Replaceable Bulb (H1/H4) Upgrade from Sealed Beam Headlamps (Daniel Stern Lighting)

[ehrawn]

Just swapped out my sealed beam headlamps with replaceable bulb units. I used Daniel Stern’s recommended combo: Koito headlamps, Vosla +190 H4 low/high bulbs, Tungsram +120 H1 high bulbs. I also used his custom wiring harness for installation.

You'll want to remove the frames to make it easier to route the wires between the left and right sides. I took the opportunity to do a little rust mitigation on the buckets and frames, since I was in there. If you're not disassembling completely, the old units are just held in place by the bezels.



The wiring is a very straightforward installation. His harness uses the power from the headlamp switch as a the trigger for the relays, so you simply connect the positive and negative power leads to you battery, and then plug the trigger lead to the closest headlamp terminal from the original harness.



I routed the harness below the windshield washer reservoir. I need to figure out a good way to secure these relays though. I'm hesitant to drill new holes in my inner fender.

[ehrawn]

Tuck away all your loose wires, reinstall your headlamp frames, and plug in the terminals from the new harness



Daniel Stern's website has a good post on headlight adjustment: park your car 25 ft from a wall, mark spots directly in from of each of your lamps and then adjust: https://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/aim/aim.html

I aimed the low beams, one at a time, against my garage using this image as a reference.



High beams are more straightforward: just put the hotspot centered on the target.



I didn't take a before shot, but these headlamps are remarkably brighter than the old units. Maybe not a cool as Smileys, but sourcing and install was simply no hassle.

[G-Man]

I replaced the sealed beams on my 91 318i with Hella E-code H1/H4 lights. I had to upgrade the sealed beam fuses in the fuse box from 7.5 to 15 amp with the Hella's. I later upgrade to set of Cibie E-code H1/H4. Cibie lights are becoming hard to find (and expensive) so I put the Hella's back on with all the road debris here in Colorado. On my 2002, I currently have 7" Hella H4 and Cibie H4 in my parts stash.
Stock wattage H1/H4 bulbs on my E30 but I don't drive a lot at night. . Cibie, Marchal, Auteroche, Bosch, Carello, etc... are becoming hard to find on this side of the pond. Hella and Koito are still easy to find.

[reelizmpro]

Nice. I remember when people raved about Cibie CSR's. I'm curious why they are no longer a thing. Is it the cost?

[82eye]

Nice. I remember when people raved about Cibie CSR's. I'm curious why they are no longer a thing. Is it the cost?

probably partly cost and simply less being produced. hid type lighting is getting harder to source now new cars are led and many are retrofitting. the mfgrs are moving from the old tech and making less of it on the whole.

[Mo Brighta]

CSR Update- these were discontinued years ago, according to Daniel Stern. According to him, they had about the best reflector design, and because they were an odd-ball, experimental headlight different than all other Cibié headlights, they did not appear in the catalog. Accordingly, the bean counters decided that since they didn't sell well, it was time to discontinue them and "Smash The Molds" used to make them.... talk about idiotic decisions!

Thankfully, I ordered a full set of four for my E28, and controlled with my relay mod that keeps the lows on at all times, and switches highs on and off... OF COURSE I put clear 30 mil XPel headlight protection film on them... since "They ain't makin'em no more."

Glad I got a full set before they nuked the CSR design. When I stop driving or sell the car, I will sell them to the most worthy BMW fan of good lighting that I can find.