I tried the trick with turning the wheels. For your first time taking off the fender liners, you might be better off taking off the front wheels. Also if you just decide to turn the wheels, try not to 'dry steer'- I'm told by some suspension guys that it's not good for your car in the long run.

Pearl White/Graphite, loaded except Aero & Navigation

 

I always had a feeling that dry steering was not good so I always turn on the engine and turn it like that. I will try and install tonight or tomorrow and hopefully I can take some pics of the process so that anyone else who wants to do the same thing has a picorial guide.

 

Actually, dry steering happens when you turn the wheel with the car at a standstill. It's better to turn your wheel when the car creeps, even a few inches? (Dunno, just what I was told)

Pearl White/Graphite, loaded except Aero & Navigation

 

Well I had a chance to try and change my fog light bulbs today. I say try coz thats exactly what it was, a valiant attempt at wasting a good amount of my time and effort. For all you guys that posted instructions on how to change the bulbs, I thank you very much. The instructions were very helpful and allowed me to remove the fender liner with less effort than if i had no instructions. And yes, I ended up removing the left wheel also and it is MUCH easier that way. Well anyways onto the part about the time wasting. The manual clearly states that the fog light bulb is an HB3. Well, me being the literature trusting person that I am went out and bought brand new HB3 Xtreme White PIAA's for this little project of mine. However, after taking off the wheel (hydraulic jacks rule!!), taking off the fender lining and taking off the dust cap I unsprung the clips and took out the bulb. Gleefully expecting to finally be able to put my PIAA's in, I looked at the bulb to realize that it was indeed not an HB3 like the manual stated but an HB2!!! All that hard work and energy for nothing!! Well after putting everything back together in disdain, I must now inform you all so that some other poor soul does not have to go through the same ordeal as I just did. Well I took pics of the fog light compared to the HID yesterday. When I finally get a chance to go and exchange these unopened bulbs for a pair of HB2's and install them, I will take another picture and try and post it up to give you all an idea of the difference. Well thats it for that. I'll also call Infiniti tomorrow and tell em to fix their damn manuals!! BTW, HB2's are 9003's as was written on the bulb.

 

Sorry,
We should have maybe mentioned it again about the bulbs. I referred to it in a previous thread you read:
https://g35driver.com/forums/showfla...sed&sb=5&part=

Pearl White/Graphite, loaded except Aero & Navigation<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small"><EM>Edited by gordgee on 08/22/02 06:58 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

I remember having read that post but for some reason I thought that maybe they were different in Canada and US and they just gave everyone US manuals by mistake. The flipside is that now that I know how to do it, it should be much easier the next time. Its just a pain to have to take off those wheels and put em back on. Oh well, could be worse :-) I actually called the service dept at my dealer to see how much they would charge to change the bulbs and he said the tech manual said it would take 1hr a side and they charge 82bux an hour. No way I'm spending that!! But he went on to state that he thought there was some sort of access panel under the car to access the headlight without going through all that trouble. I looked but alas, it wasn't there. Oh well...that woulda been nice tho.

 

HIDs work on a totally different system than regular halogens. There is no filament in the traditional sense in a HID bulb. There are some dual-beam HID kits available now but they are quite expensive. With a dual-beam HID system, they have to come up with a system to aim the bulb higher for a high beam and then level it out for a low beam. And the system needs to be able to be mechanically controlled from the headlight switch. My reasons to go with bulb upgrade rather than HID system for the fog light were:
1) cheaper
2) not worth just making the high beam a HID. You hardly use high beams that much for it to be worth it and HIDs have a short warm up time.
3) if i made the HID my fog light, I just lost my high beams which can be very useful on long lonely stretches of road, esp. if u are travelling fast.
4) easier install of just a bulb versus a new ballast and HID bulb.

BTW, HB3=9003=H4

 

Actually, nadz said that the MANUAL states that it's an HB3. The correct bulb is an HB2/9003/H-4 - all the same as he said.

Pearl White/Graphite, loaded except Aero & Navigation

 

But what brand is it. You don't want to get a cheap system and have it go bust on you. How they make those retrofit HID bulbs is by taking a Sylvania/Philips HID bulb and then they glue on the base for whatever type of bulb you are getting. Some manufacturers will do a higher quality job than others, hence the price difference. I have heard good things about <a href="http://www.autolamps-online.com">Autolamps Online</a> so you can give them a shot. Or ask Neatis where he got his kit and how good it was.

 

Hey what type of bulbs are you gonna get? I think the 4100K bulbs will match better with the stock HIDs. If so, Autolamps has them for 600 a set and those ar High/Low beam bulbs.