Auto Parts: Headlight assembly conversion, mazda rx 7, amp fuse


Question
I saw a HELLA "european conversion" headlight ass'y on their web-site, which will supposedly fit my 1993 Mazda RX-7.  My doubts center on the range of dimensions which can be rplaced, plus the fact that the OEM assemblies are not symetrical...both R&L sides have "droop" at the outer top corner; I believe that the listed  #'s which can be replaced: 6052,6053, H6052, and H6054 are symetrical...cna you enlighten me?   MANY thanks!

Answer
    They are not trying to sell you the whole headlamp assembly.  They are selling the sealed beam replacement for the headlamp itself, which is the same on both sides.  However, according to the catalog that I have here, the last year that they used this type of headlamp in the RX-7 was 1991.  I don't have another maker's catalog other than these, but I trust it if more than one catalog lists it that way.  But that's not a bad thing.
 
    The catalogs all say that the headlight capsule, which is equivalent to the sealed beam used in the older cars (H6052, etc.), uses the standard replacement bulb 9003.  The 9003 bulb is American nomenclature for the European bulb H4.  This is the bulb that these Hella conversion lamps use.  So, you can change the brightness of your headlamps (or the color) by changing the bulb.  Hella makes these bulbs in the stock 55W/60W lowbeam/highbeam combination.  They also make them in other combinations up to 100W/130W.  I had a car with this combination and man could I see down the road!  You can also get higher power bulbs in modern white or bluish Xenon style colors from PIAA.  I would recommend that you stick with a high quality bulb from either Hella or PIAA.  There are lots of cheaper Chinese-made bulbs out there, but my experience is that they don't last very long.  If you go with a very high wattage bulb you may blow the fuse in the circuit.  Since Mazda is already using a relay in this circuit, you can safely install a higher-amp fuse to cope with this problem.  If you blow a 30A fuse, then something is wrong and you need to find out why.

    Installing brighter headlamps is an easy and rewarding way to make driving at night safer.  And wait until you flash your high beams at some slow-poke!