Hid Lights

02/01/2022

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Retrofitting Levelling Headlights Based on 91 spec UK Turbo.

This is a system which was pretty much standard on most MKIII’s in the UK but omitted from most USDM and JDM cars.

The system allows the driver to adjust the beam level of the headlights from inside the car via a thumb wheel control switch.

This guide will explain how to retrofit this simple system to your car which, is particularly useful if you have installed HID discharge lamps or upgraded bulbs.

Firstly gather your bits!

You will require the levelling switch complete with connector and few inches of loom.

You will need the levelling headlight cages complete with levelling motors, connectors and a few inches of loom on each plug.

The levelling cages can be removed very simply by removing the headlight cowls and lamp then, unclip the spring at the top of the cage and gently prise the side and lower adjusting screws out through the open end of the slots.

This same method can be used to remove the fixed cages from the car to be modded then, fitting the new cages is the exact reverse, clip screws back into tabs and refit spring.

You should be able to do this without removing the levelling motor from the frame. If however you do need to remove the motor, you do so by pulling the yellow clip off the front of the control rod, remove the small motor securing screw from the corner of the motor bracket then, turning the motors as if you were removing a bayonet light bulb.

Fitting the lights to the car.

Now, most cars without this system fitted have a different closure panel fitted to the engine compartment, this means when the levelling headlights retract, the motors will hit the closure panel. The factory panels have an indent & a cut out for these motors to recess into - you will need to form this to fit your motors.

This is easiest done by removing the lower part of the front bumper, once removed you will have clear access to the front of the closure panels.

Raise the headlights then pull the “RTR” fuse - engine fuse box! This will prevent the system trapping your hands or worse still - busting your levelling motors!

If you now fit the cages into your headlights as above then, using the manual lowering knobs, lower the lights down until you can see where the motors are touching the closure panels - mark this spot.

Now you need to cut a hole in these areas for the motors to recess into, I suggest around a 60 mm metal hole cutter for the job.

I advise pulling the front legs of wiring loom back into the engine bay and removing the battery before you do this to prevent holes in things you don’t want holes in!

Clean up the holes, paint the bare metal then line the edges with some sort of push on plastic edging to protect the cables when they go back through and finish off the edges properly!

Once that’s done your lights should close with no fouling.

The photo here clearly shows the rear of one of the head lights.

You can see here how the motors intrude through the closure panels into the engine compartment.

You can see cutting the holes also renders the factory grommets useless - another reason to finish off the holes properly once cut!

The edging I have fitted here is specifically for this sort of use and can be obtained easily.

It also allows you to fill the inner lip of it with rust preventative such as wax oil to protect the edges of the metal even more from corrosion.

Wiring.

With your pigtail of looms the wiring is just a case of linking up the cables correctly by soldering on additional cable and insulating the joints with heat shrink tube or similar.

Below is the wiring diagram for the levelling system. This is based on a UK 91 turbo - others may vary slightly.




	It is up to you where you run the interconnecting cables, the factory route is up behind the front wheel arch liners then, into the driver kick panel. You need 4 wires back to the switch from the motors, study the diagram well as these wires change colour once they get inside the car as detailed above. The ground points (White /Black) for the motors can be picked up locally to the motors such as the earth points on the front inner wings. The motor live supply (Pink/Black) can be picked up from a switched 12V power feed in the engine bay, a good place to tap into is the live feed (Green) at one of the front side marker lights. This circuit will also fuse the motor supplies correctly & put power to the motors only when required as, the side lights are always on with the head lights. At the switch - as well as your 4 motor wires you will have a Red/White cable - this cable just needs to be earthed or connected into the red/white wire at the head light cleaner switch if fitted. On some switches this RED/WHITE cable is a different colour such as Violet /white - it should be obvious either way & just needs grounding in the same way. There is no need to try and connect it into the lighting system as per diagram - you will only get lost in the maze of cables! You should now have just 2 wires left, Green & White/Green - these are for the switch illumination and can be tapped into the same coloured wires at the front fog light switch or any illuminated switch for that matter. Pop everything back together, insert any removed fuses and test the system - you should now have levelling headlights! I advise you not to be a shit to other road user, no matter how they treat you - and get your head light aim checked and adjusted before going out!

Notes:

Colour codes often changed on cars, I have detailed as much as possible here but, am limited to vehicles in the UK to look at!

On some models the levelling switch was placed in the centre console, I believe the colours to be the same at the switch but, am unable to confirm this at present - if anybody has information to share which I may add, please get in touch.


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			If you found this guide helpful or have a comment, please sign my Guest Book or use the Message Board.