Icarus
Dedicated LVC Member
This will be a bit long as I'll try to be detailed but it's not as bad as you think...
There are 'locks' that hold the pins into the plastic connectors. The two types here are ones that just have a little tab on the metal pin itself that hold the pin into the connector and one that has a plastic 'bar' that locks all the pins in at once.
The first are a bit of a pita to get out as you need a good thin pick to get at them and don't want to pry them to much or they won't lock in the pin again very well or at all if you ever want to reuse them. The second are easy to get out with a pick, you just pull the 'bar' out with the pick and move the tab a little to release the pin. You need to be careful though you don't release any other wires from the connector thou as none are locked in then (writing down the order helps to be sure, but if gentle they will stay in.)
Cutting the wires would be much easier and quicker, I was tempted about half way into this, as I'm not real patient at times (at least not with cars.) Either way you need to cover them well so they don't short on anything and if you cut them, leave enough wire to reconnect if you so desire in the future.
I disabled the DRL's by pulling the Red/Black output wire to the lights from the module, which also meant I couldn't use this wire to power the ballasts or relays like the articles mention (why anyone would want to power the ballasts with a pulsed lower voltage is anybodys guess though, I couldn't see it at helping them any!?)
I pulled power for triggering my relays from the 'B' spot I marked on the picture I posted in my reply on the markviii.org post (pg.2). It is underneath the main fuse panel thats under the hood. That was easy to get out by removing all the relays after disconnecting the battery and pulling the red lock bar (the whole red piece) out from the fuse panel. Lifting the whole panel off the four mount tabs makes it able to turn almost 180* to get at everything. This was the only wire I soldered another too. It goes to 2 relays I mounted under the lamp access door, to power each ballast. I then brought power to the relays directly from the fuse panel main input wire (I used ring connecters I soldered to new wire with fuses to the relays - quick, easy and clean/durable.) Ground are from existing bolts near there with soldered rings here too.
I choose to solder everything I added and do it right as opposed to just crimping the connecters to make it more durable and shrink wrapped all these connections and used die-electric grease on all connectors. Either way will work though... I just like making work for myself
I forgot to add I was in the trunk to remove the wire from the keyless entry/auto theft modules (I can't remember exactly which I did in there so don't want to say in case I'm wrong and mislead you, but I know I didn't do anything but pull a wire or two from the connector like I did with the 'lamp out module' behind the glove box) so had to pull the carpet back on the drivers side.
Now that I read all this, it is sounding complicated, lol.... but it wasn't too bad at all as I planned it out before hand on where I was going to put everything and where to get power, what wires to pull etc, etc (hence my post and questions on the other forums )...
Only problem I ran into was mounting the ballasts neatly and out of the way. I originally had the on the posts behind the grill on the outer sides but moved them to the actual bumper re-enforcement bar later. They looked fine behind the grille as they were on the outer sides and not that visible, but I wanted to hide/protect them more.
I don't know if this is the kind of info your looking for so let me know if it helps or not... lol...
There are 'locks' that hold the pins into the plastic connectors. The two types here are ones that just have a little tab on the metal pin itself that hold the pin into the connector and one that has a plastic 'bar' that locks all the pins in at once.
The first are a bit of a pita to get out as you need a good thin pick to get at them and don't want to pry them to much or they won't lock in the pin again very well or at all if you ever want to reuse them. The second are easy to get out with a pick, you just pull the 'bar' out with the pick and move the tab a little to release the pin. You need to be careful though you don't release any other wires from the connector thou as none are locked in then (writing down the order helps to be sure, but if gentle they will stay in.)
Cutting the wires would be much easier and quicker, I was tempted about half way into this, as I'm not real patient at times (at least not with cars.) Either way you need to cover them well so they don't short on anything and if you cut them, leave enough wire to reconnect if you so desire in the future.
I disabled the DRL's by pulling the Red/Black output wire to the lights from the module, which also meant I couldn't use this wire to power the ballasts or relays like the articles mention (why anyone would want to power the ballasts with a pulsed lower voltage is anybodys guess though, I couldn't see it at helping them any!?)
I pulled power for triggering my relays from the 'B' spot I marked on the picture I posted in my reply on the markviii.org post (pg.2). It is underneath the main fuse panel thats under the hood. That was easy to get out by removing all the relays after disconnecting the battery and pulling the red lock bar (the whole red piece) out from the fuse panel. Lifting the whole panel off the four mount tabs makes it able to turn almost 180* to get at everything. This was the only wire I soldered another too. It goes to 2 relays I mounted under the lamp access door, to power each ballast. I then brought power to the relays directly from the fuse panel main input wire (I used ring connecters I soldered to new wire with fuses to the relays - quick, easy and clean/durable.) Ground are from existing bolts near there with soldered rings here too.
I choose to solder everything I added and do it right as opposed to just crimping the connecters to make it more durable and shrink wrapped all these connections and used die-electric grease on all connectors. Either way will work though... I just like making work for myself
I forgot to add I was in the trunk to remove the wire from the keyless entry/auto theft modules (I can't remember exactly which I did in there so don't want to say in case I'm wrong and mislead you, but I know I didn't do anything but pull a wire or two from the connector like I did with the 'lamp out module' behind the glove box) so had to pull the carpet back on the drivers side.
Now that I read all this, it is sounding complicated, lol.... but it wasn't too bad at all as I planned it out before hand on where I was going to put everything and where to get power, what wires to pull etc, etc (hence my post and questions on the other forums
)... Only problem I ran into was mounting the ballasts neatly and out of the way. I originally had the on the posts behind the grill on the outer sides but moved them to the actual bumper re-enforcement bar later. They looked fine behind the grille as they were on the outer sides and not that visible, but I wanted to hide/protect them more.
I don't know if this is the kind of info your looking for so let me know if it helps or not...
lol...