Smileys Install

[DDKing13]

I'm sure this has been covered plenty of times, so please forgive me.

I just got a set of smileys off of a fellow r3ver. Im looking for a DIY walkthrough on how to do the conversion from sealed beams.

Unfortunately, every tutorial i've found so far is out of date (discontinued PN's, broken links, etc.)

Does anybody know of an up to date tutorial?

[ELVA164]

Cut original plugs off sealed beam wiring. Test low beam wiring to find hot lead for "low" setting and hot lead for "high" setting. Cover "high" hot wire and tie it back; you no longer need it. Splice "low" hot wire and third wire to corresponding wires on Euro plug. To be sure, twist them together and test the bulb; if it doesn't light, switch the wires and try again. Repeat for high beams. If you want low beams and high beams at the same time, run a small wire from pin 30 of relay K3 to pin 87a of K3. Insulate the ends. Splice the city light wire into the parking light wire on each side for city lights. Enjoy headlights.

[DDKing13]

It is as easy as making a harness using 9006/9005 plugs, and plugging into the previous harness. Or better yet, you can buy them already made for like $14 for the whole set. http://www.amazon.com/AGT-Connectors.../dp/B008AWK2HG




Edit: I believe that the 9006/9005 is from a brand, The harnesses are H1/H3 I believe. One set of the plugs have one indent, the other pair should have two indents on the plug. Sorry if this is vague, I did my swap a couple months ago.


As for the installation, they mount up exactly the same as the sealed beams.

Are those harnesses for HID bulbs? To my understanding, smileys are not HID from factory, however I would like to run HID bulbs with projectors.

Cut original plugs off sealed beam wiring. Test low beam wiring to find hot lead for "low" setting and hot lead for "high" setting. Cover "high" hot wire and tie it back; you no longer need it. Splice "low" hot wire and third wire to corresponding wires on Euro plug. To be sure, twist them together and test the bulb; if it doesn't light, switch the wires and try again. Repeat for high beams. If you want low beams and high beams at the same time, run a small wire from pin 30 of relay K3 to pin 87a of K3. Insulate the ends. Splice the city light wire into the parking light wire on each side for city lights. Enjoy headlights.

This seems very detailed and helpful, unfortunately for me, I am clueless when it comes to electrical wiring. :oops:

[Mr. Tasty]

I fucked up, I was thinking ellipsoids, not smileys.

[DDKing13]

I fucked up, I was thinking ellipsoids, not smileys.

No worries, thanks anyways bro

[DDKing13]

Found this tutorial. Can anybody verify its accuracy, and possibly further elaborate on the parts needed? Kind of confused about those right angle connectors.

http://www.rtsauto.com/e30-euro-smiley-conversion-from-sealed-beams-or-us-ellipsoids/

[ak-]

It's okay. I used to be noob at wiring too and didn't understand the lingo as well.

Your new lights have 2 wires coming out the connectors.
One is called power, other is called ground.

Your old lights have 3 wires going to the light assembly.
One is for power, second is for power(?), third is for ground.

Cut off all 3 wires as close as you can to the light assembly.
You will be using One power wire and One ground wire. Tape off the 3rd wire.

Your job is to figure out which of the old two wires connect to your new two connecters so your lights turn on.

[DDKing13]

It's okay. I used to be noob at wiring too and didn't understand the lingo as well.

Your new lights have 2 wires coming out the connectors.
One is called power, other is called ground.

Your old lights have 3 wires going to the light assembly.
One is for power, second is for power(?), third is for ground.

Cut off all 3 wires as close as you can to the light assembly.
You will be using One power wire and One ground wire. Tape off the 3rd wire.

Your job is to figure out which of the old two wires connect to your new two connecters so your lights turn on.

This helps a lot, thanks man!
So will I need to buy any other parts, or should it be pretty plug-n-play?

[jaywood]

This is extremely easy.



You don't even need to snip off the headlight connector on the wiring harness. Find some spade connectors that fit into the connector and crimp them onto the new headlight wires. You don't even need to worry about capping the other third wire that won't be getting used.

Do some testing to figure out which wire does what. You'll be using 2 of them.

[Poorboyz]

There are plenty of links showing on how to do it. I did mine 2 years ago using them but even without a DIY it should be fairly straight forward.

Sent from my 831C using Tapatalk

[DDKing13]

This is extremely easy.



You don't even need to snip off the headlight connector on the wiring harness. Find some spade connectors that fit into the connector and crimp them onto the new headlight wires. You don't even need to worry about capping the other third wire that won't be getting used.

Do some testing to figure out which wire does what. You'll be using 2 of them.

interesting...ill take a look at it hopefully tomorrow in between work and school

[adjmcloon]

Smileys Install

Brown is ground, wires with a stripe are usually power when discussing e30 headlights. I'm referencing late model e30s. Jay wood is right on with his comment.

[AndrewBird]

The reason your sealed beam light has 3 wires going to it is because the bulb is dual filament. One turns on with the low beams, the other turns on with the high beams (and one is ground for both). Euro ellipsoids only have 1 filament, so you only use the wire that powers the low beam and ground. High beam is two wires and is simple.

I highly recommend crimping the new connectors on instead of using spade connectors plugged into the old plugs. Crimping (and shrink wrapping) will be much more water tight and have one less connection to go wrong. If you don't have a pair of decent crimpers, I recommend Channellock brand. They are ~$20 and can be found at Lowe's or Home Depot. They look like this:



I personally use uninsulated butt connectors, then cover each wire in shrink tube, then tape the bundle of wires. A lot of places only have the insulated type (red blue and yellow colored, you want red) which will work fine, they just are bigger around and create a lump in the harness. Uninsulated type are about the same diameter as the wire's insulation.

[AndrewBird]

Also, don't put HID bulbs into stock projectors. The projectors are deigned to focus light from a halogen bulb, NOT an HID bulb and will not work properly. If you want to put HID's in, I suggest retrofitting HID projectors using this adapter:

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=310439&highlight=HID+conversion

More here about HID's in halogen housings:

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/Hid/conversions/conversions.html

[DDKing13]

The reason your sealed beam light has 3 wires going to it is because the bulb is dual filament. One turns on with the low beams, the other turns on with the high beams (and one is ground for both). Euro ellipsoids only have 1 filament, so you only use the wire that powers the low beam and ground. High beam is two wires and is simple.

I highly recommend crimping the new connectors on instead of using spade connectors plugged into the old plugs. Crimping (and shrink wrapping) will be much more water tight and have one less connection to go wrong. If you don't have a pair of decent crimpers, I recommend Channellock brand. They are ~$20 and can be found at Lowe's or Home Depot. They look like this:



I personally use uninsulated butt connectors, then cover each wire in shrink tube, then tape the bundle of wires. A lot of places only have the insulated type (red blue and yellow colored, you want red) which will work fine, they just are bigger around and create a lump in the harness. Uninsulated type are about the same diameter as the wire's insulation.

When you say crimp new connectors, are you referring to the yellow, white, and gray OEM connectors?

Also, don't put HID bulbs into stock projectors. The projectors are deigned to focus light from a halogen bulb, NOT an HID bulb and will not work properly. If you want to put HID's in, I suggest retrofitting HID projectors using this adapter:

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=310439&highlight=HID+conversion

More here about HID's in halogen housings:

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/t...nversions.html

Oh believe me, I know. That's all too common here in LA, unfortunately.