HID Projector Fog DIY

do you think the retrofit would work for non-m bumpers if I got these:

BMW E46 SPORTS PACKAGE PROJECTOR FOG LIGHTS
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/01-02...spagenameZWDVW

Originally Posted by hoppa79

do you think the retrofit would work for non-m bumpers if I got these:

BMW E46 SPORTS PACKAGE PROJECTOR FOG LIGHTS
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/01-02...spagenameZWDVW

those are the same fogs... sports package sedan uses //M bumpers.

Do you have rectangluar sedan fogs (preface) or the small round ones for facelift sedans? Or do you have a coupe?

i have a coupe which has round fogs. i just came back from taking a look at my car and i dont think they'll fit. the brackets to screw on my car are at the bottom of the fogs while the projector brackets are on the sides. oh wellz....great diy guide sna77. i would do this if i could~

Would this work for a 328ci coupe
http://www.kgsengineering.com/specd-...k-p-15460.html

Originally Posted by Parker Beach

Would this work for a 328ci coupe
http://www.kgsengineering.com/specd-...k-p-15460.html

not unless you have an m-tech bumper

Originally Posted by Parker Beach

Would this work for a 328ci coupe
http://www.kgsengineering.com/specd-...k-p-15460.html

according from the picture those are M-tech/M3 foglights and won't work. Although the description says it would. find out to make sure they don't have the wrong picture up.

All of this DIY made total sence to me but what do u mean by "attach to your ballast" ? Do you mean the same ballast that powers ur lowbeams? Also is the screwed up light pattern on the wall because you are using stock m3 style fogs?

Originally Posted by Valdez

All of this DIY made total sence to me but what do u mean by "attach to your ballast" ? Do you mean the same ballast that powers ur lowbeams? Also is the screwed up light pattern on the wall because you are using stock m3 style fogs?

You cannot use the same ballast as your low beam. I'm using Prolumen ballasts / ignitors to power these.

The screwed up light pattern on the wall is an example of what happens when you put Xenon light into a halogen projector. Many people buy 9006 HID kits and replace the 9006 halogen lights in their fogs with those HID kits. The results are scattered light.

Originally Posted by sna77

You cannot use the same ballast as your low beam. I'm using Prolumen ballasts / ignitors to power these.

The screwed up light pattern on the wall is an example of what happens when you put Xenon light into a halogen projector. Many people buy 9006 HID kits and replace the 9006 halogen lights in their fogs with those HID kits. The results are scattered light.

I think you meant to say "a non cut-off parbolic reflector lamp".
These projector fogs are infact fitted with a halogen bulb. As You and I both have done both. Xenon/HID systems are best when in a shielded projector lamp like these projectors for best overall lighting.
SNA77-I'm now wondering if I should have just bought the projector for a 9006 lamp like used in the E30 BMWs and fitted. It would have been used my existing 9006 bulb and larger projector.

Originally Posted by Alex323Ci

I think you meant to say "a non cut-off parbolic reflector lamp".
These projector fogs are infact fitted with a halogen bulb. As You and I both have done both. Xenon/HID systems are best when in a shielded projector lamp like these projectors for best overall lighting.
SNA77-I'm now wondering if I should have just bought the projector for a 9006 lamp like used in the E30 BMWs and fitted. It would have been used my existing 9006 bulb and larger projector.

Originally Posted by Alex323Ci

I think you meant to say "a non cut-off parbolic reflector lamp".

yeah, thats what i meant..

how would you fit the e30 projector into the OEM fog?

Did it!
I have now put my projector fogs into the M-tech/M3 foglight housings. Looks much better IMHO. It really itsn't that hard to do. The ceramic reflector backing plates on the OEM M-tech fogs unclip(nothing to cut, two clips). There strangely is even two dots inside the fog housing exactly where you need to drill to mount the projector inside. You will need to take the projector foglight apart from the black mounting face. Other than the two holes, this method is completely reversable.
Only things needed are a 13/64th drill bit, (4x) metric bolts#138250 from Lowes, and 4x washers. This even can use the adjustment screw if you get those four washers.
I used four #M5-.80x20mm hex head bolts. But I think only 10mm length would be better as you don't want the bolt screwing too far inside the projector.
Basically the bolts go in from the outside of the M-tech to hold the projector in the center of the fog. I used some black primer on the bolts before so you couldn't see the metal in the housing. The backing plate remains off, which is fine. Now the projecotrs look like the headlamps inside the housing. More aerodynamic, keeps out more water, protects the projector "eye" from debris, and for someone like me with Hamann foglight covers..completes the flush look.

Originally Posted by Alex323Ci

Did it!
I have now put my projector fogs into the M-tech/M3 foglight housings. Looks much better IMHO. It really itsn't that hard to do. The ceramic reflector backing plates on the OEM M-tech fogs unclip(nothing to cut, two clips). There strangely is even two dots inside the fog housing exactly where you need to drill to mount the projector inside. You will need to take the projector foglight apart from the black mounting face. Other than the two holes, this method is completely reversable.
Only things needed are a 13/64th drill bit, (4x) metric bolts#138250 from Lowes, and 4x washers. This even can use the adjustment screw if you get those four washers.
I used four #M5-.80x20mm hex head bolts. But I think only 10mm length would be better as you don't want the bolt screwing too far inside the projector.
Basically the bolts go in from the outside of the M-tech to hold the projector in the center of the fog. I used some black primer on the bolts before so you couldn't see the metal in the housing. The backing plate remains off, which is fine. Now the projecotrs look like the headlamps inside the housing. More aerodynamic, keeps out more water, protects the projector "eye" from debris, and for someone like me with Hamann foglight covers..completes the flush look.

do you have any pix of how you drilled it? i'm having a hard time picturing what you just described.

Originally Posted by mach330

do you have any pix of how you drilled it? i'm having a hard time picturing what you just described.

The projectors have two screws on the sides that hold it in place(1 each side). You need to drill two holes in the side of the Mtech fog to mount the projector inside the Mtech fog. It's about 10mm in from the OEM hole that clips the backing plate to it. The projector is about 1/2" smaller on both sides, so you need longer bolts to suspend it in the middle.
This is for the OEM M-tech foglights made by ZKW of Austria.
Picture on the left is of the backing taken off. If you look closely at the inside right of the housing, you can see a little scratch dent that is exactly where you need to drill. Picture on the right is where the new pilot hole needs to be drilled to put the M5 bolt through to mount to the projector. Don't screw it on to much or the plastic M-tech housing starts to bend in. One could use a nylon spacer, but it's not really needed.

ooh looks nice. did you do it with the projector fogs like the ones jlevi sells? does the glass distort the light in anyway?

Originally Posted by Alex323Ci

The projectors have two screws on the sides that hold it in place(1 each side). You need to drill two holes in the side of the Mtech fog to mount the projector inside the Mtech fog. It's about 10mm in from the OEM hole that clips the backing plate to it. The projector is about 1/2" smaller on both sides, so you need longer bolts to suspend it in the middle.
This is for the OEM M-tech foglights made by ZKW of Austria.
Picture on the left is of the backing taken off. If you look closely at the inside right of the housing, you can see a little scratch dent that is exactly where you need to drill. Picture on the right is where the new pilot hole needs to be drilled to put the M5 bolt through to mount to the projector. Don't screw it on to much or the plastic M-tech housing starts to bend in. One could use a nylon spacer, but it's not really needed.

awesome...thank you.

Originally Posted by mach330

awesome...thank you.

Fantastic work Alex. Going to give this a try this weekend!

awesome.

How were you able to get the fogs to line up? I know these are supposed to be fixed with no adjustability, but my lights don't line up right. Would it have something to do with the foglight housing?

Originally Posted by TRR330xi

How were you able to get the fogs to line up? I know these are supposed to be fixed with no adjustability, but my lights don't line up right. Would it have something to do with the foglight housing?

If you are talking about the retrofit in the m-tech, mine line up perfectly. The pattern is also perfectly level and matched. When you say line-up..do you mean in the center of the lens? I would guess it's the hole you made on the side. In that case, I'd elongate it. You need to tighten it down after you see it's level The adjustment knob from the old one I was able to remount with two washers on the inside end and then put the spring on and screw into the plastic. The two washers were able to slip into the holding arm and also use once again to adjust the rear level.
As for centering the projector eye, do not over tighten the bolts on the side as it'll put to much of the threads into the projector housing, pull the housing wall in, and lastly it probably won't center it.
This might sound confusing to read, but will make total sense when doing it hands-on.
*Anyone doing the retrofit, feel free to email me with questions. It's pretty easy stuff though.

Originally Posted by Alex323Ci

If you are talking about the retrofit in the m-tech, mine line up perfectly. The pattern is also perfectly level and matched. When you say line-up..do you mean in the center of the lens? I would guess it's the hole you made on the side. In that case, I'd elongate it. You need to tighten it down after you see it's level The adjustment knob from the old one I was able to remount with two washers on the inside end and then put the spring on and screw into the plastic. The two washers were able to slip into the holding arm and also use once again to adjust the rear level.
As for centering the projector eye, do not over tighten the bolts on the side as it'll put to much of the threads into the projector housing, pull the housing wall in, and lastly it probably won't center it.
This might sound confusing to read, but will make total sense when doing it hands-on.
*Anyone doing the retrofit, feel free to email me with questions. It's pretty easy stuff though.

I will have to send you PM with some pictures of what I am talking about. The cutoff is not level. However, before I replaced the stock fogs, the light projected evenly onto the road and once I made the change to the projectors, my right fog projects out higher than my left one, roughly 6" higher. Hopefully you can help me figure it out though PM.

Thanks.