HID Conversion kit C4
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,422
Likes: 3,273
From: Hartford WI
Sylvania bulbs often fail due to being touched. Skin oils will ruin a bul b like that.
But I agree, Chinese knockoffs are never as good as the real deal. But if they're 90% as good for 40% the price, that's typically good enough for most applications.
I'd buy them on amazon and send them back if the light output isn't good enough. Perks of prime.
But I agree, Chinese knockoffs are never as good as the real deal. But if they're 90% as good for 40% the price, that's typically good enough for most applications.
I'd buy them on amazon and send them back if the light output isn't good enough. Perks of prime.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 17,317
Likes: 6,500
From: Melbourne, FL
My problem is not that it is 90% output. The knock offs usually does not have as good a life. That means I am futzing with it more often. To me, that isn't worth it. For instance, if the light dies and I get pulled over, either it is a fine or I have to fix it and get it inspected. Risk of issues goes up, values drop. In my experience, I can't afford low cost today but higher cost tomorrow. It isn't usually 90% as good for 40% of cost. Closer to 60%life if I am lucky.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,422
Likes: 3,273
From: Hartford WI
I guess the question is whether you prefer to spend less today and spend more time wrenching, gathering parts, etc or spend more today and less time screwing with replacing what breaks more often. I have a limited amount of time to drive the car so I'd spend the money today and less time fixing it when it breaks. 30 years ago, I had more time and less money so I'd have gone the other way.
Last edited by aklim; Mar 4, 2017 at 03:24 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,422
Likes: 3,273
From: Hartford WI
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 10,036
Likes: 346
From: Anaheim CA
When I was designing instrument panels for aircraft, the bin number indicated a sorted color. All LEDs with the same bin were matched for color.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 320
Likes: 23
With Cree chips the bin is the efficiency of a given chip.
Cxa3070 z2 bin is less efficient than a z4 and a z4 is less efficient than a AB.
Then it is also broken down to 3000k (yellowish hue) and 5000k (daylight almost blue hue).
The "bin" your talking about may be from the company you were working for to group certain NM colors together and not the actual manufacturer.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 10,036
Likes: 346
From: Anaheim CA
You jogged my memory. I had it wrong. The various bin numbers were for luminance rating so you could match the brightness of several LEDs. We had to get uniform brightness over the whole instrument panel.
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Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 18
Likes: 1
I installed the CorvetteMODs HID kit. The left ballast failed about the 3rd time I used them. CorvetteMODs replaced the ballast for free. It's been OK since then. Now the right ballast sometimes fails to fire. I have to turn the lights off and then back on but it always fires on the 2nd try.
I took the failed ballast apart and found that the power transistor wasn't installed correctly. It was lifted off the heat sink and that obviously fried it.
Personally, I recommend the LED lights. Avoids all the HID problems.
I took the failed ballast apart and found that the power transistor wasn't installed correctly. It was lifted off the heat sink and that obviously fried it.
Personally, I recommend the LED lights. Avoids all the HID problems.
4th Gear
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Put LED’s on my 89 C4 and they flickered on and off repeatedly when I turned the headlamps to the off position. I removed them and put the stocks back on. Not worth the trouble.
Or LED headlights instead, no conversion needed ... apparently https://www.amazon.com/GE-NIGHTHAWK-Rectangular-Replacement-
Headlamp/dp/B00BQX2BSO/ref=sr_1_3?rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1488499325& sr=8-3&keywords=h6054+led&refinements=p_85%3A 2470955011%2Cp_72%3A2661618011
GE NIGHTHAWK LED 5" x 7" Rectangular LED Replacement Headlamp. Amazon says they fit the C4.
Is 5"x7" the right size?
Headlamp/dp/B00BQX2BSO/ref=sr_1_3?rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1488499325& sr=8-3&keywords=h6054+led&refinements=p_85%3A 2470955011%2Cp_72%3A2661618011
GE NIGHTHAWK LED 5" x 7" Rectangular LED Replacement Headlamp. Amazon says they fit the C4.
Is 5"x7" the right size?
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 17,317
Likes: 6,500
From: Melbourne, FL
Old thread, but I ended up getting LEDs for my 92. They worked fine, better than stock, but weren't great. After 1.5 year's or so I bought a more expensive set of upgraded ones, and they work AWESOME. I'd say they're better than my OEM HIDs in my C6, which are quite good.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,383
Likes: 385
From: Leland , North Carolina
Which ones did you upgrade to?
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 17,317
Likes: 6,500
From: Melbourne, FL
The ones below. Very happy with them. I had to ground the fog light relay on my 92 to get that all working right, but it was easy.
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07BWBRD..._6UEgEbSJ3M9C6
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07BWBRD..._6UEgEbSJ3M9C6