What Did You Do With Your Kizashi Today?

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Woodie
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Joined: Sun Apr 28, 2013 10:09 am
Location: Laurel, MD

I spent about three hours cleaning the door jambs, hood and trunk crevices, sunroof opening, behind the gas flap. Then I siliconed all the rubber gaskets in all of those locations. It's so nice to open the door and see nothing but body color in all the little nooks and crannies instead of that brown scum which seems to grow there. Especially the drainage channel around the trunk lid, between the rear window and the trunk opening.
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms
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Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

:drive: Now that the t-case output shaft seal has been replaced...as Willy would sing...on the road again... :drive: :mrgreen:
Ron

2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded :D :D )
1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top ( :| sold)
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LPSISRL
Posts: 991
Joined: Tue Jun 18, 2013 12:49 pm
Location: Chesapeake, Virginia

DesRado wrote:
LPSISRL wrote:What it is with my Kizzy and the left headlight bulb? I've tried different brands, lumens, what's left?
+1 for HID install. I too did a conversion and have not regretted it. I bought a Kensun set of HIDs off amazon for under $60. Included everything you need for the install. Only tough choice I had to make was being sure I really wanted to drill holes in the headlight dust covers. No long wires, just 2 ballasts and some cabling. All plug and play.
OK, I'm going for it. However, I'm not paying $150 for a set but I will pay $40 for the Kensun 6000K on Amazon. Good reviews. If I don't like them, I'm only out $40. If I like them but they are not the quality I want, I can upgrade and I'll consider it a successful $40 experiment. Any "gotchas" on the install? I'm not going to like drilling holes in the headlight assembly covers...

I was just looking at a youtube video on installing this kit. Since the factory connectors to the bulb are inside the headlight assembly, do I need any type of wiring kit other than what comes with it?
2011 Kizashi SLS CVT (silver)
2005 Honda Odyssey
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2009 Suzuki SX4 Cross AWD 5-speed Tech package (vapor metallic blue)
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DesRado
Posts: 440
Joined: Wed Nov 19, 2014 10:12 pm

LPSISRL wrote:
DesRado wrote:
LPSISRL wrote:What it is with my Kizzy and the left headlight bulb? I've tried different brands, lumens, what's left?
+1 for HID install. I too did a conversion and have not regretted it. I bought a Kensun set of HIDs off amazon for under $60. Included everything you need for the install. Only tough choice I had to make was being sure I really wanted to drill holes in the headlight dust covers. No long wires, just 2 ballasts and some cabling. All plug and play.
OK, I'm going for it. However, I'm not paying $150 for a set but I will pay $40 for the Kensun 6000K on Amazon. Good reviews. If I don't like them, I'm only out $40. If I like them but they are not the quality I want, I can upgrade and I'll consider it a successful $40 experiment. Any "gotchas" on the install? I'm not going to like drilling holes in the headlight assembly covers...

I was just looking at a youtube video on installing this kit. Since the factory connectors to the bulb are inside the headlight assembly, do I need any type of wiring kit other than what comes with it?
No, everything that was needed came with the kit. When you drill the holes in the dust cover, be sure you don't make the hole too big. Cut it just big enough for the rubber seal to fit through. As far as "gotcha" moments, I think I did need to file down a bit of the metal that was on the bulb base to get it to fit. It's been almost a year, my memory is a bit hazy. I went with 5K and can't be happier with the light output! Initially I would get flashed for having mine to high, so I would driver around the neighborhood and stop back at home to do adjustments to where I could see, but also not blind people. These get up to brightness quick, with no flickering at all. If I have time, I'll show you where I ziptied my ballasts.
2012 Platinum Silver Kizashi GTS, 6SP

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LPSISRL
Posts: 991
Joined: Tue Jun 18, 2013 12:49 pm
Location: Chesapeake, Virginia

DesRado wrote:
LPSISRL wrote:
DesRado wrote:
If I have time, I'll show you where I ziptied my ballasts.
Cool. :idea:
2011 Kizashi SLS CVT (silver)
2005 Honda Odyssey
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2009 Suzuki SX4 Cross AWD 5-speed Tech package (vapor metallic blue)
golftango
Posts: 322
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2014 7:53 pm
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Was hoping that auto-headlights would be plug and play like the cruise control. Got a auto-headlamp stalk on eBay for peanuts. It was a bit faded/dirty so I cleaned it up and hit it with SEM interior black.

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Then popped off the column shroud, unclipped and slid out the old one, new one in place:

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Buttoned it up, no auto lamps :(. I though with the existing photo sensor on the dash for the HVAC, it would work. Oh well.
2019 Kia Optima EX Premium
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KuroNekko
Posts: 5176
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

golftango wrote:
Buttoned it up, no auto lamps :(. I though with the existing photo sensor on the dash for the HVAC, it would work. Oh well.
I thought the photo sensor for the auto lights is the little dome on the front of the dash. I'm quite sure the cars without them have dummies instead of a real sensor. Not 100% sure, but these domes on cars without automatic lights (like mine) look like plastic dummies instead of tinted sensor housings. I'm also quite sure they have nothing to do with the HVAC. That would use a thermostat for auto temp regulation, not a photo sensor. Furthermore, you see dummies and real sensors on cars without any sort of auto climate control. It's because they have optional automatic lights.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
golftango
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KuroNekko wrote:
golftango wrote:
Buttoned it up, no auto lamps :(. I though with the existing photo sensor on the dash for the HVAC, it would work. Oh well.
I thought the photo sensor for the auto lights is the little dome on the front of the dash. I'm quite sure the cars without them have dummies instead of a real sensor. Not 100% sure, but these domes on cars without automatic lights (like mine) look like plastic dummies instead of tinted sensor housings. I'm also quite sure they have nothing to do with the HVAC. That would use a thermostat for auto temp regulation, not a photo sensor. Furthermore, you see dummies and real sensors on cars without any sort of auto climate control. It's because they have optional automatic lights.
I had popped it off earlier and there is a photo sensor there. I read it had to do with the HVAC. Maybe the auto lamp function has to be activated or run by the BCM or is a separate photo sensor.

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KuroNekko
Posts: 5176
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

golftango wrote:
I had popped it off earlier and there is a photo sensor there. I read it had to do with the HVAC. Maybe the auto lamp function has to be activated or run by the BCM or is a separate photo sensor.

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Are you sure that the harness connects to an actual sensor rather than a dummy? I was surprised to see the wiring but it doesn't make sense for a company to install a sensor on cars not equipped to use them. The dome on my sensor also looks like solid plastic rather than a tinted plastic. I'd be pleased to be wrong so your mod can work out better.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
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DesRado
Posts: 440
Joined: Wed Nov 19, 2014 10:12 pm

Wasn't today, but Friday/Saturday drove from Virginia to Tennessee. Nice little drive on the highway but then! Drove down the Foothills Parkway in Tennessee that led to the infamous Tail of the Dragon. What a road! The Kizashi handled brilliantly on the super tight curves. Some turns even suggested 10mph (Ha!). Let the Kiz rev freely when possible, going up to 5500rpm in 2nd because I didn't wanna waste time shifting. I would definitely do this road again. It wasn't busy with bikers or other driving enthusiasts this time of year. I'll be going back on day, easy.
2012 Platinum Silver Kizashi GTS, 6SP

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