4-hi headlight mod.

[Jssuper]

First... if this is in the wrong spot I apologize and I searched all over the site for info on this and found nothing so I posted it.

So this is something that I have done to my GM trucks since basically all GM vehicles post 86-91 (depending on the vehicle) have alternating headlights. That is basically the low beam headlight turns off when the hi beams are activated. This just irritates me greatly and I always have to fix it.

 

Soo it took some studying since these cars are all wired HOT and the ground switches to turn things on and off. But I figured it out a couple weeks ago and have been testing, works great.

 

Now my low beams stay on, when I switch to HI. If you guys have all done this then I join the club, but if you guys need the info LMK I'll post a how to with pics I took last night.

 

Got Light?

Edited July 26, 2010 by Jssuper

[ruktosk]

WANT

[Breakdown]

For the record . . . .

 

AMY has all four lights come on at once.

 

But the toggle is between high-beam and fog.

 

If the high beams are on, the low beams are also on. Perhaps someone can confirm if that is always the case with mini-quad cars (Grand Prix and Cutlass Supreme coupes).

[AL]

With miniquad cars that is the case but not with cars without miniquads

[Spectrum]

I haven't come across this before; would love to see a how to about it.

[tornado_735]

I'd like to see it as well!

[Regal_GS_1989]

I would love to know more about this too. The Highbeams on the Regal are pretty damn good as is...but more light would be nice.

[RobertISaar]

WIN.

 

if i have to pull the headlight harness again on the MC, i'll do it.

[Jssuper]

Cool beans. I'll write this up tonight when I get home from work.

 

This mod should work on virtually all W-body GM quad light cars that are negative switched.

 

Glad I can help out.

[IRONDOG442]

Cool beans. I'll write this up tonight when I get home from work.

 

This mod should work on virtually all W-body GM quad light cars that are negative switched.

 

Glad I can help out.

 

 

This mod for me would be useless there is ALWAYS someone else on the road, and with the Intrigue to use all 4 lights just pull back on the stick and hold it in place. This will last all of 15.1 seconds until you see another car approaching in the oncomming lane.

[Crazy K]

i already stated how to do this several times.... it is easiest on non-DRL cars, and involves splicing two of the wires for the headlight dinner switch together.

[tornado_735]

i already stated how to do this several times.... it is easiest on non-DRL cars, and involves splicing two of the wires for the headlight dinner switch together.

 

Then where is the fucking writeup Mr. Smartypants?

[RobertISaar]

you know...this would also be great for some low-beam HIDs.... apparently they don't like getting switched on and off very often...

[jeremy]

you know...this would also be great for some low-beam HIDs.... apparently they don't like getting switched on and off very often...

 

If you have low beam HIDs you shouldn't have a need for stock high beams, IMHO of course

[RobertISaar]

probably not.... but i need all the help i can get.

[Jssuper]

First I apologize for leaving you guys hanging so long. I've had so much going on the past week I havn't had a chance to get back on here. I have all the info as promised however.

 

HERE IS the mod.. It will take you guys like 20 minutes... I took my time because I was researching, testing and being really careful.

 

 

 

Materials Required:

• Automotive relay.
  
• Some misc wires: I used red, blue, black and brown to connect the relay.
  
• a testlight and or the wiring schematics for your car
  
• Some flat blade style connectors to connect up the relay.
  
• Line tap connectors.
  

NOTE: Remember, this mod may not work for all GM quad cars. This applies to newer GM cars that are wired for "Ground" switching. If your car is + switched it requires a different wiring order for the relay. A simple way to test is with a test light with your lights off, test both wires on your low beam light. If both wires are HOT with the lights off, your car is negative switched and this will work.

*I know this should apply to 2000 and newer GM quad light cars, but older models I am not sure. It will work for sure on any 1997-2005 Century and Regal models of the same body style.

 

 

The relay is going to be triggered when the high beam (pink wire) drops to ground and connect the low beam (blue wire) to ground. You’ll want to use a standard automotive relay. It doesn’t matter if it does or does not have pin 87a, it's not needed.

 

Wire up the relay as follows:

I performed this mod on the passenger side light cluster wiring. (See pics for details) Doing this will work on both sides.. They are tied together. Remember to think “negative” on this as we need to switch wires to ground to activate the lights.

Relay Wiring: (WARNING: My Buick Century headlight wiring is shown. Most W-bodies I suspect are the same, but consult the wiring diagram for your specific car or use a test light.

 

Pin 30: Connect to Ground/Negative battery terminal. I used 16g black wire to a self tapping screw.

 

Pin85: Connect to Pink/Blk wire on high beam. I used a blue 20ga wire. This wire triggers the relay.

 

Pin86: Connect to Orange wire on either light. I used a red 20ga wire. This “grounds” the relay to power (remember think “negative”)

 

Pin87: Connect to Dk Blue/White wire on low beam. I used a 18ga brown wire. This is the pass through from 30 pin when the relay is activated and activates the low beams.

 

You only need to perform this mod on one side of your car for it to work with both of your headlights.

 

 

 

*MOD your car at your own risk.

Edited August 3, 2010 by Jssuper

[RobertISaar]

so, in the end, are all four bulbs drawing from the one 20amp headlight breaker?

 

that seems like it could be an issue...

[Jssuper]

Then where is the fucking writeup Mr. Smartypants?

 

Ooo, just for this I am deleting the info...

 

No. I deserve that for being such a slacker.

[Jssuper]

so, in the end, are all four bulbs drawing from the one 20amp headlight breaker?

 

that seems like it could be an issue...

 

No.. It is a 30 amp I used, but you can get a 40 amp as well from Radioshack wich honestly is total overkill for this. But It does not power all 4 bulbs. It merely activates for the Low beam pair. Technically in this car it only provides a ground to the Low beams. In my old '98 pickup it provided power to them. Wich is why I was confused on this car to start with.

 

However, after significant use of this mod the relay and wiring do not show signs of heat in any of the vehicles I have done them to, C/K trucks or this car.

Edited August 3, 2010 by Jssuper

[RobertISaar]

ok, so the signal wire of the relay draws it's miniscule amount of power from the relay, but where are the lowbeams getting their +12V from?

[tornado_735]

Ooo, just for this I am deleting the info...

 

No. I deserve that for being such a slacker.

 

Oh, that wasn't aimed at you, it was aimed at crazyK(en).

[ruktosk]

ok, so the signal wire of the relay draws it's miniscule amount of power from the relay, but where are the lowbeams getting their +12V from?

 

If I understand it right, the +12V for the lowbeams never changes. So it comes from the same place regardless of whether the highbeams are on or off. All you're doing with this mod is restoring the ground to the lowbeams when the highbeams activate (normally when the highbeams activate, they remove the lowbeam ground).

 

...if I understand it correctly.

[Jssuper]

I have edited the write-up with additional information on testing if a car is negative or + switched as this write-up applies to negatively switched models.

 

A 1990's model, this may not apply. I am not sure how those cars are wired.

Edited August 3, 2010 by Jssuper

[Jssuper]

If I understand it right, the +12V for the lowbeams never changes. So it comes from the same place regardless of whether the highbeams are on or off. All you're doing with this mod is restoring the ground to the lowbeams when the highbeams activate (normally when the highbeams activate, they remove the lowbeam ground).

 

...if I understand it correctly.

 

You are correct sir

[RobertISaar]

right.... so then they are drawing from the same breaker.