H-4's

[Canada Kev]

Euro H4s appear similar to H5s from the outside, though each uses different style bulbs. At first glance, they look a bit like H1s, as well, though these utilize two different reflectors behind each lens.

This is a pic of an H4 or H5 light on a Carrera.



And for the US DOT style sealed beam, this is what they look like as installed.



In sealed beams, the bulb is integrated into the reflector and lens unit and cannot be changed. The assembly can be replaced with H4 style lights that have the lens/reflector separate from the bulb, which can be changed out when required.

Sealed beams typically give relatively poor illumination, while the H4 replacements are usually E-code lights and are often much better. They use the same H4 bulbs as the Euro lights.

[JerryL]

There is another feature in the euro housings is the "City Lights".
Behind the lens down low is a small (size & wattage) bulb that was used for driving in busy city's as in Paris where you did not need lights to see where you are going but to be seen.
This is wired as a parking lamp and when on gives a great glow of the entire lens,
I think they look great in the post dawn / dusk time when driving, even better with the driving lights on!!

Regards

[signature65]

The relay kit available from our host is a breeze to install.....I have an early car and had to do some poking and proding to find the correct wires....but still a snap. I had an underdash wire that would get hot because I didnt install the kit......after the kit no hot wire and everything works a-ok.

[ajmarton]

I installed my H4s during last summer (2008) without a relay in my 89 911 Cab but went with the 55 watt bulbs which I was told work without needing a relay. All appears to be fine so far. I have another question. What are the part numbers for the H4 assemblies - I am wondering if you use the same light for both sides - I was told that was the only choice on the H4s as the beam sweeps away from on coming drivers. That was how the set came to me so I don't know if I got screwed or if what I was told is right. The fit on the outer trim piece is a little tight and the gasket was also hard to fit. Not sure if that was unique to me.

[emcon5]

Originally Posted by syzygy

In sealed beams, the bulb is integrated into the reflector and lens unit and cannot be changed. The assembly can be replaced with H4 style lights that have the lens/reflector separate from the bulb, which can be changed out when required.

Just to clarify this, the Hella replacements Wayne sells here: http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/shopcart/911M/POR_911M_ELlite_pg1.htm#item2 are a direct replacement for the sealed beam. They look like the sealed beam photo above. Simply remove the sealed beam bulb and put the reflector body in it's place, and the bulb uses the existing wring.



The improvement of the E code H4s over the sealed beams has to be seen to be believed. And the sharp cutoff makes it less annoying to oncoming drivers.

[Roc Doc]

Originally Posted by syzygy

In sealed beams, the bulb is integrated into the reflector and lens unit and cannot be changed. The assembly can be replaced with H4 style lights that have the lens/reflector separate from the bulb, which can be changed out when required.

The Cibie Bobi's I have in my car now were a weird marriage between H4 style headlights and true sealed beams. The Bobi uses a replaceable H4 bulb, so you can go to higher wattage, their DOT approved, but the bulb lives in a "bubble" at the back of the lamp. So technically, the lamp is sealed, (which at the time was a DOT reg IIRC), but it cuts down the output of the lamp considerably. I have E-code Hella's in my rockcrawler, and they work great. I know going to E-code Hella's is going to be a huge improvement, especially with the higher wattage bulbs and remote relays.

Again, for me it's a cost issue, a $400 savings that can go to a fiberglass bumper, for example.

[m110]

Another feature some of the Euro H-4s (not sealed beam replacements) have are the provision for vacuum controlled leveling. The switch goes in the rectangular area to the left of the ignition on some Euro cars. There is a vacuum actuator and manually controlled switch to tilt the headlight beam according to the pitch of the car (dependent on luggage etc). It's a great feature although I've never seen an aftermarket H-4 with the whole mechanism included. There is also a thread showing that you need a modified headlight bucket to fit the diaphragm.
It's great for running bright lights so you can keep them low in the city and up a little higher when you're on the road alone.

[Yellowb1rd]

While we are on the topic, I bought my H4 lights and rings(chrome) from Pelican Parts a couple of years ago. They sat in storage until about 2 months ago, when I replaced the old sugar scoops of my 911SC with these. I noticed as I was putting them on that it appears I have two of the same side (2 rights, or 2 lefts) rings, because the mounting screws - not the one on the bottom, but the one on the side of each ring- face the same direction. Looks kinda weird to have one screw facing the inside and the other facing the outside. Is this normal?

[flatsixjunky]

Yellow and ajmarton

Same thing here, not only the new H-4's are the same (meaning the plugs for the screws on the ring) but also the H-5's that are on my '89. They both have the screws on the same side. How dumb is that.

FSJ

[flatsixjunky]

So I received the JWest relay kit and am about to install it. Instructions say to disconnect (from the front of car) cables on fuses 5 or 6 and also 7 or 8. On the Bentley this cables correspond with fuses 5 or 6 = 3 or 4, fuses 7 or 8 = 1 or 2.

Bentley 1-4 correspond with:

1 - High beam left, HB indicator

2- HB Right

3- LB left

4- LB right
My question is:

On which one should I make the new connection?

Can you make the new connections on any one of them?

Any advice would be most welcomed.

[flatsixjunky]

Well, this weekend I tried to install my H-4's and guess what? the male prongs on the H-4 light bulb do not match the H-5's plug sockets at the end of the headlight harness.

So, where can I get the Euro H-4 plug sockets that I need to complete this project?

Can anybody help?

[Steve 82SC]

Pep Boys, Auto Zone or a good motorcycle shop should have the 3-prong connectors that you need. Numerous motorcyles use that type of connector for a H-4 bulb. I found some with heavy-duty wiring and a rubber wiring cover in the "ricer" section at Pep Boys. Just cut and reconnect the corresponding wires and you're in business.

Steve

[flatsixjunky]

Thank you Steve.

I will check out my local pep or autozone store, but there's still the second little light bulb on the H-4's. Like JerryL wrote:

There is another feature in the euro housings is the "City Lights".
Behind the lens down low is a small (size & wattage) bulb that was used for driving in busy city's as in Paris where you did not need lights to see where you are going but to be seen.

from JL

I would like to make the proper connection, so they work as intended and replacing just the headlight socket won't do. So maybe somebody out there who has installed his this other way would like to help.

Thank you,

[Roc Doc]

Talk about a night and day difference. I put in the relay and 80/100w Hella halogen blue bulbs. It makes my Bosch fog lights look pretty silly, but I have a plan for that too. This is one of the best performance values out there.

[Nine9six]

Originally Posted by real550A

They will work without the relays.
When the stalk switch fries, which it will, you'll wish you had installed the relays.
I would install the relay kit.

They will work...And they will soon fry/weld the stalk contact points to each other.
Search "Sucro" on this site. Marcus Sucro put together a nice little relay kit with instructions that even I could follow. Installs in abt 35 mins

[flatsixjunky]

Hello everyone.

Last night I installed the relay, something funny is happening now. I replaced the top yellow cable (6 fuse from front) for yellow cable on relay, and white for white (7 fuse), on the bottom of the fuses there was also a yellow cable on 6 fuse but a white and blue on the 7 fuse. Following the instructions I placed the yellow on the bottom 6 and the white (relay) for the white/blue on bottom 7 fuse. Then I connected the positive and the ground, I replaced the battery cables back and when I turned the lights on, on low beams only the right side headlight works, on high beams only the left side works and when I pull the high beam lever both head lights work.

Where did I screwed up?, I did it slowly and methodically, step by step as instructed.

I then mounted the H-4's and same thing, right on low beams, left on high, both pulling the lever.

If anybody can help, please I will be going back later to the car to try to fix this. Any help is most welcomed. Thank you.

[Roc Doc]

Originally Posted by flatsixjunky

Hello everyone.

Last night I installed the relay, something funny is happening now. I replaced the top yellow cable (6 fuse from front) for yellow cable on relay, and white for white (7 fuse), on the bottom of the fuses there was also a yellow cable on 6 fuse but a white and blue on the 7 fuse. Following the instructions I placed the yellow on the bottom 6 and the white (relay) for the white/blue on bottom 7 fuse. Then I connected the positive and the ground, I replaced the battery cables back and when I turned the lights on, on low beams only the right side headlight works, on high beams only the left side works and when I pull the high beam lever both head lights work.

Where did I screwed up?, I did it slowly and methodically, step by step as instructed.

I then mounted the H-4's and same thing, right on low beams, left on high, both pulling the lever.

If anybody can help, please I will be going back later to the car to try to fix this. Any help is most welcomed. Thank you.

I would guess that #7 is not the fuse position you want. You can check the fuse with a meter or test light. Test 6 and 8 with the lights off, then check 6 and 8 with the lights on low, and then do the same test again with the lights on HB. That should tell you where you're crossed up.

[flatsixjunky]

Thank you Roc.

I will have to do just that if I want to use the relay. I did not have the time last night to test the fuses but I replaced every fuse cable back to their original positions before installing the relay, yellows on 6th fuse, whites on 7th and the h-4's work perfectly fine, low beams and high's, just like the h-5's used to.

I don't know what I'm doing, so any help is greatly appreciated.

[sprintamx]

Is it always the case that you will have to replace the exterior rings when changing from stock H-5s (1988) to H-4s?

Aaron

[DonMo]

Pretty sure. I just had my car repaired (I was 18in to late stopping and now can testify that a P car can go under a DOT crash bar on the back of a flatbed truck). It got my headlight, right fender and hood, not the bumper or anything else. Well a replacement H4 was very expensive so I went H5's, bought the trim off of ebay and H4 trim won't fit on H5 lights. Let me know if you need H4 trim rings, I am currently looking for some H5s.