cj68

I installed the ACA Vette HIDs this past weekend and have a slight issue. The driver's side light flickers when I turn the lights on, then it seems to eventually go away after the lights warm up, but then it returns intermitantly after the lights have been on for a while.

During the install, I also found that the wire from the main bulb to the ballast had no additional slack (I actually had to bend the metal plug housing on the bulb side to get it to reach the ballast).

I have checked the connections and the only thing that I can think that would cause this would be either the bulb, ballast, or connecting wire from the main bulb on the housing to the ballast.

Also, are there other bulbs that can be used in the high beams that will project a white or blue light, instead of the orange/yellow traditional tint?

TIA,

cj

ajg1915

You can use any aftermarket bulb in the high beam slot, SilverStart, PIAA's, etc...

Flickering problem could be from a loose bulb or ballast going out (bad).

cj68

Thanks. Would you by any chance have a part number for the high beam bulb in the Silver Star or PIAA?

I think it is the ballast... the flickering is bad on start up, but once the lights are warm, the flickering becomes very intermitent and is not effected by movement. The flickering occurs when the car is parked.

I guess maybe I have a bad ballast right out of the box???

cj

ajg1915

I'm not sure which model ballast you have (old) or (new). The older one's were larger and the newer models had thinner ballast.

9005's are the high beams. I'm sure if you do a google search you can find them or ebay.

cj68

I believe that they are the new ones with the plugs on the front and they do not have a bar code on the back.

cj

cj68

What brand HID bulbs are in the ACA kit for the main lights? There was a card in the manual for Silverstar... are they Silverstar brand? I am going to buy new 9005's for the high beams and would like the same color light as the regular lights... or as close as possible. What brand is the closest match? Also, I assume that I want the 9005 HID version?

Please advise,

cj

ajg1915

The ACA's use D1 bulbs for HID low beam slot and standard 9005's for high beam slot. Any 9005 brand will work in high beam slot.

cj68

I did some looking online and it seems that the PIAA Xtreme White Plus with the blue topcoat may be the best match for the main bulb?

I also did some research on the flickering that I have on the driver's side (worse on warm up) and this seems to be a common issue with HIDS. Apparently the ECU can sense a change in voltage and will pull power from one side??? I guess I need to both of the lights out and swap ballasts to see if that is the issue or not... what a pain on these cars.

Does anyone else have any suggestions?

cj

LoneStarFRC

Did you buy this ACA kit used? I bought mine new about a year and a half ago and the bulbs and ballats were BOTH Phillips brand.
The bulbs are D1S 35 Watt and have a 4300K color temp.

Siverstar is a Sylvania brand name for their premium HALOGEN light bulbs and have nothing to do whatever with HIDs.

jdmvette

my ACA kit came with philips HIR1 9011 high beam bulbs.

cj68

I bought the kit new from Corvette Garage. I got the Silverstar 9005s but have not installed them yet, since I need to figure out why I have the flicker on the driver's side. CG told me that they would send me a replacement ballast, so I will install them when I take the lights apart to install the new ballast. I also have the Phillips slim ballast.

Hopefully the new ballast will fix the flickering problem.

cj

LoneStarFRC

I like your Ty-Wrap "retainer".

LoneStarFRC

Nate or Chris will take care of you. Excellent folks to do business with.

jdmvette

the white one or the black?

LoneStarFRC

Got the white one securing the black one, eh?

Guess you could always drill a hole crossways through the pin and then insert a small Ty-Wrap (or roll pin sticking partway out) as a "retainer" too.

jdmvette

the white zip is actually securing the arm which is resting on the back of the pin instead of the pin going thru the arm.

the black zip is keeping the pin from sliding out.

it's my ACA-anti-jiggle-when-fully-raised mod.

LoneStarFRC

And here I thought this was a family friendly thread.