DIY Installing HID Kit on ZKW's - United Bimmer Community

**Rooz** · 10-05-2005, 08:06 PM

Required Items:

2 ballasts,
2 HID bulbs,
2 Igniters,
2 15watt (Light blue) fuses

Tools:

8mm wrench
Extendable magnet
A drill
3/4" drill bit

This install is very easy, and probably won't take you any longer than 30-45minutes

I started with my driver side..

Since you are dealing with some expensive bulbs, I would highly recommend loosening your headlights to give you some room to work with, which is what I did. Now I have access to professional aiming devices so the cost of getting my headlights aim is not a worry of mine, but if you do loosen your headlights, yes you will have to get the aimed again.

See how much little space you have to work with...

And how much more is created just by loosening the headlights:

So, that said.. I loosened the driver side headlight and pulled it out just enough to give me some room. Very easy, 3 8mm screws, two on top of the headlights, one between the turn signal and headlight.

Once that done open up the rear of the low beams by taking out the protecting cover, take out the existing bulb and replace it with the new hid one.

Now, take the cover and we'll have to drill it. DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISKS!!!! I have LOTS of drilling tools so this was easy for me to do....

I first tried to use a wood drilling bit...

Didn't work as good as I wanted it to, BUT it's perfect for starting a hole in plastic...

Then I took out my "MAC DADDY" drill bit

The hole only needs to be ~ 3/4" look at the gasket that is right behind the hid's it should be a bit smaller than it.

And this is what it's supposed to look like drilled and with gasket installed:

Then connect all the wires, unless if you're trying to, you cannot go wrong in this step, and if you do... humm... maybe you shouldn't try this install....

Put the headlights back on, make sure the gaps are even all around.

VERY IMPORTANT
Before turning lights on!

CHANGE THE FUSES!

Since I did it one headlight at a time, I changed the fuses one headlight at a time, if you want to do replace both headlights at once and then start them, then replace both fuses at once:

But just in case:
Your driver side low beam is protected by fuse #11 , and the passenger side one by fuse #12

Now, it's the same exact thing for the other side...

Once you're done with all this, get in the car, and turn those new suckers on and ENJOY:

**komodo** · 10-06-2005, 05:23 PM

http://www.unitedbimmer.com/kb-e36-zkwhid.php

Added to knowledge base.

**Rooz** · 10-06-2005, 05:33 PM

cool, thx Komodo... I think Umnitza also added my DIY on there site

**B_w.** · 04-07-2006, 09:29 PM

i am about to do this. just wondering why you need to change the fuses?

**B_w.** · 04-07-2006, 10:23 PM

never mind that. dumb question

**B_w.** · 04-08-2006, 09:45 PM

k, i undid the 3 screws holding the headlights in but i was still unable to pull out the headlight. i was working on the driver side and the outer side would move around but the inner side would still not budge. is there anything else i need to undo?

**xsperf** · 04-08-2006, 09:55 PM

post in the lighting section, ouri may be of help

**B_w.** · 04-09-2006, 11:44 PM

a few things i wanted to add to this:
- i had 4 screws holding my lights in not 3 - 2 up top, the one under the signal, and one underneath the radiator cover. had to remove the radiator cover to get this one.
- i needed all the room i could get so i just pulled the headlight right out - took it for a short drive and the aim still seemed to be pretty good, might adjust it later but ok for now.
- i mounted the ballasts to the bumper support using double sided tape and then duct taped it down again. i then used the double sided tape to mount the igniters on top of the ballasts and then duct taped those again.
- with the first cover i used masonry bits to drill through the cover. this made a bit of a mess because i just drilled a bunch of little holes and then drilled those out. the hole has pretty mangled and needed to be sanded out a lot. on the second one i used a big 3/4 inch wood bit. this one worked really well. just needed to get somebody to hold it so you can go to town on the cover. this made a very nice smoothe circular hole that needed to be sanded a bit bigger.
- when you put the headlight back in make sure to have all the wires for the signals in the right place. i put the first light back and realised i could not re-atatch so i had to take the whole thing off again

i will add anything else that i think of. these lights are a huge improvement over the regualr zkw's

**94bmw325i** · 04-09-2006, 11:54 PM

so what are regular zkw's like compared to US stock headlights, just a little brighter because it is a glass lens?

**B_w.** · 04-10-2006, 01:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 94bmw325i

so what are regular zkw's like compared to US stock headlights, just a little brighter because it is a glass lens?

the beam is much more focused and you can put better bulbs in. hid's are on a whole new level.

**pj NCSU** · 09-19-2006, 09:15 PM

how are the high beams connected? I bought my car with these headlights already installed, but no high beams. Also, the 7.5 fuses are still there and work fine??

**B_w.** · 09-19-2006, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pj NCSU

how are the high beams connected? I bought my car with these headlights already installed, but no high beams. Also, the 7.5 fuses are still there and work fine??

your low beam hid's will be better than your high beams with halogens.

**pj NCSU** · 09-20-2006, 08:57 PM

^ true but I can't pass inspection without them...and my fogs don't work!!