HID Bullbs

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Does anyone know what the best replacement HID bulbs are that are available for my 98' LSC. I was looking at some Sylvania "SiverStar Ultra's" today but who knows if they are any good, or just the most expensive?!?!?!?
What about those little bubble levels that are attatched to the top of the headlight housing? Are they supposed to be adjusted in a specific way? Mine seem to be set at two completely different hash marks. The light output seems to be relatively bright, but it sure doesn't extend too far down the road!
 
If you are referring to the HID low beams you will need to buy a retrofit kit made by a few different people, or make your own to adapt an aftermarket HID kit into the factory housings...
 
ebay has a number of offerings, but it's really a "flip a coin' type of thing. Range from fairly inexpensive to ridiculous. I bought a set for my '97 but I don't see that offer on there anymore.... it was called V-HID and if I had it to do over again, I'd go with something else. The bubbles (level) you see ARE the levels you should use for adjusting the stock lamps. The adjusters are under the covers above and to the outside of the lights. If your stock bulbs are still working, keep 'em as long as you can. If you don't know how to adjust them, I'd recommend taking the car to a Lincoln dealer and let then do it correctly (if your stock HID's are still working.

If you buy a replacement HID system, those alignment bubbles will be removed from the car.
 
I think I am confused.:confused: Do you mean to say that the stock 98' HID system must be upgraded in some way if one of the bulbs go out? You can't just replace the blown bulb?
 
Nope.... you cannot get new factory replacement bulbs.

The options:

Buy a used bulb
Put in a Retrofit kit
Buy brand new Halogen replacement housings from Ford.
 
Guess you didn't know that the Mark VIII is a antique automobile??? There are a number of parts that are you are no longer able to get at the dealerships.... used on ebay (lots of Mark VIII parts), junkyards , or what a number of people have done...buy a "parts" car. Once the car hit 7 years old, Ford started cutting contracts from the parts suppliers.
 
Wow, that sucks. Doesn't it help that I really :)LOVE:) my antique car? Are these "retrofit kits" effective? I certainly don't want to lose my HID capabilities. If I want to keep HID, which I do, then are the stock voltage amplifiers / regulators ( I believe they're referred to as ballasts) still usable? Or do I have to replace the whole shebang? I would think that if you just found a bulb that would fit the stock connector, then it should be OK. I would swear that the Sylvania Silver Star Ultras I saw were part # 9005, which is what I thought we had. What is the problem with our systems that they will not accept currently available bulbs?
 
You have 9005 for high beams. The sole provider for the Mark VIII exclusive HID bulbs were Sylvania. Sylvania and Ford could not agree to terms to continue production of the bulbs. Ford then made the retrofit kit to enable users to convert to halogens.
 
I have a retrofit kit that uses aftermarket HID bulbs in the factory housings, I am very pleased and find the light output to be better than factory.

garage-door-far-c.jpg
 
driller said:
You have 9005 for high beams. The sole provider for the Mark VIII exclusive HID bulbs were Sylvania. Sylvania and Ford could not agree to terms to continue production of the bulbs. Ford then made the retrofit kit to enable users to convert to halogens.
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97 and 98 marks use 9006 for high beam bulbs, your factory hid bulb is a osram sylvania 9500 bulb, no one makes a duplicate to this bulb, there is no reproduction or replica bulb, you have 2 choices only, either adapt an aftermarket hid kit to your housings, or buy a used bulb off ebay, since you want hid's to remain, those are your choices, your 3rd choice is to buy the new redesigned housings which take a standard 9006 halogen bulb in the low beam and high beam, but if you buy those, then you can use any aftermarket hid kit designed for a 9006 socket and use them in the new housings.
 
9006? You've been inhaling too many paint fumes. :p

From Sylvania's site...

Print out the list and find them at your nearest retailer.



1998 LINCOLN Mark VIII

Low beam headlamp
HID-9500

High beam headlamp
9005
9005SU Silverstar ULTRA for Ultra Night Vision - The Whitest and Brightest Halogen
9005ST Silverstar High Performance Lighting: The Whiter and Brighter Halogen
9005XV XtraVision Halogen - The Brighter Light
9005CB Cool Blue Halogen - The Whiter Light
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Good luck at finding that HID-9500 bulb at your nearest retailer! LOL. :fart
 
Does anyone have any idea on prices for these options? Ok, so if I buy new housings from Ford (probably SUPER expensive) then I can use 9006 HID's in that. Or, I can find an aftermarket kit that will fit into my existing headlight housings that will allow me to use a different, but still available HID bulb. I think I get it. Does anyone have any recommendations on aftermarket choices? Is it just the connecter on the bulb that's different from what's available now, or is it voltage and all kinds of other non -fixable things? KustomizingKid, you say you are happy with what you have? What is it? I just don't wanna lose the cool looking HID lenses, as well as go to the absolutely terrible 1st Gen Halogens, unless the new kit from Ford is better?
 
kustomizingkid said:
Used bulb: $50-$150 each

Retrofit for Aftermarket HID's in your housings: $250-$350

New Ford Halogen Housings: $700ish....
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if you have any kind of mechanical skills and can make your own adapter you can put hid's into your current housings for as little as $80 dollars. i have bought a half a dozen of the $80 dollar hid kits off ebay with no problems for both myself and customers and they work great. you dont have to spend $250 plus for hid's these days.
 
What model aftermarket HID bulbs are you starting with for your customers? It seems that some of the bulb sizes don't result in a proper beam pattern. Please let us know what you've used and how well it worked as far as beam pattern goes. Thanks!
 
jamies98lsc said:
if you have any kind of mechanical skills and can make your own adapter you can put hid's into your current housings for as little as $80 dollars. i have bought a half a dozen of the $80 dollar hid kits off ebay with no problems for both myself and customers and they work great. you dont have to spend $250 plus for hid's these days.
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+1.
 
i have no idea what brand they are, they are from a seller named japanimportshop. as far as beam pattern, they were 10 x's better at lighting the road than my other mark VIII with factory 96 lsc housings and hid bulbs. they had a beautiful horizontal line across the road up in front, they do not blind oncoming traffic, and to be more sure i purposely aimed them down a hair, from side to side they light up plenty on both sides of the car. i think way too much crtisism goes into talking about beam pattern and the d.o.t as far as i am concerned, i cannot see with the headlights my car left the factory with, as long as i do not blast oncomers with my headlights i dont care what anyone from the d.o.t thinks or says, its better i have illegal bulbs in my car, then to slam into someone walking or riding a bike on the side of the road. i drove 2 marks with hid's, one was factory like stated above, the other was restored housings by me and aftermarket hid's and there was no comparison at all, the stock hid's sucked. after my buddy jeff rode in my car with aftermarket hid's and halogen housings, he took both set of factory hid's out of his mark and his wife's and asked me to convert both of his cars to the way i did mine, that must say something i never once tried talking him into it, he got in my car, and instantly asked me what i had done to the headlights, i told him, he wanted. but the beam pattern is perfect, as long as you leave the refractors in the low beam, its a nice smooth even distribution of light across the entire viewing area in front of the car. these are my experiences so dont take what i say as an end all, be all for the headlight problem, but all the kits i have put in have been fantastic.
 
jamies98lsc said:
i have no idea what brand they are, they are from a seller named japanimportshop. as far as beam pattern, they were 10 x's better at lighting the road than my other mark VIII with factory 96 lsc housings and hid bulbs. they had a beautiful horizontal line across the road up in front, they do not blind oncoming traffic, and to be more sure i purposely aimed them down a hair, from side to side they light up plenty on both sides of the car. i think way too much crtisism goes into talking about beam pattern and the d.o.t as far as i am concerned, i cannot see with the headlights my car left the factory with, as long as i do not blast oncomers with my headlights i dont care what anyone from the d.o.t thinks or says, its better i have illegal bulbs in my car, then to slam into someone walking or riding a bike on the side of the road. i drove 2 marks with hid's, one was factory like stated above, the other was restored housings by me and aftermarket hid's and there was no comparison at all, the stock hid's sucked. after my buddy jeff rode in my car with aftermarket hid's and halogen housings, he took both set of factory hid's out of his mark and his wife's and asked me to convert both of his cars to the way i did mine, that must say something i never once tried talking him into it, he got in my car, and instantly asked me what i had done to the headlights, i told him, he wanted. but the beam pattern is perfect, as long as you leave the refractors in the low beam, its a nice smooth even distribution of light across the entire viewing area in front of the car. these are my experiences so dont take what i say as an end all, be all for the headlight problem, but all the kits i have put in have been fantastic.
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Okay...I just looked up who I bought my FAULTY HID kit from, and it was japanimportshop. I got a bad ballast from him, and he ignored my emails to him. Avoid this guy.

I ended up getting a replacement ballast from a very helpful guy named rivervalleyelectronics. After I told him how I got screwed by japanimportshop, he sold the ballast to me at his cost.
 
well i have negative feedback myself on ebay but i wouldnt avoid me lol you cant please everyone, to date i have purchased 8 hid kits from him, out of all that, one came with a bad bulb, i called him, he said send back, i did, got another bulb express mail, i wouldnt say avoid him we dont live in a perfect world. i'll continue to buy from him until the day he gives me a problem.
 
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