Headlights Help!

[mattisonfire]

Situation:
I've went to a couple of garages to get a Hid kit set up on my car but everyone is telling me that it is really complicated, that I had to buy new headlights then after buy the hid kit and that it might not give good results after all.
A guy also told me to put Sylvania Silver Stars lights instead, he said it would give a great look similar to the hid and would improve my visibility compared to the original lights.
So I decided to go with that, but after going to all the car shops I know, no one had the good bulb size for my car. (Accord SE-I Sedan 1989)
On the top left corner there is a model code i think (h1, h3, h7, hb2, h11...)

Questions:
To anyone who have changed their lights for brighter and cooler ones, what is our bulb size?
What's the meaning of those codes?
Is there any good websites where I can order Sylvania Silver Stars lights proper to our cars headlights?
Is there anything else I could do or is there any other companies I could get nicer bulbs from?
If you got modificated headlights what did you do and how did you do it?
Or if by chance someone lives near Montreal and know a store where I can buy these bulbs or get a hid kit set!

Thanks to anyone who can answer this!

[Dr_Snooz]

The Sylvania Silver Stars are a sealed beam lamp. You replace the entire unit. They are probably on the shelf at your local auto parts store right now. I think the general consensus here is that the original sealed beam headlights are great. The Silver Stars are a great upgrade and unless you are willing to spend a lot of money, an H4 upgrade isn't worth it.

[stardogchampion]

The factory sealed beam bulb is a 6054. On ebay there are a number of bulb housings that you can use whatever H4 bulb that you want. I would look for a projector style housing so the HID works effectively. here is an example:
7x6 Projector Headlight HID 50W Chrome Prelude Integra Monte Carlo Malibu Escort | eBay

[Blaaz]

I replaced my headlights with Hella H4. Better lighting and pattern and a lot quicker bulb replacement. They are expensive though. From there, you can replace the H4 bulbs with HID if you wish. I thought about going to HID, but ended up staying with H4. Replacement bulbs are $10. I was running 80/100W bulbs for a while, but the current draw was hard on the wiring harnesses so I went back to 55/60W. They were very bright.

[mattisonfire]

The Sylvania Silver Stars are a sealed beam lamp. You replace the entire unit. They are probably on the shelf at your local auto parts store right now. I think the general consensus here is that the original sealed beam headlights are great. The Silver Stars are a great upgrade and unless you are willing to spend a lot of money, an H4 upgrade isn't worth it.

Damn I never realised it was a sealed beam lamp..

The factory sealed beam bulb is a 6054. On ebay there are a number of bulb housings that you can use whatever H4 bulb that you want. I would look for a projector style housing so the HID works effectively. here is an example:
7x6 Projector Headlight HID 50W Chrome Prelude Integra Monte Carlo Malibu Escort | eBay

Ok so I have to look for a 7x6 size lamp and the 6054 is only the factory code?
And if I bring the hid kit you just showed me to a performance garage they should be able to set it up for me?

[stardogchampion]

6054 is the factory code. Any car parts store should have replacement lamps. If you want the housings that can take any H4 bulb or HID, then you need to find a 7x6 compatible with 6054 (most are). I have never used those ebay housing or HID that I listed, just used them for reference. I personally would use more of a "known" HID kit. Any competent shop should be able to install them.

[mattisonfire]

I replaced my headlights with Hella H4. Better lighting and pattern and a lot quicker bulb replacement. They are expensive though. From there, you can replace the H4 bulbs with HID if you wish. I thought about going to HID, but ended up staying with H4. Replacement bulbs are $10. I was running 80/100W bulbs for a while, but the current draw was hard on the wiring harnesses so I went back to 55/60W. They were very bright.

Ok nice but do you remember where you got those Hella H4? I can't find any.

an H4 upgrade isn't worth it.

Why? Don't they give a nicer look and greater visibility?

[niles]

Ok nice but do you remember where you got those Hella H4? I can't find any.

Google "Hella H4" and you will see the bulbs for sale. The H4 is the type of bulb that fits in the aftermarket housing that will replace your sealed beam headlight. You can also buy HID kits where the bulb is in the H4 shape, it will also fit in the same aftermarket housing.

I recommend you do some reading online about the different types of headlights and decide what will work best for you.

The Sylvania Silver Star direct replacements are very nice. It is of my opinion that if you want HID lights but have to have a shop install them, it is not worth the money to change a system that works fine to begin with.

[charliekuney]

Plus, HID's are bullshit on any car except those who had HID's from the factory.

[2oodoor]

There are some 6054 style headlghts out there that are plastic. You can try tapping on them as you stroll thru the junk yards. Look for emergency vehicles like ford vans and such too some of those are plastic because they have strobes stuck in them along with halogens

[Dr_Snooz]

Why? Don't they give a nicer look and greater visibility?

Most people just want to buy the cheapest kit on eBay and expect improvement. That's not a realistic expectation.

[Legend_master]

Why? Don't they give a nicer look and greater visibility?

Nicer look maybe, but not necessarily better visibility. The factory design just really is ineffective with the HID conversion.

[mattisonfire]

I guess what will work best for me is to go with the Sylvania Silver Star direct replacements then.
I have to change as soon as possible anyway because one of my headlights has burned out.

Thanks for all the replies guys!

[dieselgus]

I second the Hella replacement housings. You get a really nice proper beam pattern with them, and the bonus of using easy to find H4 style halogen bulbs. HID are a waste of money unless you track down proper projector style housings, and if you are going to go that far, may as well pony up a little more and get yourself some of the new fangled LED projos (not cheap by any means.....but they are pretty sweet. Have seen both the Truck-Lite and JW Speaker ones in person and was pretty impressed by them)

I run the new Sylvania ZXE (or whatever they are called) bulbs in mine, with the addition of a couple relays to keep the headlight switch from nuking itself from the extra current draw. Really nice crisp white light that stomps all over the old sealed beams. Next addition will probably be a set of Rigid Dually D2 fog lights for some extra annoyance to the skilletheads who have either improperly aimed HID/drive with their brights on constantly/have a plethora of ebay LED strips crammed all over the front end of their vehicles that do nothing aside from being visually annoying.

[mattisonfire]

Damn now you just make me hesitate hehe.

But I am still confused with those Hella H4 sealed beam lamps. I did a little research and I just don't get why some are 44,99$ when others are 109,99$ when it appears to be the exact same thing. Lot of them says H6054 Sealed Beam Conversion 8x6" when it suppose to be 7x6. Sometimes its in "mm" but when I convert 7 by 6 inches in mm it gives me 177 by 152 and none of the other models match with this measure even if the factory code is 6054.

Exemple here:
H6054 Sealed Beam Conversion Headlight (44.99$)
Hella H6054 Sealed Beam Conversion Headlight (109.99$) And it really looks like the exact same thing...

I also found this http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hla-003427291
and the same thing on ebay (HELLA 8x6" 7x6" H6054 SEALED BEAM CONVERSION LIGHT HOUSING H4 (PAIR) 003427011).

But well I really don't know if it would fit or not, so unless someone knows exactly where and what I have to get. Ill go with the silver stars..

[Legend_master]

Damn now you just make me hesitate hehe.

But I am still confused with those Hella H4 sealed beam lamps. I did a little research and I just don't get why some are 44,99$ when others are 109,99$ when it appears to be the exact same thing! And lots of them says H6054 Sealed Beam Conversion 8x6", is it not suppose to be 7x6? And sometimes its in "mm" but when I convert 7 by 6 inches in mm it gives me 177 by 152 and none of the other models match with this measure even if the factory code is 6054.

Exemple here:
H6054 Sealed Beam Conversion Headlight (44.99$)
Hella H6054 Sealed Beam Conversion Headlight (109.99$) And it really looks like the exact same thing...

I also found this http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hla-003427291
and the same thing on ebay (HELLA 8x6" 7x6" H6054 SEALED BEAM CONVERSION LIGHT HOUSING H4 (PAIR) 003427011).

But well I really don't know if it would fit or not, so unless someone knows exactly where and what I have to get. Ill go with the silver stars :P

From what I can tell, the front of the cheapest ones are made of plastic. The more expensive ones are glass.

[mattisonfire]

Couldn't wait so I went with the Silver Stars.





They don't look that white tho, so I might still order Hella H4 for nicer bulbs later on.

[charliekuney]

When I had my Silverstars (too bad the Ultras don't come in H6054 flavor) I remember getting highbeam'd every single night.

[lostforawhile]

the Hella brand conversion lenses are always good, but some people want crazy prices for them, you can also look for the Autopal housing conversion, which several people here have used, and been happy with. there is a new type of rectangular headlight out, which is LED, they have an amazing beam pattern and really good light output, but the price at the moment is nuts, I would watch for those to drop in price, they already make landing lights for aircraft with LEDS, I had figured it would just be a matter of time until it crossed over into car lights, these aren't some cheap chinese knockoff light, they are really high quality lamps, if you do a conversion housing, you can do the relay harness, to unload the switch, then you can run higher power bulbs without doing any damage

[mattisonfire]

I just finished adjusting my lights tonight, so here it is.



Looks like I got another problem, at like 0:09 my car starts making a weird noise and it happens really often now. I never put the AC on also.

[Legend_master]

I just finished adjusting my lights tonight, so here it is.



Looks like I got another problem, at like 0:09 my car starts making a weird noise and it happens really often now. I never put the AC on also.

Just sounds like the cooling fan turned on.

[dieselgus]

Hella part# 003427811 190x132mm H4 conversion kit according to the box beside my toolbox. Think I paid $110 for the set (pair in a box with bulb) from the local yokel parts joint up the street. Online is probably cheaper and such, YMMV.

Think I can get the TruckLite LED assemblies at around $300 from the place across from my shop. About the same price on the Hamsar ones. With the way LED stuff is progressing I am thinking that there will be some awesome options available over the next little while. From what I have seen on this current generation of police/fire lighting stuff that we are putting in now there will be some really interesting products out next year when consumer grade products start having access to it. Possibly the brightest, most efficient and highest density multi colour assemblies out there.

[carotman]

I got the BOSCH H4 conversion on mine. The light output is just fantastic. Sharp cutoff too.