Headlight Upgrade, Hella H4 (e code) or Cibie H4 (e code)

[AA_Ezra]

I'm just plain tired if the ebay h4 Upgrade i got which looks great for show but there is really no performance and I'm tired of adjusting them knowing they wont get much better. Anyone out there have any experience with both the Hella H4 and Cibie H4 Lens kits. Besides being twice the price as the Hella almost, is there a difference there worth paying for?


Long tI'me no see brothers
J

[Wipeout]

You know, I never have tried the Cibies. I love the Hellas...

Check this out: http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/showthread.php?t=359901

[2Tight]

I run the Hella H4 Euro Codes and love them even using standard wattage bulbs. Improvements with larger wiring, adjacent relays, and better grounding, will improve any bulb/lens combo on these cars though. The eBay kits are usually pretty bad.

[Aslet]

I also have fooled around with these light some. I already had Hella H4 lights, from the previous owner. As far as I know, they are the normal DOT ones, I have never seen any marking that they are E-code. I put in the 100/80 watt xenon bulbs from Rennbay and I have liked them alot. I think that they dont blind anyone, since most cars are so much taller than the 944's now, so I have never had anyone get mad at me about them... I also like having the DOT lens, since I do alot of driving in hilly and windy roads. So I want to be able to see without the cutoff line that E-code has (mainly so I can not hit any deer). I also just have the stock harness, so if I upgraded I could get some more power out of them probably... but they are nice and bright for now.

-Randy

[Tidybuoy]

I love my Hella's. Mine are the e-codes but at the time I ordered them from Pelican, I didn't realize there was a difference - but mine definately hane an e stamped into the glass and have the sharp cut-off line.

I eventually installed a seperate wire harness and relays which I purchased from 944online.com and the light output increased significantly.

I have no experience with the Cibies but I can't imagine needing any brighter than the Hellas.

As far as constant adjusting - I've never had this problem. I adjusted them once when I first installed and they've been great ever since.

Vern

[Techno Duck]

Check out Rennbay for good prices on the Hella E-Codes. Make sure you dont get the VisionPlus series from Hella, they are not E-Code lenses!

I have the Cibie E-codes on my 944 which came with the late Dan Wray's custom wiring harness. Dont really know the difference between the two. If i had to buy replacements i would just get the Hella E-Codes.

EDIT - Just dug up an old email, Dan said the Cibie E-Codes offer a better light pattern but are more fragile than the Hella's. And of course the price difference. Not sure how much of a difference it is, but i would think not worth the extra $40 per lens..

[onZedge]

Originally Posted by 2Tight

...Improvements with larger wiring, adjacent relays, and better grounding, will improve any bulb/lens combo on these cars though...

^^^That's what I would consider a necessary state-of-the-art upgrade and is where I would spend the money first. The factory wiring scheme on these cars is quite low tech and undersized.

[DMRK]

I saw some HID kit somewhere I thought was around $300.
Cant seem to find them now. You still needed the Hella lenses, it was just the bulb, wiring and whatever else it takes.

[toolboy62]

I've got nothing but good things to say about the Cibie E-codes that I got from Dan Wray (RIP) I have no experience with Hellas but I have heard negative comments about the Vision Plus units, which are the only ones that are actually street legal in the US. (however, if that is an issue, you can keep a pair of sealed beams on the shelf to swap in when you go in for your annual safety inspection. I passed with E-codes two years running here in VA so I'm not too worried.)

nate

[Luis de Prat]

I have the CIBIE lights from the Iceshark kit on my S2 and my 951 is a Euro with stock Hella E-Codes.

The CIBIE are definitely nice lights, but very easy to break. OTOH the Hella E-Codes on the 951 are made of extremely thick glass and I think their flat face looks better on the car.

[DMRK]

Found it, 944online has Xenon HID kit for $240 minus the lenses.
Anyone have this? Sounds like it would be nice with E-code lenses. You do lose your high beams though.

[AA_Ezra]

Sweet, I was hoping this topic would take off like the old times. Wish i could have met ICESHARK, and i Still Miss SoCalDriver's Input. Well. The Hella's are about 80$ a pair( thick but look good), The Cibie are about 120$+ a pair( Good lights but Easy to break). Looks like i'll have to Get me some Hella's For almost half the price. I Think im going to HELLA my p-car

I still want to upgrade the wiring harness for the lights. I'm pretty sure i could build my own. But having one pre-built would be nice.

Went on Daniel Stern a while ago and read that non-colored bulbs were the best and got some GE NIGHTHAWK. I Replaced them 2 Days ago with some new SYLVANIA SilverStar but i still can see well on these cheapy E-bay lenses. But i do recomend the Silverstars to anyone reading

[Luis de Prat]

Originally Posted by AA_Ezra

I still want to upgrade the wiring harness for the lights. I'm pretty sure i could build my own. But having one pre-built would be nice.

I believe Rennbay has an upgraded harness version that's quite good.

[AA_Ezra]

Yip checked renbay and evidently they are out of stock.. so i guess i'll keep looking or build my own (drag)

[Techno Duck]

Its not to hard to build your own. The only thing that will be 'hard' is sourcing all the connectors and relays..though you can probably find most of what you need at your local auto store. The H4 headlight connectors might be a problem, but you can get them online. Get a spool of wire, some abbrasion / heat resistant sleeve, shrink wrap and a soldering iron. Other than that, figuring out the lengths of the wire is the only other major obstacle.

Might want to give 944Online.com a call, they sell the same wiring kit from Rennbay and may have them in stock still. I know they sell 'kits' with everything.. lenses, bulbs and wiring harness. Infact, i think they are down the street from each other.

[AA_Ezra]

Yeah, I just said the heck with it I would build my own kit. I got huge spools of car audio 12guage wire and 10 guage to make the kit. And the H4 Adaptors weren't that hard to find, either that or i lucked out but anywho the price was actualy about 10$ more than the renbay wire harness itself and i got. Hella e-code lenses, Hella xenon 80/100watt bulbs 4 hella relays. 4 H4 female adaptors 2 H4 female adaptors pluss a 10% discount for ordering for the holidays for about 150$ shiped.

On another note. How about a question for the Electrition gurus!

Q: I have spool of 12gauge power and ground wire, but the Ground cable is thicker then the power wire ( same brand of cable) now why is that? More insulation for the power wire b/c of current draw?
A: please any input i got only a hypothesis

[Tidybuoy]

I bought my relays & wire harness from 944online.com. It's a nicely done harness and was pretty simple to install - took about an hour as I removed the bumper to tuck in the wires along the stock harness. I think it was about $100

Vern

[AA_Ezra]

Hey vern!!!!. you're in the 559!!.. im in visalia neighbor lol

[shikzachaser]

This is the harness I made for my 84. It is all 10ga stranded w/ Bosch 30Amp relays. It is fused seperately for high and low beam at the alternator connector. All connections are crimped, soldered, and shrink wrapped.




I also added 2 additional 100Watt driving lights that come on w/ the high beams when the interior witch is set to do so. In addition I have a relay setup to kill all the running and brake lights if so desired. There is also a manual switch to turn on the reverse lights at any time. I used higher wattage bulbs and it is particularly handy when some a-hole is behind you w/ brights on.



My harness did no modification to the car at all. I made one for Eldorado and he also seems to have liked it. The light output when going straight to B+ is amazing over the stock wiring and it will also preserve the fuse box, switches, etc from the excess current required byy the H4s.




Additional switches in the center console

Steve

[AA_Ezra]

where did you get heat shrink in such long amounts? And where did you get that like nylon mesh. i was probly just going to use electrical tape or loom to cove my wires up