Bi-xenon HID retrofit in 3rd Gen (00-04) Legacy - Walkthrough & Lessons Learned

Update: 3/20 - I finally finished the project! It probably took 40 hours.

Prologue:

OK, so there are a dozen or so walk-throughs of HID retrofits in the 00-04 Legacys and Outbacks. I read all of them, but I still made a ton of mistakes on an assortment of topics that nobody else documented problems with. It's almost as if most people are significantly smarter than me and did a better job, or they just didn't want to show all of their embarrassing mistakes. Well, I want to show all of what I've learned in the hopes it will be helpful for the next person doing retrofits for the first time. I am also uploading the pictures to this forum, so that they will never vanish, unlike a handful of other old DIYs where somebody must have deleted their personal photobucket with linked pics.

I bought the recently released TRS (The Retrofit Source) Mini H1 7.0's in a sweet Black Friday sale, and dove into my 1st retrofit. Many mistakes were made. I've been slowly working on this project for weeks a little bit at a time.

This has been a huge project that's taken me a lot of hours. Getting the bi-xenon and LED DRLs figured out has been a big chore, and hacking the projector into the housing and having to get the headlights aimed decently is pretty tedious. This is NOT a project for people who want quick plug-n-play. I'm treating it as an arts-and-crafts hobby. There are 100 different ways that somebody can achieve the same goal, so feel free to ask questions and state alternatives in this thread. Or just tell me I'm dumb.

Project Cost:

Note: I was more interested in buying nice parts with some convenience rather than scrounging to do this on the cheap. On a tight budget, you could get this done in $150 or less.

- Aftermarket Vision Auto GT headlights, eBay: $85

- Morimoto/TRS mini H1 7.0 projectors kit w/ relay harness, ballast/ignitor, bulbs: $200

- Weather Pack contacts and connectors: $30

- 2x weatherproof relay sets for new LED DRLs: $40

- 2x 15W DRL LED (9005 size): $10

- JB Weld: $6

- 2x 4" PVC cleanut plug: $7

- 2x 5" to 4.5" Silicon Reducer/coupler: $26

- 1x ATM Fuse Tap: $7

Total cost = ~$415

Additional tool investment = $35 for Weather Pack crimper and extractor

Common Initial Questions (will be explained as I go along):

1. Should I use the "L" single lamp headlights or the GT/Outback split lamps? Does it matter?
   
2. Do I need a separate HID relay harness, or can I use the factory relays/harness?
   
3. Do I need to disable Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) with HIDs? If so, how do I do that?
   
4. How can I do DRLs with the HIDs? Can I use Halos or LEDs?
   
5. Any tips for weatherproof wiring and connectors?
   
6. What temperature do I bake headlights at to take them apart?
   
7. How do I re-seal headlights when I'm done? What If I want some extra sealant?
   
8. How do I make the bi-xenon feature work on the Legacy/Outback?
   

I will break this walk-through into a handful of sections:

1) Starting out - Figuring Out Headlights and Wiring

2) Baking the Headlights

3) Cutting the Reflector and Mounting the Projector

4) Re-baking the lights and Making New Rear Covers

5) Final Install and Aiming Headlights

1) Starting out - Figuring Out Headlights and Wiring

I recommend buying an extra set of headlights so that you can have plenty of time to work on the retrofit. You can get a pair of (aftermarket) regular L or GT/Outback headlights on EBay for $80-90 shipped. I had regular L headlights, but I wanted to try this project on the GT headlights because I thought they looked cooler.

Is the project any different if you go with the split GT headlight versus L headlight? Yes, I do think the L headlight is easier and it can take a larger projector. Larger projectors can generally put out a better light pattern. With the L headlight you probably don't even need to cut apart your headlight reflector because a simple retaining ring holds the projector in. With the GT, you can fit a small projector like the TRS / Morimoto mini H1 7.0, but you might have cut the reflector and drill a lot of holes to hold the reflector in to ensure correct clearance and placement. This really depends on which projector you use, and how deep it is. Also, you may want to place the projector high in the GT headlight to avoid the black plastic split line, but this creates a few challenges (as you'll see in the pictures later on).

It seems like people have done a mix of finding small/shallow projectors that fit in the GT's low beam hole without any cutting/drilling/standoffs. The projector gets very close to the front plastic lens of the headlight, but has been reported to clear during a quick test fit. The black plastic line does cover some of the projector lens, but that doesn't necessarily hurt the light output. I need more info on this, though. I ended up ignoring the original hole mounting in the GT low beam area, and I recessed my projector very hard back and centered in the housing. It was a pain.

Warning #1: Aftermarket headlights are not made to the same quality standards as the original factory ones. The plastic is softer, they don't fit quite as well, they melt at a lower temperature in the oven, and the outer plastic lens scratches a lot easier. However, they are pretty cheap. I do recommend using aftermarket headlights despite the lower overall quality.

Warning #2: The 00-04 non-GT and non-Outback models use a different headlight bulbs/bulbs with different harness connectors. On the bright side, the headlight signals themselves are the same (e.g. +12V, low beam ground, high beam ground)

If necessary, you can buy some adapter harnesses on Ebay to convert the L harness to the GT harness. But I needed to merge the TRS HID relay harness to the stock harness, and I wanted a plug-in-play way to quickly revert back to stock non-HID headlights. In my case, that meant the regular L headlights. I chose to use a connector system recommended elsewhere on the forum: Delphi Weatherpack (example connector: [ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005FEIIPA?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_detailpages00]Amazon.com: Delphi Packard Weatherpack 2 Pin Terminal Kit 20-18 AWG: Automotive[/ame]). This system worked fantastic. The crimp tool is easy once you figure out it and makes very secure crimps. You may want to buy some extra crimp contacts just so you can practice. The contact extractor helps you remove the contact after is has been locked into its plastic housing. This is great for when you mess up.

What you will need to use the Weatherpack system:

1) Crimper and Extractor: http://www.ebay.com/itm/231470227291?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

2) Connectors & contacts: http://www.ebay.com/itm/230581793976?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=223917&d=1454289909

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=223918&d=1454289909

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=223919&d=1454289909

Warning #3: The headlights (both L and GT) are not wired like you'd predict. When you turn the headlight stalk switch to "On" (Off->parking lights->On), a relay for the right headlight and a relay for the left headlight are switched closed (e.g. power goes to headlight). That relay is under the hood in the relay box near the battery. This relay provides power for both the low beams and high beams, but this isn't what turns on the headlights! Actually, there is either a low beam ground OR a high beam ground that completes the circuit and causes the relevant bulb to turn on. When you select high beams, the high beam ground closes the circuit while the low beam ground disconnects/opens and shuts off the low beam bulb.

The harness has three signals:

1) Low beam ground (enabled when lights are "On" and not in high beam)

2) high beam ground

3) +12V (enabled when either user turns lights "On", or pulls back on stalk to flash high beams)

Warning #4: In an bi-xenon HID setup, the HID bulb is turned on for both high and low beam operation. The 3 signals in the regular harness are not sufficient to run a bi-xenon! In a bi-xenon you want three signals: (See wiring diagram at bottom of post to see how I wired this up)

1) Ground

2) +12V (applied when the HID should turn on. This is generally when you're headlight control (stalk near steering wheel) is in the "On" position

3) High beam enable (12V signal asserted when high beams are requested). This powers the projector's built-in solenoid that lifts a guard shield that cuts off the upper area during low beam operation.

Here is a preview of what I did to control the high beam solenoid. I added a weatherpack connector that will be used to connect to the factory high beam signals: +12V and "High-beam Ground":

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=223920&d=1454289909

Thoughts on HID relay harness:

So what about the separate HID relay harness versus using the stock relays? I've seen a lot of the 5th Gen and 6th Gen guys use their factory harness and relays to power HID systems with no ill effects. Other than (possibly) a large inrush when the ballast ignitor initially fires up, an HID system does not use any more power than stock headlights. With that in mind, I think using stock harness in our Subaru's is probably OK. However, I chose to use the TRS relay harness because it made me feel good about having a safety factor and not doing anything too squirelly to the stock system. At some point, I will probably sell the car, so being able to yank out everything really cleanly and quickly seemed like a nice benefit to using the TRS harness.

Assorted Daytime Running Lights (DRL) topics:

Subaru DRLs are enabled whenever the car is running, the parking break is not engaged, and the lights control is "Off". When DRLs are on (versus when the headlights are "On") the headlight output is dimmed due to a resistor limiting the current through the headlight. In the 00-04 Legacy, that resistor circuit is typically in a module attached to the steering column. In other Subaru modules, it's behind the glove box.

Installing HIDs will require you to disable the DRL. There are two scenarios and reasons for this:

1. If you use the stock harness and relays to power the HIDs, the 12V power you'd be using to power them would be current limited which causes a voltage drop. This is not good for the ballast, and can cause premature failure. Also, you will never be able to turn off the HIDs when the car is on, which will shorten their lifespan.
   
2. If you use an aftermarket relay harness, the current limit / voltage drop isn't an issue. However, the DRL feature will still force your HIDs to be on at all times, which is probably not what you want.
   

To disable DRLs on the 00-04, you need to be pretty flexible! I did an awkward backbridge and stuck my head under the dash. There are a couple modules bracketed to the steering column. One of them is the DRL module. The follow info about the different DRL techniques of L vs GT was taken from here: http://sl-i.net/FORUM/archive/index.php/t-3113.html

"For the 00-04 Legacy GT:

There is a module attached to the left side of the steering column under the dash. It has a sticker on it with numbers and letters and also says "UNT DRL ASSY AISIN". Mine also says "Made in USA". The module has two aluminum plates attached to it's sides and there are also two connectors attached to it, one black and one white. Disconnect the white connector. The white is your DRL. Do not disconnect the black one, the black is your normal lights. For the GT you can just leave the black wiring harness out, but read on for Legacy L models.

For the 00-04 Legacy L and SE:

Un-plug the same white wire harness as the instruction for the GT model. Now, it says on the GT you can leave it un-plugged, sadly this doesn't work on the single element headlamps. What you need to do is with the white harness unhooked, clip the blue/black wire & tape off the cut ends. Then plug the white wire harness back in. Doing this retains all current light functions, but does disable the DRL."

In my case (04 Legacy L) /35th Ann), a blue/black wire (see pic) that needs to be cut to disable DRL. There isn't a lot of room to work in there, and it will be hard to reattach that if you want to re-enable DRLs at a later point. I just snipped it and didn't even add electrical tape. Do this at your own risk.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=223922&d=1454289909

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=223921&d=1454289909

After you disable the factory DRL system, you can add back in your own DRL system. Tee big question that drives the implementations solution ends up being: Should the DRLs turn off when the HIDs turn on?

With the GT headlights, you have an extra hole where the high beam used to be. The bi-xenon projector does not need that high beam location anymore. You might as well toss a 9005/HB3 size DRL LED in there. There are plenty of options for aftermarket DRL LEDs in that size.

Warning #5: There are a lot of high wattage 9005 size LED bulbs. For DRLs that do not also serve as high beams, you do NOT want a high wattage bulb. The GT headlights high beam reflector directs the light right towards oncoming drivers eyes. A bright bulb will be obnoxious to other drivers. You want to stick to 7.5W to 15W LED bulbs rather than 50-80W.

I went with some super cheap-o 15W LED DRLs on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/381422516492. I haven't installed them yet, but I'll report back when I do.

Warning #6: In regular DRL circuits, a single headlight serves as a DRL and either the low beam or high beam. The DRL mode is when the car gives the bulb a low voltage like 6-9W. Industry creates a lot of LED "decoder" harnesses to help keep the LEDs happy at that low voltage. The setup I end up proposing below does NOT need a decoder harness or external resistor.

Here are some DRL options I've found:

Option 1: There are aftermarket DRL power modules designed for LED DRLs you can add to your car. They appear to sense when the car is on via engine vibration, and they have a control input to shut them off when your low/high beams turn on. They have pretty mixed reviews. ([ame=http://www.amazon.com/LED-Daytime-Running-Automatic-Control/dp/B00552MJWU/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8]Amazon.com: LED Daytime Running Light (DRL) Automatic Control On/Off Switch Relay Harness: Automotive[/ame]).

Option 2: You can hook up LED DRLs to a fused power source, and leave them on whenever the car is on. If you are OK having the LED DRLs on at the same time as your HIDs, then this is a good option. Just find a place to tap into ACC or IGN power. This works well for angel eyes because they look OK in the daytime and at night with the HIDs on. If you want a switch to allow turning them off or on, then you can add a relay or steal power from the +12V that switches on when the headlights are on. Or you can tie them into the parking lights circuit assuming the angel eye halos are low enough power for the wiring and existing fuses.

Option 3: You can wire a two relays together to get the same behavior as the aftermarket DRL LED controller. I chose this way because I wanted the DRLs to shutoff when the HIDs were on.

I wanted this behavior because LED DRLs in the GT headlights high beam reflector area might be too harsh at nighttime for other drivers. Additionally, this option seemed like it would have the best long term reliability, and it would be more fun to figure out.

The complete harness for bi-xenon and DRLs:

Quick side note on the diagram below: I wanted the Xenon high beams to work based on the driver's light control stalk (just like in a a stock headlight system). You'll see the factory high beam control line being tied to the bi-xenon high beam solenoid.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=225089&stc=1&d=1455931358

In the wiring diagram above, the DRL "dual relay" behavior ended up being a little tricky to figure out. I found some good info over at the HIDPlanet forum (https://www.hidplanet.com/forums/forum/general-discussion/wiring-questions/44621-help-wiring-my-halos-as-drl-s) on how to do this. I had no idea how automotive relays worked and how they were labeled. I've learned that there is a 5-port standard Bosch relay that is used for almost everything. It has numbers to describe the ports such as 85, 86, 30, etc. These refer to functions of the relay. You can google all of that.

I found some nice weatherproof relays that would work well hanging in the engine bay:

Weatherproof Relay: [ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004KEKYWQ?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01]Amazon.com: HELLA 007794311 12V 20/40 Amp SPDT RES Relay with Weatherproof Bracket: Automotive[/ame]

Other half of relay with pigtails: [ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VU9D0C?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00]Amazon.com: HELLA H84709001 Iso Weatherproof Relay Connector with 12" Leads: Automotive[/ame]

Here's what that harness ended up looking like (minus the DRL part of harness). It's ugly, and definitely a prototype.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=224729&stc=1&d=1455502057

Here is the final harness. I tried to clean it up with zip ties and shrink wrap. This includes the relays and wiring for the LED DRLs, too.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=226334&stc=1&d=1457653850

One tricky part is finding "ON", "ACC", or "IGN" power to run the DRLs. You want to find a power source that is only on when the car is on, or when the key is in the ACC or ON positions. In the 00-04 Legacy, there does not appear to be a fused source to easily tap in the engine bay. I'm sure I could have spliced a wire in some harness bundle, but I wanted a cleaner way to do it.

I know the fuse panel under the dash has ACC power easily available, so I decided to run a wire through a grommet in the firewall. I took a power drill and drilled a small hole in the grommet. Then I snaked a wire through it and routed it above the gas/brake pedals and into the fuse box area.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=226441&stc=1&d=1457793030

Here's the fuse panel. I have two fuse taps (Bussman ATM add-a-circuit fuse tap): 1 for my hardwired dash cam and 1 for the new LED DRLs. Some easy ACC powered choices to tap into "radio" and "cigar/mirror".

Warning: There is a correct "direction" to install a fuse tap. If you put it in backwards you will be bypassing the fuses. I use a voltmeter to find the 12V source side of the fuse. You pull out the fuse, and one of the fuse slots will have 12V and one will have 0V. You want the side of the fuse tap with the red wire on the load side (not the source side). Or just use the same fuse tap and put it in the same spot as me (Cigar/mirror fuse).

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=226442&stc=1&d=1457793030

2) Baking the headlights (taking them apart)

Warning #4: Aftermarket headlights (DEPO, Vision, TYC) seem to use a different plastic than OE headlights with a lower melting point. TRS recommends something like baking headlights at 275F for 8 minutes. This will most likely melt an aftermarket headlight. This is exactly what happened to my first headlight. Just use 225F for 12 minutes instead. Also, place the headlight on a cookie sheet on aluminum foil to try and prevent the oven rack from melting into the headlight.

Melt marks from the 275F:

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=223924&d=1454292170

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=223925&d=1454292170

3) Cutting the Reflector and Mounting the Projector

My Main Goal: Get the projector high enough so that the emitted light does not hit the split headlight black plastic. I also needed the projector recessed deep enough so it wouldn't hit the plastic headlight lens.

There are several DIYs out there with very clear and informative pictures of how to cut the headlight reflector and mount the projector, so I won't replicate that.

Link #1, where he uses the larger FX-R projector and nylon standoffs: http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/110-gen-2-2000-2004/53099-my-diy-fx-r-projector-headlight-retrofit.html

Link #2, uses a regular L headlight, but used the same long bolts and nut technique to secure the projector: http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/65-parts-accessories-performance/36078-00-04-subaru-legacy-outback-retrofit-brown-mutt-h-i-d-works-6.html

Protip: You can use a high beam bulb to help get the projector aiming the right way. Just eyeball it:

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=226720&d=1458519015

This is where I put the projector (notice vertical height and depth of projector):

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=223973&d=1454375613

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=223974&d=1454375613

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=223975&d=1454375613

It seemed reasonable, but here are some complications brought forth by that goal (of mounting the projector as high as possible to clear the black split lamp line):

1) When the projector sits high in the housing, you quickly run out of room on the backside where the plastic cover is. In hindsight, I should have tried to sit it a little lower. Now, I'll have to figure out a clever way to get a new back cover to seal out the weather. Since the oven had melted some of the plastic in the cover area, I suppose I needed a new rear cover solution anyways. Also, on the top right of the yellow circle is where I accidentally screwed in a metal screw (for mounting projector to reflrector) that was far too long. It went right through the plastic headlight rear cover.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=223927&d=1454292438

2) Another side effect of keeping the projector high is that it can interfere with the top of the reflector. Oops! I simply cut out the interference, and you won't be able to see it with the headlight put back together. Warning: You definitely don't need (and shouldn't) to mount it this high!

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=223929&d=1454292438

3) In general, it's sort of hard to figure out which parts of the reflector to cut out. There are a lot of curved surfaces and it isn't that obvious where the projector will actually need clearance. It's difficult to immediately tell which angle the projector will want to sit at, and how deep you need to place the projector so it wont hit the front of the headlight lens. In the following picture, you can see a gap where I cut out too much plastic. Luckily, it's barely noticeable when the headlight is all back together.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=223928&d=1454292438

4) Here is an Oops. I left the mounting/standoff bolt way too long, and it went through the housing. It's an easy fix with some epoxy to seal the plastic.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=223926&stc=1&d=1455467980

So there were all the issues I ran into. Now here are some more pictures of the steps:

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=224708&stc=1&d=1455468394

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=224709&stc=1&d=1455468394

Recessing the headlights this deeply guarantees you'll clear the front of the headlight housing/lens. However, it also guarantees you'll need to get creative on how to seal the back of the headlight. The stock cover will definitely not fit. Others have used some PCV pipe and PVC cap, so I'll probably go that way when I get closer to finishing.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=224711&stc=1&d=1455468394

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=224710&stc=1&d=1455468394

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=224712&stc=1&d=1455468394

Preliminary aiming of headlights:

The standoff method for recessing the projector takes a lot of iterations to get the projector aiming in the correct direction. You'll have to screw the projector back into the rear black plastic housing and attach it onto the car. Of course, you'll need to use the HID harness setup you made to turn the projector on.

I had to iterate 3-4 times while adjusting the length of the standoff screws and nuts used to maintain certain standoff lengths. You do get a lot of range in the actual built-in headlight adjustment knobs, but the headlight starts to look weird if you adjust them too far out of whack. It's best to get as close to correct using the standoffs as possible before fine tuning with the adjuster knobs in the headlight.

I used my garage wall and the light pattern from the factory bulbs to as a starting point. I laid down some blue masking tape around the main part of the beam. And then I removed the factory lights and added my new projector GT headlamps. Initially, my projector was aimed wayyy to low. The picture below is my stock headlights with blue tape on the wall at the top of the beam pattern:

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=226721&stc=1&d=1458519019

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=226722&stc=1&d=1458519019

Once you have the course aiming "close enough" on your projector headlights, you can use JB Weld to keep the bolts and washers from vibrating lose over time. JB Weld is good because it bonds to both plastic and metal. And it's cheap.

Here's a pic with the JB Weld globbed all over anything that could possible loosen up.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=225098&stc=1&d=1455976183

At this point, you'll need to decide what to do about the shrouds that cover the projector. When buying my retrofit kit from TRS, I selected the mini gatling gun style without really knowing what it would look like. I decided I didn't like it, and I went shroud-less. I think the black parts of the projector match well with the GT headlight, and I didn't want to cover it up.

This pics may not be super helpful because the headlight isn't entirely together, but oh well.

No shroud:

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=225100&stc=1&d=1455977005

Shroud:

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=225101&stc=1&d=1455977005

No Shroud:

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=225102&stc=1&d=1455977005

Shroud:

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=225103&stc=1&d=1455977005

4) Rebaking the Headlights and Making New Rear Covers

My aftermarket GT lights had a leak from day 1, so I wasn't sure if they came with enough goop sealing them together. I decided to buy more of the 3M "Window Weld" that people seem to use when re-sealing headlights. It cost me $15 and I bought it on Amazon: [ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0039752R2?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_detailpages00]Amazon.com: 3M 08620 Window-Weld 1/4" x 15' Round Ribbon Sealer Roll: Automotive[/ame]

It's pretty tacky, so you want to put it in the freezer before touching it. It looks like this:

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=225104&d=1455977013

I ran a bead of this around over the top of the old stuff in the headlight channel. Warning: The thick bead I initially used was too much. On my 2nd headlight, I stretched the beam of butyl rubber to half size and it worked a lot better.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=225105&d=1455977013

Warning #7: Since aftermarket headlights should only be baked up to 225F, this doesn't allow for the Window Weld (butyl rubber) to soften as much as you'd want it to. And this stuff smears all over everything. Very messy! Fortunately, isopropyl alcohol dissolves butyl rubber pretty quickly, so that's the best way to get it off when it smears over the headlight lens.

Time to warm up your oven! 225F for 12 minutes. You'll want a pair of gloves on your hands and a towel in your lap when squeezing the headlight halves back together. It took me 3-4 oven cycles to get the headlights sufficiently back together. There really isn't a good way to tell if you've made a solid seal around it. The goop will ooze out in some areas, but not other areas.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=225106&d=1455977013

Here's what they look like back together without the shrouds:

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=225107&d=1455977013

Here's a short video to better catch what they look like at angles.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhgI1_qH1A8]00-04 Legacy HID retrofit after oven bake - YouTube[/ame]

Now we need to solve the problem of the back cover for the headlights. Recessing and raising the projector caused an interference with the plastic cover, so we will need to make a new one.

The rear of the headlight has a 5" outer diameter hole with a nice smooth lip. I bought a black silicon hose "reducer" to go from a 5" diameter to a 4.5" diameter. Silicon is nice because it is abrasive resistant and hose clamps and zip ties really stick to it. Originally, I chose 4.5" at the small end because original gray plastic cover/cap was 4.5" on the outside. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough room to fit the original cap on the end of the silicon reducer. The battery (driver side) and ABS system (passenger side) interfered with the cap!

I needed to find a plug that didn't protrude at all in order plug the silicon reducer and leave enough room to let get the headlight wires through without hitting the battery or ABS. I went with a 4" PCV flush cleanout plug from Lowes. The outer diameter of a 4" PCV plug is almost 4.5". It fit very well!

In hindsight, I probably would have used a 5" to 4" silicon reducer. A 3" PVC end cap would have fit perfectly, because the outer diameter of a 3" PVC end cap is a little over 4". Oh well!

Here is the reducer, PVC cleanout plug (flush style), and some zip ties I used to secure the parts to the headlight. The grommet included with the HID ballast from TRS fit really well. I used a 1" wood bit on a drill along with a dremel grinder to clear out enough plastic to fit the grommet.

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=226337&stc=1&d=1457654114

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=226338&stc=1&d=1457654114

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=226339&stc=1&d=1457654114

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=226340&stc=1&d=1457654114

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=226341&stc=1&d=1457654114

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=226342&stc=1&d=1457654114

Time to install onto the car!

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=226723&stc=1&d=1458520036

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=226717&stc=1&d=1458518528

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http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=226719&stc=1&d=1458518528

How to align your new HID projector headlights:

Legacygt.com's own "MiniStiGuy" wrote a great DIY on how to align headlights. This worked well, and made a huge difference in getting the right light pattern down the road.

Link: http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/align-your-headlights-if-you-dont-know-now-you-do-54740.html

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=226724&stc=1&d=1458520036

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=226725&stc=1&d=1458520036

im doing almost the exact same thing, with similar parts. im using the clearance '$20 trs projectors, and a DIY headlight relay setup.

why are you doing it this way, vs using the threaded "stud" and retainer nut through the factory bulb hole? is there something im missing? on my swap, I test fit with the projector mounted through the bulb hole, and yes, the bottom 3/8 of the projector is blocked by the black horizontal line, but did not seem to effect output.

just wondering what the logic here is.

Michael

im doing almost the exact same thing, with similar parts. im using the clearance '$20 trs projectors, and a DIY headlight relay setup.

 

why are you doing it this way, vs using the threaded "stud" and retainer nut through the factory bulb hole? is there something im missing? on my swap, I test fit with the projector mounted through the bulb hole, and yes, the bottom 3/8 of the projector is blocked by the black horizontal line, but did not seem to effect output.

 

just wondering what the logic here is.

 

Michael

One reason is aesthetics. I wanted the projector centered in the low beam section of the GT housing so that the projector was between the black split line and the top. Another reason is that I wasn't sure what impact on the light pattern would happen if the black plastic was in the way. A third reason is that seemingly all the other GT retrofits did the same thing, so I figured there was a solid reason.

The h1 mini 7 is a pretty deep projector. I'm a little surprised that it, or a similar projector, doesn't interfere with the GT split line plastic when using the original low beam home and retainer washers/nuts (i.e. the normal way). On my aftermarket lights, the black plastic takes up quite a bit of space.

In hindsight, would I do it differently? I'm not sure. Using bolts and nuts as standoffs sure is annoying. I'd love to see how yours looks, so please post a pic when they are together.

will do. ive got some mockup pictures in the build thread.

and the cheapimotos are deep. very, very close to the lens, but they clear. so....

thanks for the reply. I was figuring I was missing a good reason to do it another way due to being my first retrofit into a halogen housing.

Subscribed. I NEEEEEEEEEED/WAAAAAAAAANNNNNT THIS!!!!!!!!

I just bought an 09 Outback, so I may not keep my 04 Legacy sedan much longer. If I don't, I'll probably sell this setup in case you're interested in skipping out on like 10 hours of tedious stuff.

I'm working on wiring in the LED DRL 9005 bulbs this weekend.

I just bought an 09 Outback, so I may not keep my 04 Legacy sedan much longer. If I don't, I'll probably sell this setup in case you're interested in skipping out on like 10 hours of tedious stuff.

 

I'm working on wiring in the LED DRL 9005 bulbs this weekend.

Im good. I actually prefer to do DIY stuff since it helps me learn. Plus im thinking about using L lights. No 100% sure though.

It turns out that I will have to replace my oven-burnt headlight. That's $45 down the drain. The problem is that the quasi-melted plastic took the rear plastic over area out of round so I couldn't seal it up nicely. I guess this is an opportunity to fix some of my initial mistakes on the first headlight.

What I've learned so far:

• Don't trust TRS's oven temperature advice!
  
• Just use the L lights unless you're really in love with the GT split lamp look (which I am. I can't stand the look of projectors in the L headlight).
  
• Don't bother with the LED DRLs unless you just want to learn more about automotive relays and wiring.
  
• Creating the wire harness I came up is probably outside the reach of most DIYers. I've got an actual lab where I work with all the supplies, crimpers, etc that make it a lot easier.
  

On Saturday, I finally finished the headlight install. Once I got the headlights aligned I was pretty impressed with the light pattern. The thing that really made me say "hollly crap!!!" was the highbeams. The bi-xenon high beam is RIDICULOUSLY bright. I could basically light up the entire neighborhood.

I wish I had a camera that could show you what it was like.

And then after that, I promptly sold my car and HID headlights to my neighbor down the street. He appreciates a good HID, and will appreciate my car. This project was a ton of work, and I probably wouldn't do it again. It was a huge upgrade for the car, but it took forever to figure out the wiring harness, how to get the projectors aimed well, and all the little steps that had to be just right.

On Saturday, I finally finished the headlight install. Once I got the headlights aligned I was pretty impressed with the light pattern. The thing that really made me say "hollly crap!!!" was the highbeams. The bi-xenon high beam is RIDICULOUSLY bright. I could basically light up the entire neighborhood.

 

I wish I had a camera that could show you what it was like.

 

And then after that, I promptly sold my car and HID headlights to my neighbor down the street. He appreciates a good HID, and will appreciate my car. This project was a ton of work, and I probably wouldn't do it again. It was a huge upgrade for the car, but it took forever to figure out the wiring harness, how to get the projectors aimed well, and all the little steps that had to be just right.

They do look amazing from the pics above. I vote this to be a sticky because this is very informative.

They do look amazing from the pics above. I vote this to be a sticky because this is very informative.

Thanks! It seems like 3rd gen activity is pretty dead on this forum, but I hope some people can find info I put together useful. It certainly took a lot of time to post all of this online. I know I really appreciate info others share, so I try to give back.

I definitely need to clean up the writing and reformat the walkthrough. I'll do that in the coming weeks.

And now I've started to think about modding my 4th gen headlights...

Thanks! It seems like 3rd gen activity is pretty dead on this forum, but I hope some people can find info I put together useful. It certainly took a lot of time to post all of this online. I know I really appreciate info others share, so I try to give back.

 

I definitely need to clean up the writing and reformat the walkthrough. I'll do that in the coming weeks.

 

And now I've started to think about modding my 4th gen headlights...

Yeah even at car meets theres no 3rd gen legacys. I went to a big subaru meet here in florida and i only saw 3 other 3rd gen legacys and legacy outbacks. One was a sedan and the other from what i remember was an outback wagon. I was the only legacy non-outback wagon there. Its a shame but it is what it is.