Anyone have pics of the back of a Xenon E-code and a US Spec Xenon housing?
03-29-2004, 09:42 AM
#4
NFS, it is virtually the same...However, there are some varying differences in...
what people refer to as Ecode Xenon Housing. Refer to my post discussing this:
<a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/a4gen2/msgs/560877.phtml">Ecode First Hand Observation</a>
The pic below shows the US Spec Xenon OEM Housing on the left and Ecode Xenon Housing on the right.
As I've outlined in the link above, Version #1 is what you see below on the right. The housing is made to accept the Xenon Transformer and wiring, but the Ballast/Bulb holder is round. In Europe, at the onset of B6 Ecode, the bulb/ballasts were round. When the popularity of ecodes evolved in US, the tuners merely pulled the entire xenon lense assembly from their US spec housing and exchanged them w/ the ecode. It still worked fine, but alot of work (ie. small nuts/washers/bolts inside a tight area to work in). As the US market developed along w/ the ecode design, more plug-n-play friendly versions became available to the US.
If you're shopping for ecodes, make doubley sure that it is not the 1st Generation ecode as it's shown on the right. It will be too much work, especially when there are plug-n-play units out there.
To answer your question, the housing harness/plug are identical, the xenon transformer plug/harness vary (version #2 & #3) and the covers are also identical.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/10568/oem_x_vs._ecode_h.jpg">
<a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/a4gen2/msgs/560877.phtml">Ecode First Hand Observation</a>
The pic below shows the US Spec Xenon OEM Housing on the left and Ecode Xenon Housing on the right.
As I've outlined in the link above, Version #1 is what you see below on the right. The housing is made to accept the Xenon Transformer and wiring, but the Ballast/Bulb holder is round. In Europe, at the onset of B6 Ecode, the bulb/ballasts were round. When the popularity of ecodes evolved in US, the tuners merely pulled the entire xenon lense assembly from their US spec housing and exchanged them w/ the ecode. It still worked fine, but alot of work (ie. small nuts/washers/bolts inside a tight area to work in). As the US market developed along w/ the ecode design, more plug-n-play friendly versions became available to the US.
If you're shopping for ecodes, make doubley sure that it is not the 1st Generation ecode as it's shown on the right. It will be too much work, especially when there are plug-n-play units out there.
To answer your question, the housing harness/plug are identical, the xenon transformer plug/harness vary (version #2 & #3) and the covers are also identical.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/10568/oem_x_vs._ecode_h.jpg">
03-29-2004, 09:59 AM
#6
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crap. I don't have stock Xenons, but I am trying to upgrade to E-code Xenons. I thought all I
would need were D1S bulbs/ballasts. So you're telling me that I might have issues if I try to use the stock US xenon blubs and ballasts? I was trying to find a set cheap on eBay or elsewhere. Any advice?
03-29-2004, 10:03 AM
#7
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did you get yours yet? If so, I assume they have the round base, eh?
You could try to buy the guts of US spec housing. Anyone with xenon who upgraded to xenon ecode would have what you are looking for (w/o the bulbs and ballasts).
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03-29-2004, 11:16 AM
#9
No. That's not what I'm saying. Frankly, I have US Spec Xenon Ballast/bulbs...
and they've work very well w/ Ecodes. Very Well..
Sounds as if you need the whole package though. Xenon bulbs/ballast/transformer and also the ecode housing. If you can obtain your D1S bulb/ballast/transformer from somewhere and ecodes from somewhere else, that would be fine. Just make sure that each are compatible w/ one another. Most preferably a "plug-n-play" scenerio. Minor wire splicing is NBD, but xenon lense swapping IS, IMO.
One thing to check is that the ballast holder is the same, either square (which most US spec ballast are) or round but not both.
Sounds as if you need the whole package though. Xenon bulbs/ballast/transformer and also the ecode housing. If you can obtain your D1S bulb/ballast/transformer from somewhere and ecodes from somewhere else, that would be fine. Just make sure that each are compatible w/ one another. Most preferably a "plug-n-play" scenerio. Minor wire splicing is NBD, but xenon lense swapping IS, IMO.
One thing to check is that the ballast holder is the same, either square (which most US spec ballast are) or round but not both.