BMW Headlights and Heater Question
12-28-2003, 10:34 PM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 54
BMW Headlights and Heater Question
I am thinking about putting in BMW headlamps. I would appreciate links to step by step instructions for installation including how to make a harness. I would have searced but search function turned off.
Yesterday (when I went to Fairbanks from Anchorage) I found out that the digital climate control in our Max's does not register temperatures below -22 degress. It was showing -22 when actual outside temp was -40. Gotta love Alaska!
It seemed as if the heater was not operating optimally in -40 degrees. Someone told me that I need a bigger thermostat. Is this true? If so where exactly is the thermostat located. At temperatures up to -10 the heater worked ALRIGHT but below that it was not working that good. Also when the recirculate button is pressed the windshield fogged up and when the front defogger was turned on, the air got cold after bouncing from windshield, although it did a good job of defogging.
Help would greatly be appreciated.
Thanks
Sohaib
89 Maxima GXE
Yesterday (when I went to Fairbanks from Anchorage) I found out that the digital climate control in our Max's does not register temperatures below -22 degress. It was showing -22 when actual outside temp was -40. Gotta love Alaska!
It seemed as if the heater was not operating optimally in -40 degrees. Someone told me that I need a bigger thermostat. Is this true? If so where exactly is the thermostat located. At temperatures up to -10 the heater worked ALRIGHT but below that it was not working that good. Also when the recirculate button is pressed the windshield fogged up and when the front defogger was turned on, the air got cold after bouncing from windshield, although it did a good job of defogging.
Help would greatly be appreciated.
Thanks
Sohaib
89 Maxima GXE
12-28-2003, 10:50 PM
#2
Originally Posted by xsohaib
I am thinking about putting in BMW headlamps. I would appreciate links to step by step instructions for installation including how to make a harness. I would have searced but search function turned off.
Yesterday (when I went to Fairbanks from Anchorage) I found out that the digital climate control in our Max's does not register temperatures below -22 degress. It was showing -22 when actual outside temp was -40. Gotta love Alaska!
It seemed as if the heater was not operating optimally in -40 degrees. Someone told me that I need a bigger thermostat. Is this true? If so where exactly is the thermostat located. At temperatures up to -10 the heater worked ALRIGHT but below that it was not working that good. Also when the recirculate button is pressed the windshield fogged up and when the front defogger was turned on, the air got cold after bouncing from windshield, although it did a good job of defogging.
Help would greatly be appreciated.
Thanks
Sohaib
89 Maxima GXE
Yesterday (when I went to Fairbanks from Anchorage) I found out that the digital climate control in our Max's does not register temperatures below -22 degress. It was showing -22 when actual outside temp was -40. Gotta love Alaska!
It seemed as if the heater was not operating optimally in -40 degrees. Someone told me that I need a bigger thermostat. Is this true? If so where exactly is the thermostat located. At temperatures up to -10 the heater worked ALRIGHT but below that it was not working that good. Also when the recirculate button is pressed the windshield fogged up and when the front defogger was turned on, the air got cold after bouncing from windshield, although it did a good job of defogging.
Help would greatly be appreciated.
Thanks
Sohaib
89 Maxima GXE
Because you're not a donating member, you won't be able to search. But that's just per se`. I looked through recent past posts (keep in mind, I don't have 'donating member' tacked on my screen name, either) and found this link on the headlight conversion for ya:
http://www.angelfire.com/trek/tko/bmw_conversion/
Might also want to look up Craig Brace's website on making that harness.
As for the location on your thermostat, I'm not sure since you have a VG-type engine and I've got a 'lowly' VE-type engine. Best advice I would give you in that regard is to either look at the Chilton link at the top of the forum or just follow your radiator hose. Either one will lead you to your destination.
12-29-2003, 03:25 AM
#3
Donating Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 773
About the BMW headlights harness: it won't be tough. The type of lights that you get (some use 9005/6 or H1's) only service one beam level (low or high). One wire is the power wire and the other is a ground. To your stock headlights, both the high and lows are in the same bulb, therefore requing two power wires (one for each filament) per ground/bulb. So you just get some new bulbs, some extra base connectors, a bit of wire and some splicers, and a few minutes to put it all together. Not tough.
Btw, nice work there Mr. Google of the Org. The internet needs more people like you. 
Originally Posted by nubiannupe
Because you're not a donating member, you won't be able to search. But that's just per se`. I looked through recent past posts (keep in mind, I don't have 'donating member' tacked on my screen name, either) and found this link on the headlight conversion for ya:
http://www.angelfire.com/trek/tko/bmw_conversion/
http://www.angelfire.com/trek/tko/bmw_conversion/
12-29-2003, 03:29 AM
#6
Donating Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 773
Yeah. I still need to work on putting all of what I want to say in 1 post, not a bunch like yours.
That would eliminate at least a tiny bit of clutter (aka spam, turbo, etc). Hopefully I will attract followers to remove the remaining bit.
That would eliminate at least a tiny bit of clutter (aka spam, turbo, etc). Hopefully I will attract followers to remove the remaining bit.
12-29-2003, 05:29 AM
#7
Ahhh, no sweat, Dave... All of us have our 'niche'. I just happen to be one of those "keep-all-eggs-in-one-basket" kinda guys.
If it makes any difference, I'll STILL read all your old posts.
If it makes any difference, I'll STILL read all your old posts.
12-30-2003, 07:34 PM
#8
Originally Posted by xsohaib
I am thinking about putting in BMW headlamps. I would appreciate links to step by step instructions for installation including how to make a harness. I would have searced but search function turned off.
Yesterday (when I went to Fairbanks from Anchorage) I found out that the digital climate control in our Max's does not register temperatures below -22 degress. It was showing -22 when actual outside temp was -40. Gotta love Alaska!
It seemed as if the heater was not operating optimally in -40 degrees. Someone told me that I need a bigger thermostat. Is this true? If so where exactly is the thermostat located. At temperatures up to -10 the heater worked ALRIGHT but below that it was not working that good. Also when the recirculate button is pressed the windshield fogged up and when the front defogger was turned on, the air got cold after bouncing from windshield, although it did a good job of defogging.
Help would greatly be appreciated.
Thanks
Sohaib
89 Maxima GXE
Yesterday (when I went to Fairbanks from Anchorage) I found out that the digital climate control in our Max's does not register temperatures below -22 degress. It was showing -22 when actual outside temp was -40. Gotta love Alaska!
It seemed as if the heater was not operating optimally in -40 degrees. Someone told me that I need a bigger thermostat. Is this true? If so where exactly is the thermostat located. At temperatures up to -10 the heater worked ALRIGHT but below that it was not working that good. Also when the recirculate button is pressed the windshield fogged up and when the front defogger was turned on, the air got cold after bouncing from windshield, although it did a good job of defogging.
Help would greatly be appreciated.
Thanks
Sohaib
89 Maxima GXE
The heater in the maxima is designed for lowest temperatures around -40 if i am not mistaken.. adding the windchill while driving through that i think will lower heater performance a little bit.
A piece of card board in front of the radiator should help at that temperatures. As for your fogging issue with the recirculate switch. That will always fog up your glass cuz the air inside gets humid from exhaling and that moisture condenses on the cold glass. thats why its not recommended to use recirculate with the heater on.
12-31-2003, 03:46 AM
#9
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 54
Originally Posted by drstillpatient
That will always fog up your glass cuz the air inside gets humid from exhaling and that moisture condenses on the cold glass. thats why its not recommended to use recirculate with the heater on.
Has NE1 put HID's in BMW 9006 housing? Do these fit right up? How is the beam pattern?
Sohaib
89 Maxima GXE
12-31-2003, 08:19 AM
#10
[QUOTE=. But I have found a 180 degree thermostat which I shall be using.
Sohaib
89 Maxima GXE[/QUOTE]
two things...u will be deliberately constantly overheating your engine...
it might be an issue in the summers as well...dunno how summers are like in anchorage though.
Sohaib
89 Maxima GXE[/QUOTE]
two things...u will be deliberately constantly overheating your engine...
it might be an issue in the summers as well...dunno how summers are like in anchorage though.
01-01-2004, 05:07 AM
#13
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 54
Originally Posted by davebond007
You can check up on some BMW boards for pics
Just photoshop your car into the background.
Just photoshop your car into the background.
I was getting terrible beam pattern out of my stock headlamps with an 8000K HID kit, so I made some shields and placed them at the bottom of the bulbs so that more light would be concentrating on the top of the reflector in the lamps. Now the light is nice and concentrated but it seems to have a lower output and does not go that far. I am thinking that putting in BME headlamps that use the 9006, and putting the HID bulbs in there w/o the shields should give me a good pattern.
Oh, and DrStillpateint, I see that you are from Des Moines, I am travelling there on the 20th of Jan for about a day or two, got an interview at the D.O. School there.
Thanks
Sohaib
89 Maxima GXE
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