12-10-2017, 09:44 PM | #15 |
Evil Genius of Chevrolet
Drives: 2017 Z06, 2019 XTS, 2013 SS Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: New York
Posts: 3,260
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If it's not the bulb then it's the ballast. Nothing lasts forever.
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GPI SS2 VVT cam, ECS Novi 1500 supercharger, Corsa Extreme, Detroit Speed and BMR suspension, Circle D triple disc, Melling oil pump, LS2 chain tensioner, ATI 10% UD, DSX E85 kit, High Energy coils, BTR springs, LS2 Lifter trays, Titanium retainers, hardened push rods, FIC 1000 injectors, ZL1 pump, Mighty Mouse catch can, AEM gauges, Tial BOV, Richmond 3.91 gears, Custom gauge bezels, Speed Engineering headers, Stainless Works HF cats, DSX Aux pump, 710rwhp on E85.
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12-14-2017, 10:44 PM | #16 |
hates winter
Drives: Black 2010 2SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Doylestown, PA
Posts: 136
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I removed the driver headlamp and removed the guts from the back (no baking needed) and sure enough my reflector bowl was toast. Almost entirely non-reflective for the low beams. Small cracks from the heat on both sides of the bowl too. Need to find bowls, somebody who can recoat them, or new lights entirely.
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Traded car Aug 2019.
2010 2SS/RS LS3 built October 30, 2009; 416ci/6.8L forged LS3 with 495 RWHP@6k/470 TQ@4.4k; Lunati 235/243 .626"/.634" 114LSA +3; Monster LT-1S twin disc, SLP retro badges, MGW shifter/knob, Hotchkis TVS Stage 1, Pedders Street Z bushings, 3.91 Gear swap, red calipers, Z28 CAI, ZL1 side skirts/rock guards, Kooks 1 7/8" headers, SLP front splitter. |
12-15-2017, 05:18 PM | #17 | |
Captain Gingerbeard
Drives: 2012 IOM RS/SS 6MT Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: West Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 2,489
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I think that's the best/worst picture of it yet.
I wish someone would make a replacement part that could handle heat for a quick swap for these cars. Please keep us all updated on what you find for this, 96SS10SS.
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Custom ordered 2012 6MT RS/SS on 11/25/2011. Picked up 01/31/12.
Pedders Coilovers, BMR trailing arms and toe-links, Prothane solid poly subframe bushings, JDP Motorsports rear upper control arm bushings, Texas Speed long-tube headers with 2" primaries, modified fully 3" Magnaflow competition catback. CAI cold-air intake. DBA rotors, Hawk pads. Quote:
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12-15-2017, 05:31 PM | #18 |
hates winter
Drives: Black 2010 2SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Doylestown, PA
Posts: 136
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I just ordered both headlamps from Rockauto today. They’re TYC brand and $385 each. I will probably sell my originals to make up some of that cost. Everything else about the OEM assemblies is in good shape for a parts donor or retrofit project. From what I saw, there didn’t seem to be enough data on a reliable aftermarket plug and play solution so I went with OE spec. TYC seemed to be the only OE spec manufacturer that had a good reputation. For all I know, they supplied the originals. I will update this thread with my experience when I get them installed. I’m looking forward to having properly functioning headlights again.
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Traded car Aug 2019.
2010 2SS/RS LS3 built October 30, 2009; 416ci/6.8L forged LS3 with 495 RWHP@6k/470 TQ@4.4k; Lunati 235/243 .626"/.634" 114LSA +3; Monster LT-1S twin disc, SLP retro badges, MGW shifter/knob, Hotchkis TVS Stage 1, Pedders Street Z bushings, 3.91 Gear swap, red calipers, Z28 CAI, ZL1 side skirts/rock guards, Kooks 1 7/8" headers, SLP front splitter. |
12-15-2017, 05:46 PM | #19 |
Account Suspended
Drives: 2019 SS 2019 mustang GT Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: California
Posts: 1,694
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I just recently started looking into this stuff I want to contact them to see how it holds up to heat this might be an option
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12-20-2017, 02:16 PM | #20 |
hates winter
Drives: Black 2010 2SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Doylestown, PA
Posts: 136
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The new light assemblies arrived today and I just installed them. The fit and finish is very good. I noticed right away that the projector lens is not a fresnel lens. It is completely clear and does not have the little triangles that you may notice are molded into the OEM lens. You can see the high beam cutoff bar if you look inside. I will report in their performance after driving tonight. I may need to do some aiming to get it 100% dialed in.
New in front/old in back: Old projector fresnel lens detail with angles I mentioned above: New projector lens on the car:
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Traded car Aug 2019.
2010 2SS/RS LS3 built October 30, 2009; 416ci/6.8L forged LS3 with 495 RWHP@6k/470 TQ@4.4k; Lunati 235/243 .626"/.634" 114LSA +3; Monster LT-1S twin disc, SLP retro badges, MGW shifter/knob, Hotchkis TVS Stage 1, Pedders Street Z bushings, 3.91 Gear swap, red calipers, Z28 CAI, ZL1 side skirts/rock guards, Kooks 1 7/8" headers, SLP front splitter. |
12-20-2017, 05:06 PM | #21 |
hates winter
Drives: Black 2010 2SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Doylestown, PA
Posts: 136
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I just took a test drive and wow! What a huge improvement. The old lights lit up the road as well as an old pair of Pep Boys fog lamps. The new assemblies have an excellent cutoff and brightness. I had to adjust them upward as they were not high enough on my test drive. The beams are now at the same level out to 25 feet. I can now say it is no longer dangerous to drive at night because of the headlights. I’m just hoping these hold up better than the factory assemblies as I plan to keep the car for a while longer.
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Traded car Aug 2019.
2010 2SS/RS LS3 built October 30, 2009; 416ci/6.8L forged LS3 with 495 RWHP@6k/470 TQ@4.4k; Lunati 235/243 .626"/.634" 114LSA +3; Monster LT-1S twin disc, SLP retro badges, MGW shifter/knob, Hotchkis TVS Stage 1, Pedders Street Z bushings, 3.91 Gear swap, red calipers, Z28 CAI, ZL1 side skirts/rock guards, Kooks 1 7/8" headers, SLP front splitter. |
12-20-2017, 05:17 PM | #22 |
hates winter
Drives: Black 2010 2SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Doylestown, PA
Posts: 136
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Chrome isn’t reflective enough for the projectors. I believe it only reflects 60% of the light. However, in my case, that may have been an improvement. Silver (95%+) and aluminum (90%) PVD coatings seem to be the industry standard. If I can find somebody that can coat the reflectors locally and inexpensively, I may be selling a set of restored headlamps.
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Traded car Aug 2019.
2010 2SS/RS LS3 built October 30, 2009; 416ci/6.8L forged LS3 with 495 RWHP@6k/470 TQ@4.4k; Lunati 235/243 .626"/.634" 114LSA +3; Monster LT-1S twin disc, SLP retro badges, MGW shifter/knob, Hotchkis TVS Stage 1, Pedders Street Z bushings, 3.91 Gear swap, red calipers, Z28 CAI, ZL1 side skirts/rock guards, Kooks 1 7/8" headers, SLP front splitter. |
12-21-2017, 10:31 AM | #23 |
hates winter
Drives: Black 2010 2SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Doylestown, PA
Posts: 136
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Just some advice: if you are going to take off the bumper on the ground, remove the fender liners entirely. There is a total of 5 T20 Torx screws and 5 pop rivets per liner. The top bolt on the bumper is impossible to reach otherwise. I spent probably 30 minutes learning that bending the liner back does not give you enough clearance to turn the wrench. With the liner off, it’s still only 1 or 2 clicks on the ratchet per turn. And don’t dimple your fender from the inside like I did with the ratchet, be careful not to hang it against the inside of the fender.
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Traded car Aug 2019.
2010 2SS/RS LS3 built October 30, 2009; 416ci/6.8L forged LS3 with 495 RWHP@6k/470 TQ@4.4k; Lunati 235/243 .626"/.634" 114LSA +3; Monster LT-1S twin disc, SLP retro badges, MGW shifter/knob, Hotchkis TVS Stage 1, Pedders Street Z bushings, 3.91 Gear swap, red calipers, Z28 CAI, ZL1 side skirts/rock guards, Kooks 1 7/8" headers, SLP front splitter. |
12-26-2017, 07:44 AM | #24 |
Drives: 2010 Camaro SS/RS Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: somewhere in MD
Posts: 4,883
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How were you able to pull the projector out from the back? I thought you had to bake the lights to get to the projector.
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2010 2SS/RS
Z/28 intake, NW, FAST 102, speed engineering LT's, some exhaust, ATI -10% pulley, GM flex fuel injectors, DSX flex fuel sensor, MGW shifter, HP Tuners, some suspension work, stickers and a little weight loss. 12.63 @113.53 |
12-26-2017, 11:36 AM | #25 |
hates winter
Drives: Black 2010 2SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Doylestown, PA
Posts: 136
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If you remove the cap for the bulb access, you can get to 4 torx screws (T15 I believe). Loosen them and detach the small plug for the high beam shutter wires. I had removed the ballast and was able to get the small plug open through there; you may not need to remove the ballast but it gets other wires out of the way. You have to turn the reflector this way and that but it will come out. I believe Ofer/gen5diy has stated you can disassemble even more of the projector through the back without baking it. I just stopped once I found the culprit.
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Traded car Aug 2019.
2010 2SS/RS LS3 built October 30, 2009; 416ci/6.8L forged LS3 with 495 RWHP@6k/470 TQ@4.4k; Lunati 235/243 .626"/.634" 114LSA +3; Monster LT-1S twin disc, SLP retro badges, MGW shifter/knob, Hotchkis TVS Stage 1, Pedders Street Z bushings, 3.91 Gear swap, red calipers, Z28 CAI, ZL1 side skirts/rock guards, Kooks 1 7/8" headers, SLP front splitter. |
12-26-2017, 11:59 AM | #26 |
hates winter
Drives: Black 2010 2SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Doylestown, PA
Posts: 136
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I would love to get a list of members who have had the same issue where their factory headlights have gradually failed to put out a safe level of light and present it to Chevrolet for an explanation. I think Chevrolet should have to recall these lights or reimburse people who have had to replace them. If there were states that measured light output as part of a state safety inspection, most of the cars who drove at night often would probably fail. However, since this issue seems to appear when the warranty ends, they probably won’t be concerned in the least.
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Traded car Aug 2019.
2010 2SS/RS LS3 built October 30, 2009; 416ci/6.8L forged LS3 with 495 RWHP@6k/470 TQ@4.4k; Lunati 235/243 .626"/.634" 114LSA +3; Monster LT-1S twin disc, SLP retro badges, MGW shifter/knob, Hotchkis TVS Stage 1, Pedders Street Z bushings, 3.91 Gear swap, red calipers, Z28 CAI, ZL1 side skirts/rock guards, Kooks 1 7/8" headers, SLP front splitter. |
12-26-2017, 04:23 PM | #27 |
Drives: 2010 Camaro SS/RS Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: somewhere in MD
Posts: 4,883
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I think mine are failing but I am looking hard at the tyc lights. Still d1s bulbs?
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2010 2SS/RS
Z/28 intake, NW, FAST 102, speed engineering LT's, some exhaust, ATI -10% pulley, GM flex fuel injectors, DSX flex fuel sensor, MGW shifter, HP Tuners, some suspension work, stickers and a little weight loss. 12.63 @113.53 |
12-26-2017, 07:14 PM | #28 |
hates winter
Drives: Black 2010 2SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Doylestown, PA
Posts: 136
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They are still D1S Philips Osram bulbs with Panasonic ballasts (original were Matsushita - Panasonic’s prior alternate name for some product lines). I actually look forward to driving at night again. I have always loved driving at night and this issue was dampening my fun with the car. I highly recommend checking the reflectors if you can. Most likely that’s the issue.
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Traded car Aug 2019.
2010 2SS/RS LS3 built October 30, 2009; 416ci/6.8L forged LS3 with 495 RWHP@6k/470 TQ@4.4k; Lunati 235/243 .626"/.634" 114LSA +3; Monster LT-1S twin disc, SLP retro badges, MGW shifter/knob, Hotchkis TVS Stage 1, Pedders Street Z bushings, 3.91 Gear swap, red calipers, Z28 CAI, ZL1 side skirts/rock guards, Kooks 1 7/8" headers, SLP front splitter. |
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