yositune

Some initial thoughts on headlight replacements for us Newbs! I'd posted (incorrectly in the introductions pane and found this!)

I don't know if anyone who's recently acquired an RX7 is also looking into this but I'm working on replacing my headlights with something that works and is less likely to cause problems in the future by:

1) Confirming the cpu is working (high beams don't come on but Flash to pass does);
2) What HID kits are cheapest/best for replacing the beams;
3) What relay wiring approaches work best for saving the switches from the 10-20amps that run though the switch circuit.

There's references here on the site but given us "newbs" can't post followups I'm pulling them here so we can at least talk amongst ourselves. here are some of my thoughts..

1) One of the first things I did was pull the plastic left door cover and kickpanel near your feet to reach the cpu which is nestled behind the plastic on left side. I inspected and the boards looked fine. I like the idea that it's something easily fixable.. but the idea that the car doens't use standard relays to do normal tasks seems goofy and has me thinking I'll just wire around the cpu as I don't see any added value on some of this stuff..

2) I've looked online and ebay and basically you need a) a plastic or glass lens shell that fits the "7x6" size sealed bulb; and b) a HID kit that includes both a high and low beam. There seem to be two styles of HID bulbs, one that has a halogen for hte high beam and HID for hte low--that seems a silly implementation and prone to burn out and switching issues; and a second sometimes called "bi-xenon" that include both a hi/lo filament or a mechanical actuator. They ballast and bulb kits are generally around $45 and the best one I've seen comes with a two-year warranty. Bulb and balast kits are between $65-$80. I haven't bought a bulb or kit yet but will soon and post back my thoughts afterward. I'm cheap so will probably buy the $63 packages that come with a 60 day warranty on parts.

3) Rewiring for a relay seems pretty easy and there's space around the back of the headlight assembly on my 91 rx7 "Vert" attaching a relay and small ballast. I do think that the bulb assembly looks hard after opening it up and the black plastic fairing around the bulbs look fragile so I was careful with the old plastic. I'll update folks after I pull the bulbs out and start rewiring stuff.

Would like to hear other folks thoughts and intial impressions iwth their Rx7 new baby.. turning forty isn't so bad with a white convertible sports car afterall!!

misterstyx69

iTrader: (142)

Sounds like the headlight relay is shot James.

yositune

I had read through the high-beam thread that Pele (I think??) had started and understood that the Vert's actually *don't* use the relays that the other FC's do, but instead route the dimmer circuitry through the CPU.

What's really confusing is that the Flash-to-pass works, so it's not the dimmer switch.. and doesn't seem to be the CPU based on inspection...

I was trying to understand this but debuging a 20 year old design that.. has problems seemed to be a waste to me if I can just wire something more intelligently around it.

Everything else was fixed by new switches so at least I'm not getting pulled over if I take it out at night even if I can't flash people with my brights!

misterstyx69

iTrader: (142)

Well I am thinking that the HI's work work as FTP as it is just being "manually set on HI" when yo flick them as FTP.
If the Relay cannot hold power to the Highbeams then the Hi's would not stay lit.The lights would just revert back to LO.

yositune

Ya, good advice. I think that's probably going to be it. On the Convertibles with Airbag though the CPU handles the switch relays apparently and is also a source of problems.

I was rereading the high-beam threads and the FC Verts dimmer switch works by:

1) grounding the low-beam relay from the CPU on a latch switch when the headlights are not on; and
2) grounding the high-beam relay from the CPU latch switch when the headlights are on.

So I'm going to put fresh headlamps and new relays in tomorrow if I have time and see if that solves the problem. I pulled the CPU again tonight and it looks totally clean. I do want to post on the high-beam thread with with JackHild59's suggestions to close the dimmer switch line into the CPU to engage the high-beams, if the relay's aren't the problem..

In any event light issues with this car are a nightmare of reading and research, and I wish I'd just cut the wires, pulled some 18 gauge through the case for the switches and hacked up some series of switches for parking/running and headlamps in the first place!

I don't see that any threads for a relay rack that would rewire the entire headlight system but that would be something useful I think in light of hte CPU not being all that complicated but so prone to high-loads on the switches and other issues...

Still have questions about putting relays on the switches to pull the load off the switch contact points. I will be rewiring the power window switches when I get a chance.

misterstyx69

iTrader: (142)

I put dual LO's and HI's into my TII and used the original wiring.(Re-Amemiya front end with HID projection bulbs)
I just put a Relay in between the lights and stock connector so that the headlight switch operates the Relay only.(instead of the original lights)
The power side is from the battery.
So when hit the switch to say,HI beam, it still goes through the original relay but kicks the aftermarket relay to trigger the lights to HI.
This "mod" takes all the "original supplied" power out of the Stock switch and now the voltage is only needed for a relay so draw is minimal.
Pic of the setup.

yositune

Wow! that look ssharp! I picked hte car up cheap and eally was just fixing it up at first thinking I'd sell it in the summer but now am totally HOOKED on the rx7 and can't see me selling it. May look at the amemiya kit or maybe fab something myself with prjectors and some fiberglass.

Do you have a wiring instruction with where to splice what colors where, for the FC66 S5 Vert I have? I'd love to put the relays I picked up on the appropriate wires but I was very confused by the wiring diagrams form teh FSM I downloaded to try it now. Also the 91 Vert Airbag model didn't match the colors at all.. which didn't help.

If you could help me wire up the relays I bought a few I'd love to pop them in if I know where to cut into the harnesses. I was thinking if I put the relay on the inside of the cpu to headlights then I'd minize the load going bakc into the CPU as well which is probably a good idea. The FC66 has top connector which Jack pointed out you cna just put a grounding switch on to keep hte high beams on.

After probing more I think you're right though that my CPU might be fine and it's just a bad relay.. pick one up tomorrow and find out anyway!