# MK3 jetta HID Projector Retrofit question



## steve95vr6 (Oct 26, 2003)

Heres what i got and i hope someone can give me some advice. I have a pair of lexus projectors with ballast bulbs all the stuff i need. I was contemplating retrofitting them into my NA housing or in a set of smoked ecodes. I have done some research and found that if i place the projector deep enough in the housing the reflective pattern of the light housing will not effect the light output of the projecter, and the projector will retain its cut off line. Now what i really need to know is this true? will the lens on the NA housing affect the light output of the projector? or will the ecode make any diffrence? before i go ordering lights and tearing them apart i was hoping to get some answers.


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## kspilly (May 25, 2006)

*Re: MK3 jetta HID Projector Retrofit question (steve95vr6)*

If I'm reading this correctly, you have the Lexus xenon projectors and ballasts, and want to put those into your Jetta housings. I don't get the part about the NA reflector affecting the Lexus projectors. When you retrofit, you usually end up removing most if not all the factory lighting part. Meaning, if you're putting them into the normally single element housing, you'll be removing the halogen bulb setup that was there, and mounting your Lexus projector into the housing. There is a lot you can do with a retro fit. 
Basically, you're using the housing for the shell, then adding your xenon goodness.








Unless you're worried about the light from the projector setup actually reflecting back into the chrome housing. In that case, you could mock them up,(mount the projector, throw some juice to them without sealing the housings up), and see if you are getting a glare. When I retrofitted my Grand Cherokee, I sprayed the inner Jeep housing with flat black paint to keep the light from reflecting out and glaring. It was actually lighting up the housing because the E55 bi-xenons I used have an open space between the rear section and the lense of the projectors. That setup has held up for over a year now, so that's one option...



_Modified by kspilly at 9:02 AM 10-29-2006_


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## steve95vr6 (Oct 26, 2003)

*Re: MK3 jetta HID Projector Retrofit question (kspilly)*

well i had talked to someone who had done a retrofit into there jetta ecodes and they said that if the projector was set to far back the light would reflect off the housing and cause scatter but if placed close enough to the glass it will not hit the reflective housing at all. And what i am worried about since the NA glass on the lens is not clear will that cause the break up of the cut off lien from the projector. I just want the lights to have minimal scatter


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## BrunoVdub (Aug 19, 2005)

*Re: MK3 jetta HID Projector Retrofit question (steve95vr6)*

Yes that is correct. 
If you place the projector to far back in the housing, assuming that your reflector housing is somewhat deep, light being projected down may bounce off of the front part of the reflector and scatter above the cutoff.
Now depending on which lexus projector you are using, some come with foreground limiting shields which, yup you guessed, limit light output down low so that output is projector a little farther in front of the car rather than up close.
If your projectors are fitted with these shields then in some cases even if you mount them closer to the back of your reflector you may not get any mis directed light from stray light bouncing off of the front reflector.
If you projectors do not have a foreground limiting shield or the shield does not help with the stray light output, mounting the projetors closer to the headlight lense (cover) or even painting the front part of the reflector flat black can reduce or eliminate stray light from bouncing up over the cutoff.
I will also mention that mounting the projectors closer to the front of the headlight, closer to the headlight lense(cover) will in some cases provide wider output. When the projector is mounted towards the rear sometimes output to the sides is hindered a little because it is not allowed to reach outward from the headlight. It is bottlenecked until it escapes the headlight.
Now, this is based on my experience with MK4 lights, MK3 lights may be a little different and you would have to test these ideas out before you mount them in for good. Hopefully that gives you an idea of what you can do and what you can expect.
What kind of projectors do you have??


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## kspilly (May 25, 2006)

*Re: MK3 jetta HID Projector Retrofit question (BrunoVdub)*

If the glass is not clear, you won't get that razor sharp cutoff. That's how they are on my Grand Cherokee. Driving at night, you can see that there is a cutoff, but it's no S2000 sharp or anything. Still a lot better than halogens could ever be though.....


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## steve95vr6 (Oct 26, 2003)

*Re: MK3 jetta HID Projector Retrofit question (BrunoVdub)*

thanks for the help.. they are out of a lexus sc430 the 2 door convertible. I dont think they have that shield you are talking about. here they are


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## kspilly (May 25, 2006)

*Re: MK3 jetta HID Projector Retrofit question (steve95vr6)*

You shouldn't have any glare problems with those. Since they are single xenon there is not a gap for the flap to move. I'd suggest keeping them towards the front of the housing to try to get as wide a beam as you can.
Have fun retrofitting!!


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## BrunoVdub (Aug 19, 2005)

*Re: MK3 jetta HID Projector Retrofit question (steve95vr6)*

Those are very good projectors performance wise. They are a little hard to retro because there are no mounting points to secure them but you can still drill and tap if you up for the work.
I have a modified pair in my MK4 jetta lights right now and love them. I do however have modified ones that I am using. Clear lense swapped.
Stock:








Modded:








Full potential is very similar to the S2000 projectors which are rated as one of the best projectors used for a retrofit. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## steve95vr6 (Oct 26, 2003)

*Re: MK3 jetta HID Projector Retrofit question (BrunoVdub)*

I had planned on drilling holes around the top border to secure them to the sheetmetal i am using...I will post pictures when there done planning on doing it all next weekend 


_Quote, originally posted by *BrunoVdub* »_Those are very good projectors performance wise. They are a little hard to retro because there are no mounting points to secure them but you can still drill and tap if you up for the work.
I have a modified pair in my MK4 jetta lights right now and love them. I do however have modified ones that I am using. Clear lense swapped.
Stock:








Modded:








Full potential is very similar to the S2000 projectors which are rated as one of the best projectors used for a retrofit. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## BrunoVdub (Aug 19, 2005)

*Re: MK3 jetta HID Projector Retrofit question (steve95vr6)*

This is a shot of the back of the reflector housing of My MK4 jetta headlight. The projector is mounted via 3 drilled and threaded holes.


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## steve95vr6 (Oct 26, 2003)

*Re: MK3 jetta HID Projector Retrofit question (BrunoVdub)*

do you have any more pics of the retrofit? also to attatch those screws to the housing in the inside of the headlight what did you use? just a nut on the end of the screw?


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## GS Audio (Oct 17, 2001)

*Re: MK3 jetta HID Projector Retrofit question (steve95vr6)*

I didn't read the whole thread, but can say that the best projector you can use with the least amount of hassle is the TT HID projector. Its small enough and will require less fabrication in order to cover the back up once installed......if going that route.
On a set I had done, we used S4 projectors and they were a little bigger than expected, so required more work.


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## BrunoVdub (Aug 19, 2005)

*Re: MK3 jetta HID Projector Retrofit question (GS Audio)*

Oh I would agree. The OP was got SC430 stanley made projectors.
In terms of output the SC projectors destroy the TT projectors and the valeo projectors. I have used all of them and would say that in "some" cases more fab work to use better projectors is worth it.
But you are right about ease of use with the TT E46 single projectors. The valeos are also easy to work with depending on what housing your using.


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## steve95vr6 (Oct 26, 2003)

*Re: MK3 jetta HID Projector Retrofit question (BrunoVdub)*

well im working with what i got....It should be a challenge but i will post my progress as soon as i get some time to get it started


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