Vagitarian

So I found some hack-job esque wiring in my car behind the headlights. After a little research I figured out that my car (1989 JDM Crx Si rhd) was supposed to come with plastic oem headlights, were as the ones that are actually on the car are glass, so Im assuming they are USDM headlights.





Anyways, the headlights work, but Im not sure if its proper.

When I turn the lights on the inside bulb illuminates, and when I pull and click the lever back to engage the highbeams, the outside bulb illuminates but the inside bulb goes out.

Arent both lights supposed to stay on when the highbeams are engaged?

Both inside and outside bulbs DO stay lit up if you just pull the headlight stalk back gently and dont click it all the way. I can hold it back just before it clicks and both bulbs in each headlight will stay lit up. That isnt proper is it?

The colors that he matched up seem to be the same, but there are 3 black wires all together on each headlight.

Im no wiring expert, but I would like to properly solder and heat shrink these wires but obviously want to get the lights working properly first.

Id appreciate any info and help anyone could offer, this cars almost perfect!

James89DX

I wouldnt call that a hack job, there's technically nothing "wrong" with using the wire caps like that. Personally I would also prefer butt connectors at least.

Anyway, yes both low beams and high beams are supposed to stay on when the high beams are engaged. Not sure why yours don't work proper, but it appears other than having less than ideal your wiring doesn't look to be wrong.

Vagitarian

Well there are 3 black "grounds" im assuming all tied together. Which I dont think is right

I forget if it was 2 blacks from the headlight tied to one black from the chassis harness, or 2 blacks from the chassis harness and one black from the headlight.

And my pictures dont make it any clearer I'll have to head back to the shop and take another look, I pulled the battery to charge it so I cant do any real testing tonight

Vagitarian

Just to clarify a bit, for the 3 blacks that are tied together with a morrett on each light. 2 black/red wires come from each bulb, and a black/grey comes from the chassis and ties into both of them.

Hope this can help

crx_si-r

I think your headlights need to be flipped. I could have sworn that low beams were on the outside and high beams were more inward on the lights

ef yu

If your car really did originally came with the plastic headlight then your lights are working properly. It used to have an H4 plug which uses a dual filament bulb. This is why your low beams cut off when your high beams are on.
USDM crx has two single filament bulbs.

civicbigpimpin

I hate that when you get a car like that!

Vagitarian

I still have the oem lights to, they are in the back of the car but they are yellow and scratched, pretty much mangled and not useable.

What I dont get then, is why do both high and low beam illuminate if I pull the stalk back just before it clicks.

Is there not a way to make them stay both lit up

Vagitarian

Dont make me buy halo headlights guys!! lol

ef yu

as you pull back the lever, is turns on the high beams and as it clicks it turns off the low beams. its just what the switch does. its not fully activated but enough to turn it on.

i am sure there is a way to have them both lit up. using relays to manipulate what power wire goes where, its possible. i have gone the other way, two bulbs to one and fixed the wiring solutions using a custom made harness with a relay.

Vagitarian

But I can HOLD it at the position just right before it clicks, and both bulbs will stay lit up until I let it go. Theres enough power going to them at that point.

Was hoping to recreate that current flow or whatever you wanna call it after the stalk clicks back aswell...

ef yu

just because you can hold the switch momentarily doesn't mean its working right. YOUR CAR IS WORKING THE CORRECT WAY. There is NOTHING wrong. The wrong part you have is those headlights. They are not meant for your model. You need the single housing headlight which uses a dual filament bulb.

Where are you located? If its NOT the U.S. then your car should be wired up like that. reason i ask is because everyone like to use the term JDM\ CR-X\ SI-R\ EF8/9 etc etc. when really its just a plain-jane 89 crx from california.

DCRB

your vehicle is acting how a car with single bulb head lights would. the si models i believe use the same front end as the us but use single bulb head lights, sounds like some one swapped them out at some point.

Vagitarian

Ok it may be working and nothing is wrong. But I want both bulbs on when I have my high beams on. How can I make that happen.

I say its a 89 jdm crx si because it is rhd and is from japan and has the dohc zc motor.

And yes I know the headlights have been swapped for usdm glass pieces

Vagitarian

bump for a way to get both bulbs to illuminate by clicking the highbeam stalk back

crx_si-r

my guess would be this. here in the US we use a relay when we swap in a dual filament bulb to our dual bulb headlights. we do this so our low beams cut out when we turn on the high beams. you should be able to apply this same procedure (backwards of course) to make your lights do what you want.

Vagitarian

cant say that makes sence to me, thanks for trying though

ef yu

Just made this diagram for you. to help you understand how relay works.

above image is what normally happens when driving with just low beams. normal, low beams on.

Now when you turn on the high beams, (you can see HOT power activating the relay #85) the relay pulls the low beam how signal from #87a and switches it to High beam #87 output.

We are using the high beam from your steering wheel lever as a *switch/hot signal* to turn on the relay.

It took me a good 3-4 days from NOT learning anything about relays to making it work for my crx application.
I am sure you can find a way to go the other way.


ps, the diagram i drew is wrong at terminal 85/86. they should be switched. 85 = ground and 86 = hot.

ef yu

If i were you, i would save all this trouble and revert back to the original headlights if you are worried about high beams that much. You can fix the yellow haze by wet sanding them and re-clearing it. Polishing if after sanding will only make it a temp job. clearing it with good clear will outlast any polish technique.

Vagitarian

Or... I get both USDM bulb to illuminate as it produces way more light from what Ive seen

Vagitarian

bump, anyway to get both lights to illuminate when the high beam stalk is pulled back

Thanks guys

Vagitarian

I looked at the oem headlights I have, and there quite wethered, and no harness...

I definetely would like to have both bulbs illuminate when pulling the stalk back, need some help