If you haven't caught on. The number (9006) is the bulb (filament placement)and assembly up to the base flange area. Simply put from the tip of the glass to the flange. The extension (if any) tell the type of socket it has (straight, or 90 deg) and how long it is. In our case it is an 0 (straight)degree, short. I am interested if they make an XS type. They also make an H3 for the fog lamps.
Actually the plug is identical it's just the 90deg. vs the straight XS that's the issue.
The 9006 bulb doesn't fit the 300 because of the retaining lock ring they use to hold the bulb in place. It interferes with the 90deg bend of the bulb assembly.
The Special HID's are plug compatible with the standard electrical system.
Funny you say that. That's what I kinda had in mind. Not literally a hair dryer, but something compact with a small motor to spin some sort of compression turbine. Just stick it in the air intake and there you have it. An instant electronic supercharger / turbocharger without all the belts, exhaust piping, oiling, etc.
I recall that a small number of posters have related problems with decay of the top rim of the steering wheel. Some owners got a warranty replacement. My 2k with slate interior is showing early signs of this problem. Is there a TSB for this problem? Did the 5* give you any grief?
dont know the TSB but I had mine replaced under warranty. No argument. My opinion is that original has a surface analine dyed leather whereas the new wheel has a drum dyed leather where the dyes get deeper into the leather and wont readily wear off like the original one.
If they give you an argument , point them to the TSB. If they still argue, print out the comments here of posters who had the problem.
This is one mod I will definitely be doing. It looks like the most difficult part of the installation will be the difficulty of removing the headlight assembly in the 300M. The plug-n-play kit should make the actual installation a no-brainer.
I will be working on setting up a group purchase for 300M Enthusiasts Club. We already receive a 10% discount from Midnight Moose, but the group purchase should provide a much greater savings. I'll post details here and on the Club web site when I have something to report.
The most I would try with the aftermarket 9006XS (or whatever the Special's headlight assemblies take -- just because the 300M takes 9006XS doesn't mean the Special does) HID system (bulbs & ballast) is to install it in the Special's assemblies, and only if it is as good quality and is significantly cheaper than those sold by Chrysler.
Installing HID bulbs into headlight assemblies designed for Halogen bulbs is asking for big trouble because the light pattern for HIDs is so much more controlled than for Halogen because they are so much brighter. The top cutoff for HID is abrupt and is lower on the driver's side than the passenger's side. Not so with normal patterns.
If you don't mind blinding yourself in bad weather, and blinding everyone else all of the time, then go ahead and mismatch your bulbs & assemblies. :-)
I read the links you provided (wow, you did some great research) and it seems like everyone has mixed feelings about it. Some say it's great and some say it won't do anything. Is the added 4-5% hp gain (for the eRam) worth the $299? Well, I guess it depends on how deep your pockets are. Thanks for the links, though. I'll read the info on them more thoughorly tonight.
Well, it finally got here. The Tornado Air arrived today and I hope to install it tonight or tomorrow. I'll take some pics to show everyone what it's like and try to give you some "seat of my pants" performance results.
Brought in my 300M for 22500 miles service (had it for 15 months now). Car hasn't been at the dealer since last October. Also have them look at one or two minor rattles coming from the front console/left side. And the steering wheel seems to squeak a bit at low speeds. Overall I am still a happy camper with my 300M. Now it just needs to get detailed again.
beach15 - I know you had quite some problems with rattles on your 300M. But I assume they were not there in the beginning. So don't you think you have to wait and see first how the Chevy holds up after a year or two? Isn't it too early to tell?
Rented a Plymouth Neon from the dealer today. Was more convenient this way. I have to say its 4 cylinder engine is a lot noisier than my girl friend's 2000 Nissan Sentra. The Neon is a nice little car. But at low RPMs it almost sounds/feels like a Diesel... Maybe I am just too spoiled by the M's V-6.
First, daughter doing fine after minor surgery. Seems she MAY have passed a kidney stone, but still has interstatial cystitis. Poor kid (18 yrs old kid?!..) hurting as they inserted a tube to scope her out....she's home from school today recuperating from the experience. videoman1: I await your report with baited breath as I too--once upon a time--mentioned the Tornado Air here on this board....eyebrows are still singed, but growing back! See you 2nite in the chatroom......hopefully...... Doc
Dude your way up there I live like 50 miles south. What's with the weather? Don't know? Why is it 85 in NYC in April? Must be all that polar ice melting
Silverbullet - I had my steering wheel replaced about 2-3 months ago. I walked in, they looked at it, they ordered a new one. The actual repair took about an hour. Now, they forgot the order initially - said they would call in about a week - I forgot about it so 2 wk later I called them, they were like, oh, um yeah, should be here next week! lol. Otherwise, they didn't give me any grief. Several people menitoned it felt more like cardboard than the orig - however, I find it more like leather. The orig was a little slick.
I think I kind of remember that Chrysler made a big deal out of getting 250hp out of a V-6. Unfortunately I don't know much about engines :-( So what did Acura for example do to get their 3.2L up to 260hp (for some reason I thought there was a TL with a 3.5L and 280 hp - but after checking their Web site I see I am mistaken)? Would there have been a way for DC to get the Special up to 280hp? Although after reading Ruski's posts it seems like Acura didn't do enough on updating their transmission to handle the extra power. Anyway, I can't wait for the 300N with a 5.7 HEMI. I better start saving money now...
But the Type-S produces 260hp, or am I mistaken? So am wondering what they did to their engine...
When I drove my 300M to the dealer this morning I noticed that the squeaking sound that I can hear when turning the steering wheel at low speeds actually comes more from the center of the front console rather than the steering column, which seems strange. But the dealer did confirm that and they need to take off the console and check out what is going on. So I won't get the car back today :-( Well I am glad they were at least able to reproduce it. Has anyone else heard of this problem? I just hope they put it all back together nicely. So far I have to say that I am very happy with the dealership (Normandin Chrysler in San Jose). They seem to be very professional.
I agree with Scotian...it's not just the bulb and ballasts, it's the reflector and optics that have to be specially made to work with HID lights. In addition, I believe the European specs call for self-leveling motors on HID lights.
Dan Stern is a good source for de-bunking HID myths. Check out his FAQ file:
Glad to hear somebody in San Jose, Normandin Chrysler is closest to me. Please rate their services, I may need it someday. So far I haven't brought my M to any shop yet, I change oil myself. No trouble so far except the fuel gauge went down twice and very small movement with my driver seat. Mine is 01' Cinnamon. What is you? I may spot you someday, I take Almaden Expy everyday. Have you done any mod yet? I haven't.
My wife took my digital camera with her and she won't be back for a couple of days. Perfect quiet and secrecy for painting my calipers, but unfortunately no pictures of the process.
I'm not promising anything with the Avalanche yet, but I never did with the M either. We now have about 1,400 miles and still not any odd noises to report, knock on wood. GM is known for their cheap, plastic, junky, rattlebox cars, but so far, the Av and it's normal SUV cousins don't seem to follow the trend. I'm assuming we'll have good luck with this vehicle, but by 2k, the M had already started to rattle.
Just read yesterday on the G35 board a post from a former 99' M owner that bought his in April or May of 1998 and just traded it in on the Infiniti. I don't remember much, but when Ruski asked him about it, he said the M had started to squeak and creak quite a bit and he got a good deal on the G35 so he went for it.
Quick, go get a disposable camera and have them develop the film on cd-rom. I'd hate to miss out on the procedure of painting the calipers. Your documentation of your mods is one of the best out there.
I'm sitting here waiting the 5 minutes for the paint to "react" and be ready for application. The instructions with the G2 kit are very easy to follow. The key is to decide what you want to paint and then have a steady hand. They include spray brake cleaner, paint brush, stirring stick, paint and reactor (that gets added to the paint in a 1:4 ratio). The pictures after the fact will help you decide what to paint...which is the real issue here.
Anyone here paint their calipers yet? Did you pain the cross-shaped retaining clip on the front of the caliper? I'm thinking "no", but since it's permanent....hmmmm
...that Big O tire, in fact, DID only tighten my lugs to about 80 lbs. They were easy to break loose, unlike overtightened lugs. Three cheers for a reputable shop! hip hip...
Folks, it really is not a good thing to copy and paste messages from another discussion into this one. Of course everyone is welcome to go the G35 discussion and contribute if you want to do so, but it is not really an okay thing to do to copy someone's posts into a different discussion when that person doesn't even know that has happened.
Just think how you might feel if someone came here, copied one of your posts and then pasted it into some other discussion of which you know nothing and do not know to be there to explain in any way what you meant, should someone question your message.
I used to live down in Santa Clara but have moved up recently to Mountain View. So I am not that often in the San Jose area any more. I have a 2001 in steel blue and mine is easily recognizable because of the license plate: "Atari". I haven't done any mods either. I feel like I don't want to mess with a natural beauty :-)
So far Normandin has always done good work. Most of my problems were minor. But I always felt they were sincere in solving any issues I brought up. One time my climate control was not working well in extreme heat. They didn't get it fixed the first time. So one of their mechanics kept the car over the weekend and was able to reproduce it and then it got fixed within a day. Their whole service department looks very clean.
Do the 300M Special headlight assemblies take the 9006XS HID bulbs? If so, the aftermarket HIDs recently discussed here would be worth considering with the additional purchase of Special assemblies.
Well, I agree - the rattles are a concern. I had a first generation Ford Probe and when it got older there were quite some rattles. But not so bad that I couldn't live with them. Of course, on a nice car like the 300M they are even more annoying. I hope DC improves there. Here in Silicon Valley you almost stand out when driving an American sedan. Everyone else drives imports. I am originally from Germany and have seen/driven enough BMWs. I like the distinct U.S. styling. Although GM does have to improve on the interiors of their Chevy & Pontiac line up. I almost bought a Grand Prix but was turned off by the Lego like buttons and knobs. Seems like GM always wants to be ready in an instance to have their cars star as the next KITT in a new TV show.
The car that I owned with the least amount of rattles was a 1990 Mitsubishi Eclipse. I bought int 1989, and for 10 years and 125,000 miles it was 100% rattle free. Amazing if you ask me.
A couple of observations about caliper painting. 1) Do it in a well ventilated and well lit area. I would suggest doing it outside in nice weather (not in a garage with a halogen flood as your lighting source) 2) If you're over 35, get yourself a pair of cheap reading glasses from K-mart. The closer you can focus on your work, the better. 3) It's impossible to do a perfect job without removing the calipers and pads, so don't expect it. Otherwise you'll get frustrated. 4) The wheels will cover 50% of the work, and only in the rarest instances will anyone get within 10 feet of your calipers. Therefore, don't have a heart attack when you read item #3. 5) Have paint thinner and some rags around. You'll likely get paint all over your hands because a lot of your work will be with the brush upside down with paint running down the handle. Remember, it has to be put on thick. Caliper paint is VERY difficult to get off stuff. lol
Too bad, I don't go to Mnt. View that often. Have you ever tried Anderson Chrysler/Chervolet in Cupertino? I brought my M there. I agree with you it is almost outstanding to drive American sedan in Silicon Valley. But interesting is that people wondering why you buy American, not Euro or [non-permissible content removed]. Poor American auto makers! I don't know whether they're trying hard to bring back the confident? Like M is a very nice car in this price range, but I don't see any promotion at all in here.
ok..before someone corrects me, the clips on the front appear to NOT be part of the permanent system, but rather attached to the outside pad. Well, I painted them anyway. At least it's a self correcting problem. Next time the pads are replaced the error will be fixed.
Chrysler made a big deal about 250+HP because it was first in the HP game. Back in 1998 when 300M and Acura TL first came out, 300M had 253HP while Acura TL only made 225HP.
Then Chrysler sat on its hands while Acura rattled out: - 5 speed tranny (albeit of a questionable quality) - memory seats and mirrors - 260HP for TL-S and CL-S
However while 260HP is a great number, Acura's engine only produces 230 lbs*ft torque. So they either don't know how to make more torque or they do but they also know that they should not or else the tranny won't last a day.
Compare all that to 240HP and 280 lbs*ft torque in Pontiac Grand Prix GTP. And that tranny actually lasts because it is designed to handle up to 280 lbs*ft torque.
Or the new Infiniti G35 with 260HP and 260 lbs*ft torque... too bad my 300M lease ended before G35 came out.
I've always loved the 97'-on GP's, especially a coupe with chrome wheels! There are only a few issues. The GTP w/SC requires Premium, but the normal 3.8 is no slouch itself. And the interior, especially the dash, doesn't win any awards in my book. Cheap, hard, shiny plastic that feels rather brittle and is just asking for rattles after not too long. Other than that, it could use a slightly more sophisticated suspension but still does well as far as ride & handling.
From what I've seen, the 04' is a big improvement, especially on the inside. I just don't like the front end, as there seems to be too much "dead space" on the front fascia. My grandmother had a 92' GP LE sedan for about 7 years and 95k miles and never had a single problem with it, despite the not so nice way she drives. She replaced it a few years ago with a 99' Olds Intrigue GX and it's been good too, with just a few minor warranty fixes, but my grandfather still says it "worries him" after the warranty is up what will happen.
Greetings, I also am in the market for a brake upgrade on my 99 non PHP 300M. So I went by the 5* and asked about replacing the rotors, pads, calipers,etc... with PHP or Special parts.
The following is the parts for the front calipers L&R, Pads and Externally Vented PHP rotors, These are the same parts used on the 2002 300M Special.Or so I'm told, which I am also told will work on my 99. R.F. Caliper: 5010032AA $99.45 L.F. Caliper: 5010033AA $99.45 F. Rotors: 4779133AA $114.00 (set) F. Pads: 5018595AA $113.00 (set)
If anyone knows any different re: if these will/will not work please say so.
forgot to mention how I like the 300M's seat memory better than the one in Acura TL-S
Acura's memory system only works on seats and mirrors, not the radio.
Remote #1 is always responsible for position #1 and remote #2 is always responsible for position #2. Numbers 1 and 2 are actually printed on the remotes.
You can link and unlink the remotes. If you unlink them, they don't activate the positions anymore.
Now the position activation philosophy is kind of weird - the seat starts moving to its position only AFTER you open the door. Beats my wife's RX300 that does not even allow linking the remotes to the seat memory... But this was a big disappointment to me after I got spoiled by the memory feautures in my Buick Riviera and Chrysler 300M - the seat moved to its position as soon as I pressed the Unlock button on the remote, while I was walking to the car. Then I just had to open the door and hop into the seat. With the Acura, I press the Unlock button, walk to the car, open the door, stand outside and wait while the seat moves (could be in pooring rain). Sounds pretty dumb to me.
Thanks for the information. I'll add it to the parts list that I keep on my web site. You might want to check there just to see if I have any of those parts listed, and if the numbers match. I know 300michael gave me the numbers to make a non-php a php, so that's at least some interesting reading.
Comments
The 9006 bulb doesn't fit the 300 because of the retaining lock ring they use to hold the bulb in place. It interferes with the 90deg bend of the bulb assembly.
The Special HID's are plug compatible with the standard electrical system.
Thanks in advance,
Silver
If they give you an argument , point them to the TSB. If they still argue, print out the comments here of posters who had the problem.
http://www.midnightmoose.com/hidfaq.htm
This is one mod I will definitely be doing. It looks like the most difficult part of the installation will be the difficulty of removing the headlight assembly in the 300M. The plug-n-play kit should make the actual installation a no-brainer.
I will be working on setting up a group purchase for 300M Enthusiasts Club. We already receive a 10% discount from Midnight Moose, but the group purchase should provide a much greater savings. I'll post details here and on the Club web site when I have something to report.
Didn't get to the Chrysler dealer yet on Military Trail. I'm near Lake Worth Rd. and Jog Rd. in Lake Worth.
Have seen a few 300's here. What's with this weather? In all the years that I have been coming down here, I never saw it as crazy as this week.
Sun is out. Have to run before it starts pouring again! ;-))
fastdriver
http://www.electricsupercharger.com/www-electricsupercharger-com/Autoframe.htm
http://www.turbodyne.com/products/1500.html
http://www.asensio.com/Turbodyne/Turbodyne3.htm
http://home.att.net/~t.vago/eram-waste-howto.html
http://web2.iadfw.net/nunnally/sts/revieweram.htm
http://www.stealth-3000gt.st/FAQeram.htm
http://www.coldair.org/archives/0001/msg00525.html
http://www.coldair.org/archives/9807/msg00315.html
http://www.teamfc3s.org/talk/na/messages/3064.html
http://forums.vmag.com/suvrodeo1099/messages/3259.html
http://www.240sx.org/faq/articles/superchargers.htm
http://users2.ev1.net/~subaru/E-Ram_installation.htm
Installing HID bulbs into headlight assemblies designed for Halogen bulbs is asking for big trouble because the light pattern for HIDs is so much more controlled than for Halogen because they are so much brighter. The top cutoff for HID is abrupt and is lower on the driver's side than the passenger's side. Not so with normal patterns.
If you don't mind blinding yourself in bad weather, and blinding everyone else all of the time, then go ahead and mismatch your bulbs & assemblies. :-)
I read the links you provided (wow, you did some great research) and it seems like everyone has mixed feelings about it. Some say it's great and some say it won't do anything. Is the added 4-5% hp gain (for the eRam) worth the $299? Well, I guess it depends on how deep your pockets are. Thanks for the links, though. I'll read the info on them more thoughorly tonight.
http://public.fotki.com/Scotian/300m/engine/air_intake/throttle_body/wot_switch/
beach15 - I know you had quite some problems with rattles on your 300M. But I assume they were not there in the beginning. So don't you think you have to wait and see first how the Chevy holds up after a year or two? Isn't it too early to tell?
Rented a Plymouth Neon from the dealer today. Was more convenient this way. I have to say its 4 cylinder engine is a lot noisier than my girl friend's 2000 Nissan Sentra. The Neon is a nice little car. But at low RPMs it almost sounds/feels like a Diesel... Maybe I am just too spoiled by the M's V-6.
videoman1: I await your report with baited breath as I too--once upon a time--mentioned the Tornado Air here on this board....eyebrows are still singed, but growing back!
See you 2nite in the chatroom......hopefully......
Doc
videoman - I'm interested as well
When I drove my 300M to the dealer this morning I noticed that the squeaking sound that I can hear when turning the steering wheel at low speeds actually comes more from the center of the front console rather than the steering column, which seems strange. But the dealer did confirm that and they need to take off the console and check out what is going on. So I won't get the car back today :-( Well I am glad they were at least able to reproduce it. Has anyone else heard of this problem? I just hope they put it all back together nicely. So far I have to say that I am very happy with the dealership (Normandin Chrysler in San Jose). They seem to be very professional.
Dan Stern is a good source for de-bunking HID myths. Check out his FAQ file:
http://lighting.mbz.org/
Tom
Just read yesterday on the G35 board a post from a former 99' M owner that bought his in April or May of 1998 and just traded it in on the Infiniti. I don't remember much, but when Ruski asked him about it, he said the M had started to squeak and creak quite a bit and he got a good deal on the G35 so he went for it.
Anyone here paint their calipers yet? Did you pain the cross-shaped retaining clip on the front of the caliper? I'm thinking "no", but since it's permanent....hmmmm
ok...time to try this painting thingy..
Just think how you might feel if someone came here, copied one of your posts and then pasted it into some other discussion of which you know nothing and do not know to be there to explain in any way what you meant, should someone question your message.
Make sense?
Pat
Sedans Host
So far Normandin has always done good work. Most of my problems were minor. But I always felt they were sincere in solving any issues I brought up. One time my climate control was not working well in extreme heat. They didn't get it fixed the first time. So one of their mechanics kept the car over the weekend and was able to reproduce it and then it got fixed within a day. Their whole service department looks very clean.
A couple of observations about caliper painting. 1) Do it in a well ventilated and well lit area. I would suggest doing it outside in nice weather (not in a garage with a halogen flood as your lighting source) 2) If you're over 35, get yourself a pair of cheap reading glasses from K-mart. The closer you can focus on your work, the better.
More later
I agree with you it is almost outstanding to drive American sedan in Silicon Valley. But interesting is that people wondering why you buy American, not Euro or [non-permissible content removed]. Poor American auto makers! I don't know whether they're trying hard to bring back the confident? Like M is a very nice car in this price range, but I don't see any promotion at all in here.
Then Chrysler sat on its hands while Acura rattled out:
- 5 speed tranny (albeit of a questionable quality)
- memory seats and mirrors
- 260HP for TL-S and CL-S
However while 260HP is a great number, Acura's engine only produces 230 lbs*ft torque. So they either don't know how to make more torque or they do but they also know that they should not or else the tranny won't last a day.
Compare all that to 240HP and 280 lbs*ft torque in Pontiac Grand Prix GTP. And that tranny actually lasts because it is designed to handle up to 280 lbs*ft torque.
Or the new Infiniti G35 with 260HP and 260 lbs*ft torque... too bad my 300M lease ended before G35 came out.
Check out this - last week, for a few days it was in the 70's in Siberia. Then overnight it dropped to -10 or so. Now that's crazy weather.
From what I've seen, the 04' is a big improvement, especially on the inside. I just don't like the front end, as there seems to be too much "dead space" on the front fascia. My grandmother had a 92' GP LE sedan for about 7 years and 95k miles and never had a single problem with it, despite the not so nice way she drives. She replaced it a few years ago with a 99' Olds Intrigue GX and it's been good too, with just a few minor warranty fixes, but my grandfather still says it "worries him" after the warranty is up what will happen.
I also am in the market for a brake upgrade on my 99 non PHP 300M. So I went by the 5* and asked about replacing the rotors, pads, calipers,etc...
with PHP or Special parts.
The following is the parts for the front calipers L&R, Pads and Externally Vented PHP rotors,
These are the same parts used on the 2002 300M Special.Or so I'm told, which I am also told will work on my 99.
R.F. Caliper: 5010032AA $99.45
L.F. Caliper: 5010033AA $99.45
F. Rotors: 4779133AA $114.00 (set)
F. Pads: 5018595AA $113.00 (set)
If anyone knows any different re: if these will/will not work please say so.
Acura's memory system only works on seats and mirrors, not the radio.
Remote #1 is always responsible for position #1 and remote #2 is always responsible for position #2. Numbers 1 and 2 are actually printed on the remotes.
You can link and unlink the remotes. If you unlink them, they don't activate the positions anymore.
Now the position activation philosophy is kind of weird - the seat starts moving to its position only AFTER you open the door. Beats my wife's RX300 that does not even allow linking the remotes to the seat memory... But this was a big disappointment to me after I got spoiled by the memory feautures in my Buick Riviera and Chrysler 300M - the seat moved to its position as soon as I pressed the Unlock button on the remote, while I was walking to the car. Then I just had to open the door and hop into the seat. With the Acura, I press the Unlock button, walk to the car, open the door, stand outside and wait while the seat moves (could be in pooring rain). Sounds pretty dumb to me.
http://www.ritchiefamily.com/300m.htm