to the crossover, I bring that up as I had installed mine last year but just realized a couple of weeks ago, thanks to a fellow FiST owner who hooked me up with an RMM, that since it passes right over the turbo that you really should heat wrap it since you are going from plastic to aluminum that REALLY absorbs heat. He gave me some sections of blanket and I picked up some heat tape off Amazon. I used a section of the blanket to wrap and tape closed the middle section and use more tape to wrap the rest of the crossover. If I were you I'd at least use some heat tape, I got mine for like $7, and wrap your crossover, going 2 layers for that middle section. I noticed a small but obvious immediate improvement in throttle response when fully warmed up in the warm summer temps, and even a bit better coolant temp control, and the radiator fan was more effective once it kicked in. And yeah, I'm sure you have the cowl back on now, but that has to come off to get to it. If I had known before I would have done it before even installing it, so it's not quite as pretty as it could be but I wasn't interested in removing the crossover completely, LOL.

 

[Blindeye_03]

Yeah, once you get used to removing the headlights it's just worlds easier to work on, especially that passenger side... But going back to the crossover, I bring that up as I had installed mine last year but just realized a couple of weeks ago, thanks to a fellow FiST owner who hooked me up with an RMM, that since it passes right over the turbo that you really should heat wrap it since you are going from plastic to aluminum that REALLY absorbs heat. He gave me some sections of blanket and I picked up some heat tape off Amazon. I used a section of the blanket to wrap and tape closed the middle section and use more tape to wrap the rest of the crossover. If I were you I'd at least use some heat tape, I got mine for like $7, and wrap your crossover, going 2 layers for that middle section. I noticed a small but obvious immediate improvement in throttle response when fully warmed up in the warm summer temps, and even a bit better coolant temp control, and the radiator fan was more effective once it kicked in. And yeah, I'm sure you have the cowl back on now, but that has to come off to get to it. If I had known before I would have done it before even installing it, so it's not quite as pretty as it could be but I wasn't interested in removing the crossover completely, LOL.

I'll keep that in mind as I drive it this week during the daytime instead of at night.

And I'll be ordering those headlights here at the end. Of this week or early next week.

 

[danbfree]

I'll keep that in mind as I drive it this week during the daytime instead of at night.

And I'll be ordering those headlights here at the end. Of this week or early next week.

TBH, it made the difference on why I was overheating/nearly overheating this year and not last summer, it's something that shockingly is not discussed more as it really makes a huge difference

 

[Hypergram]

For anyone interested in swapping out your high beams, check out this thread:
https://www.fiestastforum.com/threads/help-with-high-beam-install.21463/#post-367474

 

[Blindeye_03]

Constantine doesnt know if those black depo headlights are for left or right hand traffic.. Going to try and figure it out before I just order them.

 

[danbfree]

Constantine doesnt know if those black depo headlights are for left or right hand traffic.. Going to try and figure it out before I just order them.

I'm almost positive they are for Euro cars as it's sold on the German Amazon... But can't tell you 100%, but to me that's a dead giveaway.

 

[Blindeye_03]

I'm almost positive they are for Euro cars as it's sold on the German Amazon... But can't tell you 100%, but to me that's a dead giveaway.

Yeah you are probably right. I am toying with just getting the TYCs and seeing what kind of luck I end up with.

If the lights dont adjust is there a way to fix them myself by taking them apart? (Or having a retrofit place do it?).

 

[danbfree]

Yeah you are probably right. I am toying with just getting the TYCs and seeing what kind of luck I end up with.

If the lights dont adjust is there a way to fix them myself by taking them apart? (Or having a retrofit place do it?).

Very good question, but yes, if they don't adjust well and they really need to be adjusted more, then splitting them apart you could absolutely pop them into place better by hand or do a projector upgrade... Maybe I'm a nerd, but to me a retrofit means putting a projector where there was previously a reflector, but changing out a projector for another I just call that a projector upgrade.. And basically any of the 2.5" mini projectors, name brand or generic fit in there apparently.

 

[Blindeye_03]

Very good question, but yes, if they don't adjust well and they really need to be adjusted more, then splitting them apart you could absolutely pop them into place better by hand or do a projector upgrade... Maybe I'm a nerd, but to me a retrofit means putting a projector where there was previously a reflector, but changing out a projector for another I just call that a projector upgrade.. And basically any of the 2.5" mini projectors, name brand or generic fit in there apparently.

Oh I just meant having someone more qualified than myself do the work, lol. I remember the projectors being very good.

 

[Blindeye_03]

So I emailed DEPO earlier today - both their sales rep and their European office - and asked if the black projectors were for left hand drive or right hand drive cars. This is their response:

"Regarding your questions, 431-11B5PXLDEM2 is only suitable for left hand drive vehicle.
For your information, this item is currently not available."

Looks like they arent making them anymore, so whatever exists with distributors is what they have left.

 

[danbfree]

Oh I just meant having someone more qualified than myself do the work, lol. I remember the projectors being very good.

Yeah, factory projectors are surprisingly decent these days, they used to be really bad but even the aftermarket headlights have decent ones now. I bet if you have someone who knows what they are doing split them open, I bet they could straight up repair the actual adjustment mechanism, if you have a problem at all to begin with.

 

[danbfree]

So I emailed DEPO earlier today - both their sales rep and their European office - and asked if the black projectors were for left hand drive or right hand drive cars. This is their response:

"Regarding your questions, 431-11B5PXLDEM2 is only suitable for left hand drive vehicle.
For your information, this item is currently not available."

Looks like they arent making them anymore, so whatever exists with distributors is what they have left.

Well, there yo go, they will fit for sure! I just wonder if Cars245 can get them from a distributor...

 

[Blindeye_03]

Well, there yo go, they will fit for sure! I just wonder if Cars245 can get them from a distributor...

Im pretty sure they are 'the' distributor (one of).

 

[StayPuft]

Are there any bulbs that don’t have excessive light bleed out of the side of the stock housings? Love the light output overall. Here’s mine I think they’re Cree idk.

 

[Blindeye_03]

Pretty sure its the nature of our reflectors.. even halogens bleed out the sides some.

 

[Blindeye_03]

Well, there yo go, they will fit for sure! I just wonder if Cars245 can get them from a distributor...

Constantine replied to my ebay inquiry on shipping, so he must run the ebay site as seller "koplx55" and cars245. Is ebay better to use from a customer standpoint seeing as how the tyc lights are $30 more each and shipping is about $20 more than on the cars 245 site?