Why do I keep ripping on p46 headlights? (Don't buy crappy crap) Retrofit to RX330!

are you using the same bulbs for the p46 to rx330 comparisons? it seems kind of moot to compare with inferior aftermarket bulbs.

Originally Posted by sillieidiot

are you using the same bulbs for the p46 to rx330 comparisons? it seems kind of moot to compare with inferior aftermarket bulbs.

Not necessarily... since one can't use D2S bulbs with P46s, the comparison is a valid representative of what the performance difference between the two setups would be.

Yeah, I'd rather not shoehorn the D2S bulb into the p46's H7 hole. It's possible to do it, but what's the point?

well at least the same temperature would be better.

Send me some 4300K H7 bulbs...

lol i don't have any. you could put crappy 6000k d2s bulbs in lol it would still be better, but yea. just saying it would be a better comparison if you tried to keep the differences to a minimum.

Just started work on the driver side headlight. Got the LEDs in the shroud and the projector mounted in a preliminary position. I need to pick up more hardware from the store and then I can finish the driver side light and move on to final testing/aiming.

When I pulled the projector out of the driver side p46 frame, I noticed some black spots in the chrome bowl. Looks like the HID kit burned the chrome off of the bowl.

Anybody have any tips for getting those scratches out of the headlight lens? I tried to rub the inside of the driver side lens because of some haze (probably due to the high UV emitted by aftermarket HID kit), but I think I just managed to scratch it up even more. Tried to wet sand (400-800-1000-2000-Meg Ultimate Compound), but there are still scratches. It's very noticeable when I have the LEDs behind the lens (multiple point-light source).

this thread is just impeccable. photography, explanation, comparison, all of it, i commend you on the time it likely took you to write/photograph this entire process

Thanks. It's a great ($$$$$) hobby when you get into it. I'm already looking at another retrofit using Murano bixenon (basically a bixenon RX330 projector) projectors and clear lenses. I'm not sure if it will fit in the e46 headlight, but we'll find out.

Also of note: if you add on a shield above the existing steel shield in the p46 projector, you can get a decent, flat cutoff without that crazy dip in light spread. It *could* be a viable option if you were so inclined to open your headlights and go crazy with a custom shield. This way you reduce that foreground hotspot and increase distance visibility.

Now gimme free parts! lol

Projector mounted, aim is initially set. Rotation will be off, I just know it


Backside view - there will be another bracket to adjust the low beam in relation to high beam


Backside view of the LEDs behind the shroud. I'm not done yet because I ran out of heatshrink


Testing out both headlights on my car. Note, I have a facelift sedan, but these are pre-facelift headlights. They still mount up to the stock mounting positions. The question I have is: Are the mounting points the same between facelift and pre-facelift? Meaning, if I were to aim these 100% in rotation for my car, would it be wonky on a pre-facelift car?


I have ordered E30 clear lenses (instead of TSX-R). Hoping to have those in by the end of the week. That should help me when I'm finalizing aim and rotation issues.

For now, I leave you with these gifs! Car was parked ~45ft away from the wall.

Both lights on


Driver side only. There is a weird bowing happening. Hopefully I can correct this...


Passenger side only. Might need 1-2 degree ccw rotation


Low beam high beam! The projectors have to be aimed better in relation to their respective high beams. This can be fixed easily.

I was going to ask about the quality of the lenses until I stumbled across this thread. Now most of my questions are answered. Is there a quality set of projector headlights out there other than OEM or custom?

Eh, not really.

You could go with a FX-R retrofit from Umnitza, but I'm not sure of the total price (he posts up component prices often, but never total price) or the turnaround time.

Also, E30 lenses came in today. I will be testing them out and tweaking output.

i love the e30 lense with the fx (oem). i think that is better than the tsx

the mounting points for the prefacelift is the same if they are bixenons. single xenons are different. the rotation should be just about the same since prefacelift bixenons = facelife bixenons (excluding zkw)

E30 lenses mounted and spaced. Shrouds are glued on. I won't be using the LEDs in the shroud (actually, I'm still undecided, but I'm not 100% on the look of an incomplete circle - maybe I'll swap these for e46 replica shrouds), but instead may use Khoalty LED AEs in the p46 rings. Turns out the diffuser for the AE rings on the p46 headlights are really good. They completely get rid of the individual LED look (i.e. pearl necklace effect) and the LED AE rings sit almost perfectly inside the groove.

Anyways, I will be sparse on updates for at least a week. Got the FE exam coming up on Saturday and I haven't studied for it at all. Screwed.

thumbs up to this thread, i agree (cause i had them at one point) the p46s are crap. When i got em though i was young and broke, then i was exposed to oem and then i stumbled onto fx-r's (which i have now) and absolutely love them..night and day compared to the p46s (no pun intended ). Im looking at bumping them up to 50 watts as soon as my bulbs i have now die (have had em for awhile). I like to compare lighting to suspension, save up and do it right the first time (lowering springs vs full suspension & p46 aftermarket vs oem).

I had some free time today to finally look at the output of the headlights with the E30 clear lenses installed. I'll just say this: if you're going to retrofit p46s, do not use the p46 projectors' mounting points as a guide for your own mounting points

Solidjake actually posted his friend's new p46 headlights showing that the beams are crooked. I think this is a problem with all p46 headlights and is not as noticeable since the light output is turrible on them.



With the clear lenses, it is clear (hah) that the driver side needs CW rotation and the passenger side needs CCW rotation. Each by a few degrees, probably equal amounts, but opposite in direction. Now it's confirmed that I need to redo the rotation on the projectors. Easy fix, but still, it's a pain in the ass and not what I was expecting since I pretty much mounted the RX330 projectors at the same angle as the p46 projectors. Aside from the rotation, though, the cutoffs are looking mighty nice with tons of color and great sharpness and width throughout the beam.





High beams on:


Driver side:


Passenger side:

Driver side is aimed, passenger side is weird:


Crazy rotation on the passenger side:


Fixed:



Driver side:


Passenger side:


The RX330 projectors are strange. They bow upwards, then flatten out at the edges. This is much more noticeable with clear lenses, and the effect is much more pronounced on the passenger side RX330 projector. However, for all intents and purposes, this will suffice.

can you post a retrofit diy

Didn't I just do that?

What causes that extra light at the top of the cutoffs?