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Morimoto mini H1 HID projector retrofit guide

36K views 62 replies 18 participants last post by  Boramy 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I finally found some time to do my projector retrofit. I used the Morimoto Mini H1 projectors with 5000k HID bulbs from theretrofitsource.com.

Total time about 3 to 3 and a half hours. You will need to remove the grill and front bumper. All you need for that is a 10mm socket, a philips screwdriver and a flat for a couple of clips.

Once you remove the headlights take off all soft rubber parts that will melt. (pic below)

At this point you will most likely notice a couple of orange colored "flakes" inside the headlight. Those are from the turn signal bulbs, they tent to crack and peel. Make sure you clean the headlights from those flakes before you put them back together. I used a steel brush to remove the paint from the bulbs completely. The orange plastic insert the lense has on it is still enough to give the bulb an orange colored tint when lit.
Then i preheated the oven to 200 degrees and put the headlight in there for 11 minutes. Do not let the headlight touch the side or top of the oven and make sure the clear lense of the headlight doesnt touch anything or it will leave a mark on it. Then, wearing cotton gloves, i used flat head screwdrivers and i slowly seperated the lense from the back cover. Its not difficult but you need to go slow and apply even and steady force.
Once i had the headlight opened i needed to shave some material from the backside of the headlight housing in order for the projector nut to be able to fit. I circled below what i shaved off and i ended up shaving the entire second ring.

All nice and shaved


I then installed the shroud using 2 of the 4 long screws that came with the kit. Install diagonally from each other and dont go crazy tightening it.


Then i run the solenoid wires through the hole that was left there since i removed the cover the original bulbs used. At this point i had taked off the bulb base and nut from the projector and put the smaller silicone ring that came with the projectors.


Then i put and tighten the nut on the threads of the projector and i installed the bulb holder using the 3 little screws that came with it.

I would recommend shaving the inner ring too as the projector's theaded part is not long enough for the bulb to sit flush on it. The bulb retainer hits that ring and doesnt completely sit flush against the projector. The reason i didnt do it is that it will be extremely difficult to make an even surface all the way around. I am not sure how that affects the projector performance but see pics below and decide if you want to risk messing with it.

Once i put on the car and made sure the cut-off line was level i rebaked the housing and lense for 8 minutes and pressed them together. Once it cooled down i installed all the rubber pieces i removed before i baked it for the first time besides the original bulb holder for the low beams.





I used the high-beam spliter that they sell in order to power the solenoid. It is crazy bright having the bi-xenon high beam and the stock high beam on at the same time.
Tomorrow night i will take pics of the cut-offs and such. Sorry for not taking more pics during the process but you can find step by step guides on youtube.
PS. These are the same headlights i restored a couple of months ago. Still nice and clear. Something to think about before you go off and spend money buying new headlights.
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/1...423713-headlight-not-clear-replace-clean.html

WARNING: Do not use windex to clean the chrome parts of the reflectors, the chrome will come off.
 
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#48 · (Edited)
I should throw mine in here, albeit I did mine very differently since I didn't use the OEM housing for mine. I instead bought a set of ANZO aftermarket headlights that came with crap projectors, then replaced the projectors with the Morimoto H1's.

The results (somewhat older; the hood deflector is gone these days after it shattered from the cold this winter)...

The end result (fog lights have since been blacked out to match the headlights):


Complete with halo's that I use almost never:


And with the lights on (fog lights are now replaced with yellow bulbs):


And the cutoff. Driver projector is slightly off rotated clockwise, while the passenger projector is level but has a wonky shield creating the weird cutoff on the lower end, not that it's noticeable while driving:
 
#49 ·
I did an iCloud stream for the pictures because it is easier.
I am only part way through so I will add updates to the stream.
https://www.icloud.com/photostream/#A8GtnIORGE9VDl

Ok here's the story of my life, LOL

I may have more ideas then tips, simply cuz you guys covered a lot. What I do want to do is get more pictures up for the wiring actually hooked up to the components. I seemed to have a hard time finding that. Just to get a good visual of what it looks like in reality, to help out future fittings.*

*
I got new housings so I could take my time, got the kit In feb and ordered the E46-R Extended shroud, decided not to go with the halos cuz didn't want to have problems With the color matching the LEDs I have in the corner lights and fog lights. *The color temps vary between the whites even if you order the same color temp. Read over greeky510s posts a lot, pictures and discriptions are great.*
*I ordered some addition wiring like a high beam splitter in case I want to add some additional lights in the old high beam housing ( trying to think of something different ) also got the "correctional" wiring set up cuz I don't want the fog light to turn off when I turn on the high beams. Brain storming the wiring with those extras I am confusing myself. But I am sure when I get under the hood it will come to me but physically seeing everything.*


When the weather warms up I will be going outside to start the wiring and aiming, before sealing up the housing. So far got the projectors in place hand tight waiting. Like I said, I like the clean white look in front, so while I had the housings open I removed the amber *plastic piece In the corner. Got that idea from one of the forums.*

*So I started looking into the lights about a years ago. I have always liked the clean white look and expirimented with a lot of halogen bulbs and was never happy. So I decided to go for it and do the retrofit. Found you guys here last year and did a lot of reading and learning. You guys got some good stuff up here.*

I got an '07 corolla and started getting bored with if after 7year and want to spice it up. Lol *7 yr itch, I guess.
I did a lot of led add ons, all functional location, example, white 7 led strips at the bottom of all four door panels, tapped in to the dome light. Amber led strips under the door mirrors tapped into the turn signals. *Which back turn signals in the front (6 k running lights and amber flashing for the turn signal) and led replacement fog light which match the corner lights. At first it was real dim so I ended up baking the fog light housings took out the bullb shield and looked awesome after. *And that was my warm up for preparing on going the next step to the head lit housings.
I started doing some led strips around the light housings and additional led fig light under the front bumper. However, took it off cuz the look was getting silly. I like the clean look of the upgrades in the stock locations and keep the color temp at 5k to 6k. *I also did led break light and turn signal in the rear and added a bright ass reverse light along the license plate frame.*
 
#58 · (Edited)
You guys are gonna laugh. It's missing a Toyota badge up front so I got Mazda Miata, Acura Integra, Pontiac, and Toyota Celica (good guess though). Makes me think I got a chick car... Then again, engine's in the back + rwd, it can't be... right?

Anyways, yes the headlights are in fact sealed beam and have weird lines on them as HT72 pointed out, and I guess I'll have to hunt down a glass lens headlight housing for my MR2 before I can install this very important safety feature.
 
#61 ·
Nice thread, lets keep it going: so my lenses with halos arrived yesterday, and I'm wondering how to wire up the halos(I'm not experienced with tapping into wires but I get the concept)

The halos come with 2 wires(ground and power?)

I Read that to wire them:
I just use 2 of those cheap little wire tap/splice tools and connect the 2 wires to the parking light harness' corresponding wires?
i'm pretty sure but I just wanted someone to confirm, and ALSO, if someone can give me pointers where that harness is, that would be really helpful.

Haven't been able to find any detailed guide on wiring up Halos to work together with parking lights(I don't want halos functioning as turn signals though)
 
#63 ·
Thanks for this write up! Gave me the confidence to gather the parts and actually do it!

Actually went with Zone Tech Mini H1 BiXenon Projector Kit. $24 Shipped
And just re-used my existing Innovited 55w HID ballasts with new H1 6000k bulbs

Video Link:
 
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