I need help installing the E36 headlights. I have already read Skymax's instructions, which aren't very clear, as well as this other guy's. I have the 9005 and 9006 lights and harnesses and all that jazz. I keep trying to do what they say on the instructions, i try with the lights on, to try to touch each wire to each other wire and try numerous combinations, and sometimes, I get one of the two lights to light up, but most of the time none of them do, and never is there an occasion where both light up, like they should. Can somebody please help me, or if you're near the DC area, can somebody come and wire them up for me, and I'll pay. Thank you so much, I need this ASAP.

 

coming out of the stock wiring youve got 3 wires. 2 pos. and 1 neg. wire. one positive is the brights the other the driving lights. the negative (ground) will connected to both 9005 and 9006 harnesses negative wire.

9005 inside of the two is the brights. get a voltometer and take the red neg. end and post it to the neg wire coming out of the stock harness and the black one on one of the postive wires. have someone turn on the lights. do you get a reading? if so then thats the driving light. if not thats most likely the brights. have them turn on brights....you should get a reading if its the brights wire....

i hope that made sense. crimp or solder the wires together that match one 9005 wire to stock bright wire. one 9006 wire to the stock driving light wire. then the one left from the 9005 and the one left from the 9006 BOTH get connected to the ground wire still left on the stock side....

Good luck.

 

Also if you touched the wires you more than likely blew a fuse. So if you have the wires hooked up so that something should come on and they dont. check your fuses.

 

haha yeah thats true too. dont touch em with your fingers man use a multimeter.

 

A yes you do need a little help
B these lights NEVER have both lights on.
C. yes I can help

The Red with yellow stripe is the signal wire for the low beams, the Red with black stripe is the High beam signal light. These signal wires will go to post 87 ( I taped my relays up so I'm only 75% on this one, there is a great site here somewhere that explains these relays perfectly), on each relay. I can't say where you got your relays from but normaly there is a diagram on the packaging that explains what goes where. Any more Q's?? Fire away!

 

if you pull on your brights just right like in the middle, they both will be powered. the color coding on skymax's site wasnt the same as mine, i didnt care because i just matched up the wires accordingly.

 

thanks guys, i'll try your advice. Also, if I blew a fuse, would the blown fuse be in the fuse box?

 

LOL yeah dude I kept poppin that fuse too. If I remember correctly its under the hood in that fuse box, but its just a normal blue 10 amp fuse.
It pays to make sure you have a very, very, very clean ground source. It can make a huge differance.
CYMAX, good looking out for a fellowE36er. I hope yours are doing well still.

Multi-meters and test lights are your best friends, besides having a friend to select high beam and low beam from inside ur car while u check for voltage outside ur car.
It isnt that hard, and no both lights do not come on at the same time unless u A:use an additional relay like I believe MR.Blehm talked about awhile back, or B: you pull back on the high beam selector just a little bit like triple G said.
You will be happy after the finished results!

 

WolfPack--- You a NCSU fan??? name and all... and yes they are happy.

ELVito1981---
I can't agree enough with his points. I actually took a test light from the family's Tool box (Dad's garage) and it's a car guy's MUST, 12v dc is simple to diagnois, and easy (usually) to fix. Usually....

But.... with just a little time ( like tommrow) I think I can get it figured out for both to be on. I hope your willing to sign a disclaimer. ..... ya know gotta these days. All lawyers (except mine) suck!!!

 

no homie, got the name from when I had a baby hybrid wolf....(wolfpack).
5150 was just from the cal penal code 5150
Care to enlighten me on how u take it? Just curious what u were thinkin.

 

Anyone,
Do you have to do any physical modifications to put those lights in?

 

www.geocities.com/bmwconversion

http://www.angelfire.com/trek/tko/bmw_conversion/

read and find out

 

Anyone,
Do you have to do any physical modifications to put those lights in? Do they mount right up with the stock screw holes? Do I have to mess with the corner lights and far as replacing them? Thanks for your assistance.

 

+1 for multimeter

 

Yes.

No.

No.

 

Yes actually you do have to do some mods in order to install the lights. Best advice, get your hands on an EXTRA set of stock headlamp brackets. Do all of your work on them and one of 2 things will happen, but either way you won't be stuck without headlights. Once you use your imagination and basically fab a couple of brackets to hold the E36(s) to the brackets, then the whole thing does fit into the stock location. Well that is after a little time with a 3-5 lbs sledge. There are no modifacations needed to the corner lights.

 

How good is the fit? from all the pics that i have seen there looks like gaps all over the place and they dont line up. As well as the look sloped more at the top and dont line up with the hood. Anybody have any better pics? Im gettin a maxima with a bad pass side headlight. I was thinkin about doin the upgrade instead of gettin a new stock light.


Thanks,

 

Basically the E36 lights "fit" I have only seen 1 (yes ONE, see therealgoon, here on the .org) that has it fit with no gaps no tilt, ect. You have to understand thet in no way is this a direct fit. It's custom, and the better you make it the more satisfaction you can have in it. It's all about your skill bro.

 

since i cant post a new topic yet,

Are all the tail lights the same size for the 3rd gen? then car that im getting i BELIEVE is a 89 GXE. The lights are kinda ugly in my opinion as well as the light/reflector on the trunk lid. Its the kind that there red and clear. they go in a straight line from one side to another. I can post a pic if need. I have seen others with different styles. Maybe the difference between GXE and SE, im not sure. Im just wonderin if they will fit.

one other question i have, are all the body parts the same from 89-94? Meaning if i get a fender from a 93 se is it the same as my 89 GXE? same with like the trunk lid ect... When i go to the junk yard to look around i just want to make sure that it will all fit before i go buyin anything,

THanks,