Question About TSX Retrofit in my Protege5!

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Victor1994

Member
:
2002 Mazda Protege5
Hello, I'm new to the site and I have a question concerning about my upcoming retrofit for my Protege5.
I'm new to retrofitting and I'm trying to make sure I get this right without messing it up when I start. The HID halogen bulb for the protege5 is H7, but my TSX projectors only house D2S bulbs. Is it okay to use D2S bulbs on the protege5 or do I actually have to stick with the H7's and do some modification for it to fit in the projector?
 
This is a very bad idea, is illegal, and also unsafe for you and other road users. The subject has been discussed at length on the Candlepower forums, and should be required reading for anyone considering this kind of mod:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...se-Horrible-and-Illegal-HID-Conversions-Again

For further reference, here is a collection of documents regarding laws and regulations on vehicle lighting:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-Laws-amp-Regulations-%95-Documents-amp-Links

I've actually found the low beams on the P5 to be quite good, though the high beams are somewhat lacking. It is possible to safely and legally replace the 65 watt 9005 high beam bulbs (1700 lumens) with Phillips 9011 HIR bulbs (also 65 watts but 2350 lumens) with only slight modification to one of the tabs on the 9011 bulb:

http://store.candlepower.com/mohirbuba.html

It goes without saying, but if there is any yellowing or cloudiness to your headlight lenses, you should invest in a headlight restoration kit to make sure you're getting the most out of the bulbs you have.
 
If you're doing a full retrofit (which it sounds like you are), use the D2S bulbs with the TSX projectors. Once they're retrofitted they'll fit the projectors perfectly. You need a relay harness to go from the H7 protege5 harness to the D2S ballasts (and subsequent bulbs). Look on The Retrofit Source to find everything you need to finish the project. You'll need the bulbs, the ballasts, and the harness in addition to the projectors you have.
 
i've done many retrofits and if its done correctly and the proper shrouds to fit the headlights, people wont know the difference and yes to the answer above you will need to get a relay harness to run the d2s bulbs and those are really cheap to buy. you should check out TRS ( the retrofit source) website to buy accessories for your retrofit needs
 
Anyone knows if there is a step by step retrofit guide on this subject? It is the first time I hear this mod. Also, where is the cheapest place to buy the necessary parts besides going fishing in a junkyard?
 
Bebotech said:
Anyone knows if there is a step by step retrofit guide on this subject? It is the first time I hear this mod. Also, where is the cheapest place to buy the necessary parts besides going fishing in a junkyard?
Click to expand...

As mentioned already by the two previous members, The Retrofit Source (TRS). There's a TSX retrofit write-up on this forum, but you would be wise to do the retrofit using TRS' plug 'n play components (Mini H1 Kit). Use their forum sticky threads and how-to guides as they're easy to follow. Baking headlights sounds like a daunting task for people that haven't done it before, but it's pretty easy. The components that TRS sells make the process even easier.

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/diy-installation-guides.html

http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/sho...ni-H1-Projectors-(Demo-d-on-a-7th-Gen-Accord)
 
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Baking the headlights is crazy easy once you get over the "i might screw this up" fear. I think I've had the P5 headlights apart five or six times.

If you want the easiest retrofit possible with real projectors, get the morimoto mini H1 kit Hank3 referenced. I've had good luck with the morimoto mini D2S projectors myself. I like them because the D2S bulbs are more readily available. However, they are a bit larger and require a bit more skill to retrofit. Nothing that can't be figured out though.
 
Thank you for the replies!

I already purchased and have TSX Projectors and Iris shrouds, I just need to know which Relay Harness is best for the D2S bulbs :)
 
If you're using actual TSX projector housings... you'll have a very hard time getting them to fit perfectly. The housing is deep and fitting them square and level is not an easy task with having to give clearance on either the reflector or the housing or both to fit them. This was my situation anyway... but they look awesome in the end!
 
Victor1994 said:
Thank you for the replies!

I already purchased and have TSX Projectors and Iris shrouds, I just need to know which Relay Harness is best for the D2S bulbs :)
Click to expand...

Get the relay harness from the retrofit source that works with your car. There isn't a harness that goes directly from your car's wiring to the bulbs themselves. The relay harness goes from the existing headlight wiring into the ballasts. The ballasts are what physically connect (plug-in) to the bulbs. TSX projectors are factory, and will use D2S bulbs accordingly. As such, you need D2S ballasts.

Basically, you need these products (I think):
http://www.theretrofitsource.com/components/harnesses/morimoto-h7-low-beam-relay-wire-harness.html
^^^ Relay Harness for H7 stock wiring.
http://www.theretrofitsource.com/components/ballasts/morimoto-3five-d2s-long-cord-hid-ballasts.html
^^^ Ballasts for D2S bulbs (I recommend the long cord on these, the standard ones don't leave you with a lot of options)
http://www.theretrofitsource.com/components/bulbs/morimoto-3five-d2s-bulbs.html#.U78lDlZX9g0
^^^ Not a bad bulb for the money. Bulbs range from this price (cheaper are available, but not very good) up through 100+ for a pair.

Again, double check your car and your project to make sure all of these parts are what you need. This list is a guideline to point you in the right direction.
 
Thank you, it helps a lot man! :)

One more question, can I just get the Wiring Harness and get an HID(D2S) kit online other than TRS? I really want 8000k and the bulbs listed only go up to 6k.
 
You could as long as it had the proper ballasts and worked with the relay harness. I really don't recommend going that high on bulbs though (really anything over 6000k). The higher the Kelvin rating on the bulbs, the less useable light output you have. 4300k or so is what most OEMs put into their cars as it provides the best overall light output for driving. Some of the cars you see (audis, escalades, etc.) have that deep blue color due to the age of the bulbs. As the bulbs "wear" over time they change temperature and shift up in the Kelvin scale. That same process will happen on any bulb you put in, so your 8000k may end up somewhere north of that.

I have 5000k bulbs in one of my other retrofits and the output is noticeably different over the 4300k in the protege. That being said, I think TRS sells bulbs up to 10000k in different lines. The morimotos are just their value line of bulbs (although they have great output for the price).
 
And you'll get plenty of color from the bulbs being in projectors. You'll want the whitest light you can get for driving purposes. One rainstorm and you'll see that 4300k is better than anything north of 5k.
 
mp5la said:
You could as long as it had the proper ballasts and worked with the relay harness. I really don't recommend going that high on bulbs though (really anything over 6000k). The higher the Kelvin rating on the bulbs, the less useable light output you have. 4300k or so is what most OEMs put into their cars as it provides the best overall light output for driving. Some of the cars you see (audis, escalades, etc.) have that deep blue color due to the age of the bulbs. As the bulbs "wear" over time they change temperature and shift up in the Kelvin scale. That same process will happen on any bulb you put in, so your 8000k may end up somewhere north of that.

I have 5000k bulbs in one of my other retrofits and the output is noticeably different over the 4300k in the protege. That being said, I think TRS sells bulbs up to 10000k in different lines. The morimotos are just their value line of bulbs (although they have great output for the price).
Click to expand...



I went with your advice about the higher kelvin. I saw some 6000k's in action and they are great and give awesome projection. The list you provided was indeed what I needed and I ordered them. Can't wait to get everything together and do this. Once again, thanks for the help :)
 
Hank3 said:
And you'll get plenty of color from the bulbs being in projectors. You'll want the whitest light you can get for driving purposes. One rainstorm and you'll see that 4300k is better than anything north of 5k.
Click to expand...

X2 , im running fxr projectors and 4300k morimoto bulbs and i love this set-up , i used to run 6k but it was too blue for my taste.
 
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