Eurolights conversion done today!

[Mike Arman <armanmik@n-jcenter.com>]

Weather permitted, so I installed a set of eurolights into my 1986 5000cs.

This is a non-turbo car, and these are the trapezoidal lights.

Homework: bought my relays, set of four 12v/20-30 amp relays, bought a pair
of H-4 headlight bulbs (45/60 watt, I think), bought a couple of light
sockets from the local u-pull-it; I scrounged around until I found two good
ones with large gauge wires on all terminals - one of the "candidates" had
heavy wires for the high and low beams, but a skinny little ground wire -
no good!

Removed the grille and the black rubber strip under the lights and grille.
This strip is retained by some small plastic wedges, and some of them were
missing - one end was held down with a blob of weatherstripping cement - ugh!

Removed shroud over radiator inlet duct (actually, that IS the radiator
inlet duct) turn signals, and headlight assemblies. Retrieved all flat
washers, various clips, plastic spacers, etc.

Figured I should mount the various bits, then string the wires. Started by
mounting the right headlight. Made an "L" bracket for the two relays for
the right headlight, mounted them, Cut one tie-wrap to get some extra slack
in the headlight harness.

First problem - the eurolight turn signal (which must be used with the
eurolight - the DOT turn signal will fall off) has two notches for the
running light bulb, and the DOT socket has three tabs. Scratch head. Take
X-acto, cut two new notches in plastic rim, voila, socket fits in, twists
and locks nicely.

Take a deep breath, and clip the DOT headlight socket off the wiring
harness (AAARRRGGHHH!). Crimp female spade connectors onto white (high
beam) and yellow (low beam) wires, make 2" jumper from spare length of
brown wire, crimp to brown wire on harness. The brown wire is the old
ground, and now that it is "siamesed", one goes to terminal 85 on one
relay, other end goes to terminal 85 on other relay. White wire goes to 86
on one relay ("I hereby appoint you the high beam relay."), yellow wire
goes to terminal 86 on other relay  - the low beam relay.

(Relays are mounted on the short aluminum "L" bracket, terminals downward.
Bracket fits closely against front sheet metal cross member, slightly under
RF fender.)

The headlight switch now controls the relays, switching them on and off.
Hopefully, the relays will take less power than the headlights, so the
combi switch will now live forever. (Right.) Also, since the relays all
have the same resistance, the autocheck won't complain because the load is
balanced, which is what the autocheck wants to see.

Take headlight socket #1, connect high beam wire to high beam relay
terminal 87, connect low beam wire to low beam relay terminal 87, connect
ground to convenient bracket using tinnerman nut and correct screw.

Make a 2" jumper from 12 gauge red wire (siamese, like ground above, two
female spade connectors), add 14" wire with ring terminal. Connect one end
of jumper to terminal 30 on first relay, other end to terminal 30 on second
relay, and the long end goes down to the main power tap at the jumpstart
stud. (Note: fuses to be installed tomorrow - the fuse box I got wasn't
suitable.)

Start car - autocheck complains - it should because the right side is
relayed, and the left side isn't there at all (yet). Try high and low beams
- they both work and are correct!

Take a break, wash hands, drink a soda.

Back into the fray. The DOT lights have a little metal bracket on the
outboard ends - the trim strip on top of the bumper ties to it - that isn't
on the eurolights, but doesn't seem to matter - one screw plus another
tinnerman nut on each end holds everything tightly, and it doesn't wiggle.

Cut tie wrap on left headlight harness to obtain sufficient slack in wires.
Strip sleeve down to where headlight wires enter main harness (down by the
A/C evaporator), send running light wires out left side, headlight wires
straight up to where the relays will be mounted. Clip off second headlight
socket from DOT harness (yawn), add connectors to white/black stripe (to
85, left high beam relay) and yellow/black stripe (to 85, left low beam
relay) wires, add siamese jumper to brown ground wire (to 86 and 86, left
side relays). Connect to relays, which are already mounted on their "L"
bracket.

Take HL socket #2 - this one is strange - the black wire is high beam,
red/black stripe is ground, red/green stripe is low beam. Cut off incorrect
connectors, replace with correct ones. Black wire (high beam) goes to the
relay controlled by the white/black stripe wire, Red/green stripe wire from
HL socket (low beam) goes to the relay controlled by the yellow/black strip
wire, Red/black stripe wire from HL socket goes to ground. (Note that this
is definitely a non-standard color code - the terminals on the socket are
marked ground, drive and pass.)

Finally, add a red wire from jumpstart stud to the two #30 terminals on the
left side relays.

Click corner lights into place (after X-acto treatment on left side, too),
start engine, check all lights, check for smoke (none!), check that
autocheck is happy (it is), switch high/low beams (they work), shut it off.

Bolt grille back on (four screws), fuss with black plastic trim strip,
close hood, wash hands.

Now it has to get dark so I can aim the lights - they are DEFINITELY off!
But they sure are bright!!! And they have a SHARP beam cutoff, too. Only
five more hours till darkness!

Total time 3.5 hours.

To do still: add fuses (4X 20 amp, one for each filament), aim headlights,
put shroud back on. Watch trim strip - pick up some of the little plastic
wedges at junkyard next time out.

Enjoy!

Best Regards,

Mike Arman