I would have opted for OEM parts, but just like most, I tried to do this at best at lowest budget possible.
This mod may not be for all, so please keep negative comments to yourself.
Thanks foremost for those who gave me thumbs up on this project and those who have helped me give the suggestions and instructions of how to remove bumper, and headlights and also install HIDs.

Used FK projections with Angel eyes: $225.00 (I disabled the halos)
Oznium Flexible LED strips 19"x3 : $ 60.00
VVME H7 6000k HID kit : $42.00 (x2 -got a set for my passat too-plus ridicilous shipping ($106.00total)
Heat Gun: $10.00!
I already have all the other tools, parts i need in the garage:
Silicone, 3m double sided mounting tape, pliers, cleaning stuff, etc.

Pictures of FKs, LEDs, heat gun,

There are many websites offering LEDs- but I found Oznium to be reasonable and so far good products. I ordered previously from them- same type of LEDs for my FOG grills. They were on my car almost 3 months- unprotected other than it's own encasing and it has survived rain, heat, cold, carwash, 100+mph speeds. see older photo below with the LOWER LEDS... I have since disconnected them..well, not really- I am adding a switch for the lower LEDs - as auxilliary lighting when the need arises...

The inside area where the LEDs will be placed is about 18". Oznium sells them at different sizes, one being 19". But it can be cut (there is mark where you can cut it w/out affecting powersource)

I tried the oven but ended up using the heatgun which i found a lot easier to work with (I've reopened these lamps for 3 times already..dont ask me why--it was my own faults- errors-- but i'll try to save you all from making the mistakes i made)
Start heating the seams between the lens and the housing. Give a distance of about 6" as you dont want to melt your lenses. About 10" of continuous blast of heat gun, going round and round and round....
The picture below shows i'm holding the Lamp, but in actuality, i had it sitting on a plastic crate most of the time im blasting it with the heat gun.

HAVE PATIENCE! When you start prying it.. You can use a flat wide screwdriver to pry it AT THE BOTTOM to loosen up the seams..BUT- dont over do it!!! that was one of my mistakes... USE gloves, or be stupid like me as in the photos. At any rate, keep blasting it with the heat gun if you feel that it is still very difficult..IT WILL EVENTUALLY PRY OFF! AND WATCH FOR THE STICKY GLUE/TAR LIKE SUBSTANCE THEY USE. Once off, clean the lens off with all the crud stuck to it. As for the glue in the housing--- leave it!!! you will use that later to re-seal the lamps.

Once apart, you will see a black piece trim attached to the lens. It is secured with 2 screws at the bottom.. remove them!

Once they're separated. You can start installing the LEDs- I used a clear 3m double sided tape to secure the bottom of the LEDs. Then used a
black sturdy foam pieces to keep them in place. You don't have to go all out with securing them with glue or otherstuff.. the black trim that you have removed will press it down securely.

By the way, there is a built in wire for the LED and I opted to have the wires on the inside end of the lamp (underneath the high beam area) But again, the wires will be hidden under the black trim piece once put back together.
**The LED strip is abuot 1/4 in height. So as you can see on the following photos- the black trim will be raised of that same height, and you will notice that the black side trim will no longer fit. YOU have to cut it off from the main lower black piece- and then you are going to cut the lower black trim to accomodate a big enough gap for that side trim to fit.
see pic:

Once you have it all trimmed (i had to use a black marker to hide the scratches i created trimming the piece) you should be able to secure the
black lower trim to press down on the LEDs, screw them back in there, and also add the now separated side trim- which should fit properly with the little cut you had to make. (see picture above again!) It should hold itself up since there's a small intrusion on the top of the lens to "hook" it too.. you'll see it.. MAKE SURE THAT SIDE TRIM is properly set in its area or otherwise it may block the movement of the inside housing (for beam adjusting) That was my other mistake...
The lower black trim now also acts as a hood/shade for the LEDs So they can be seen during the day and also minimizes any light spill into the housing.

Now you're ready to heat up the glue that was left in the main housing.
Once they're soft and gooey-- you can them add the lens back and press them really good! I used a big plier with paddings to press the seams together.. I did this all myself--BUT IT WILL BE EASIER IF YOU HAVE ANOTHER SET OF HANDS HELPING YOU.

I used silicone to fill the seams to ensure water tightness (fingers crossed). Mind you, putting it back together may not be as clean/perfect as it was before you started working on it.. That's why use silicone to just fill in any gaps. DO NOT USE SILICONE TO REPLACE THE GLUE THAT HOLDS THESE LENSES. SILICONE ARE HEAT RESISTANT AND DOES NOT MELT WITH HEAT GUN- in the event that you have to reopen the headlamps..IF EVER...
The wires are then routed through the lamp- and exited via a small rubber tube- its the actual 'vent' for condensation heat-- you'll see at the back of the headlamp unit. The wires are then tapped in to the parking lamp wires. I ran a wire from the passenger side LED- (hidden under the engine bay weather strip- then connected with the driver side LED wires- tapped into the driver side parking lamp. The LEDs turns on with the parking lamps.
AND HERE YA GO..

Modified by tiptronic at 8:59 PM 4/19/2008

07 A3 2.0T S-tronic ; 2001.5 Passat GLX v6.

Thank you!

...step your shoe game up!!

Awesome write-up

Why can't we have write ups like this all the time

AUDI A3 FTW

maybe its time to buy a proper heat gun instead of using my grandma's old hair drier...

I got serious with this project after seeing the post by George@Fourtitude- about an s4/a4 from AudisportsIberica(spain)
when they've installed an LED strip inside the b7/A4 avant headlamps.

I intially had a "pseudo" LED "angel brows" and a custom made lower fog grill LED strips.. it worked well, but I wanted them inside the headlamps to make it "oem". And thanks for another member/vortexer who "egged" me on with this project!

Now removing bumpers and opening the headlamps are like second nature!! did it total 3 Times! in one week..haha

e

Modified by tiptronic at 5:25 PM 4-21-2008

07 A3 2.0T S-tronic ; 2001.5 Passat GLX v6.

07 A3 2.0T S-tronic ; 2001.5 Passat GLX v6.

WHITE!!! Their output resembles that of a 6000kelvin hue hence they appear 'bluish' . Blue leds will be too blue and just doesnt look right on a car unless you want your car to look like there's no shortage on rice hehe...

I believe they offer a 'warm' white leds- but it may appear somewhat yellowish....
Luckily the white LEDs i have on the car matches the HIDs output as you can see on the photos.

e

Modified by tiptronic at 12:11 PM 5-1-2008

07 A3 2.0T S-tronic ; 2001.5 Passat GLX v6.

Extra points for custom work of putting in the Audi logo inside the housings.

I'm too scared to touch my OEM HIDs though.

I tried this before...In the past, like 4 years ago, I had $150 set of projectors for my import hatch. I had the insides painted to match the car color. [gun metal metallic gray]

I wanted to move my turn signals into the halos. So I opened them up and the process was about the same; except mine was putting extra set of LEDs behind the Halos, which required drilling.

It was my first project and the custom set up, the heat eventually melted the soldering off the contacts in the back...why pre-made strips in a simpler set up work best.

e

07 A3 2.0T S-tronic ; 2001.5 Passat GLX v6.

e

07 A3 2.0T S-tronic ; 2001.5 Passat GLX v6.

also what's this relfector that you're talking about? is it something that you bought or customized?

The Oz Flexistrips has since been removed from the Fk housing. I did get a brighter set of the same flexible strips (for some reason, whiter, rather than having a bluish hue- more neutral, than cool white- so it is brighter) after i have emailed them about he failure i had with one of the strips. However, i have 24 4chips waiting to get fitted in the fK projection, and still having some design/fitting issue- clearance and aesthetics. I want it as clean as possible. but if that plan fails, i will be using the new flexible strips in the headlamps. The 4chip LEDs in the fog grills has worked flawlessly- and has served as pseudo-DRLs for its brightness. Once i figure out a way to mount the 4chips inside, it should look lsimilar to the audi TTS leds.
e

07 A3 2.0T S-tronic ; 2001.5 Passat GLX v6.

Did you ever figure out where to buy these LEDs that are more OEM in their nature in terms of using reflectors? Also, did you take any pics of the wiring process. You sort of glossed over it in the original DIY, but I'd love to see any pics or some more detail on exactly what you did and how you wired it? Could it be wired to the fogs as well?

Yes you can buy hi powered / 1or more watt LEDs- like from Oznium.com or Luxeon.com but they are very expensive and requires professional installation with proper quality materials. Housing (chrome) and reflectors/ or collimators (lens) also requires customization/fabrication- so no, not worth through the trouble- better of buying the tru S6 units.
As for the 4chip im using- they're as bright as the ones on the new A4 or TTS. The small dome lens built over the 4chip/diode leds does a pretty good job.



Modified by tiptronic at 11:53 AM 7-21-2008

07 A3 2.0T S-tronic ; 2001.5 Passat GLX v6.

I'm trying to put my 4 chips in both the fogs as well as the headlights but I"m having trouble finding a suitable strip to install the lights into. Got any ideas?

oh and for mounting the 4chips into where your fog lights are, did you have to make any incisions or anything? My S4 has fake air ventilations so I'm trying to figure out if i need to cute anything and how to hold the leds in place

As for the headlights- i have the materials, i think, to mount them- just a matter of getting started with it and finding out if it'll work.

e

07 A3 2.0T S-tronic ; 2001.5 Passat GLX v6.

http://www.oznium.com/led-flex-strips

07 A3 2.0T S-tronic ; 2001.5 Passat GLX v6.

do you know what materials you're gonna be using? I'm going to be starting work the first week of august and I don't mind if I become your guinea pig ^.^