DIY installing LCI tail lights (Blacklines)...

[Section147]

1). Ordered from ECS Tuning yesterday.

2). UPS shows up at my door this afternoon.

3). Half-hour later:



Love the look. Very subtle. Wasn't going for the can-of-tint-spray or the Lamin-x-type wrap effect. As someone mentioned (Dack?),
the look is very much like a VW tail. Very nicely smoked...classy. It separates the tails (especially on a red car) better that the ones
that came on the vehicle.

[froop]

Sorry for the poor iPhone photos but here's a photo I took last night midway through install, and then the finished product this morning

[cptJLPicard]

As always, excellent write up Dackel, thanks! Do you know if the same parts would fit my Canadian 08 135i w/Xenon and AHL? Would there be coding required?

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by cptJLPicard

As always, excellent write up Dackel, thanks! Do you know if the same parts would fit my Canadian 08 135i w/Xenon and AHL? Would there be coding required?

Even though BMW says you need an adapter cable for early cars (cars built before Sept, '09) I have not seen anyone say they needed one! So I believe these LCI lights (either Blacklines or regular ones) are totally "plug & play"!

[cptJLPicard]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

Even though BMW says you need an adapter cable for early cars (cars built before Sept, '09) I have not seen anyone say they needed one! So I believe these LCI lights (either Blacklines or regular ones) are totally "plug & play"!

Do you happen to know what the part # is for the adapter? Just in case I run into with the guys at the dealership.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by cptJLPicard

Do you happen to know what the part # is for the adapter? Just in case I run into with the guys at the dealership.

bmw part #61122219698 (they say you need two @60 euros each).

http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...76&hg=63&fg=95



I really would not order the cable(s)... bc like I said so many people here have installed the LCI's and LCI Blacklines with no trouble what so ever.

And here is the Blackline Kit bmw part #63212225282 (for two tinted tail lights). It is cheaper order the #282 kit vs each tail light individually. A US dealer can not order these bc the part does not have DOT approval. But as we all know... they work just fine on our cars.

[cptJLPicard]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

bmw part #61122219698 (they say you need two @60 euros each).

http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...76&hg=63&fg=95



I really would not order the cable(s)... bc like I said so many people here have installed the LCI's and LCI Blacklines with no trouble what so ever.

And here is the Blackline Kit bmw part #63212225282 (for two tinted tail lights). It is cheaper order the #282 kit vs each tail light individually. A US dealer can not order these bc the part does not have DOT approval. But as we all know... they work just fine on our cars.

Dackel, you rock!! I'll try ordering tomorrow. If they say no can do, I'll get them from ECS. Thanks again for your help

[WINDman]

I just ordered some as well directly from Germany

[OrangeCrush]

Hey Dack! I just installed my blacklines but I am worried I did incorrectly. Did you remove one of the plastic washers off of your new lights before installing? I noticed on the original lights that one of the 3 bolts didn't have the washer on it. And now looking at it, I noticed that this washer sits a little on the seal. It is the one closest to the license plate. Do think this will cause an issue with the seal?

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by OrangeCrush

Hey Dack! I just installed my blacklines but I am worried I did incorrectly. Did you remove one of the plastic washers off of your new lights before installing? I noticed on the original lights that one of the 3 bolts didn't have the washer on it. And now looking at it, I noticed that this washer sits a little on the seal. It is the one closest to the license plate. Do think this will cause an issue with the seal?

I do not think mine had any washers.

Q). is how do your tail lights fit? IF they are flush I would not worry about it. You could also try and water test them, and pull some of the inner truck carpet out and check for any leaks. But I am fairly sure mine Blacklines only had that foam gasket and no washers on the studs or threads.


Dack

[OrangeCrush]

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=708869

You can see the white plastic washers in this thread. Notice how it is missing from the one that would touch the foam gasket? I did not remove that one. I am worried that it will deform the gasket enough that it doesn't seal.

[fredy]

Great!!

[chrisko]

Thanks for such a comprehensive DIY!

I just ordered mine and this has made me even more anxious to get them installed!

[SGM <3]

I installed mine a few moths ago and just recently they started leaking and shorted all the electronics in my car

Luckily I was still covered by warranty, but just as a heads up I'd check to make sure your seals are tight if you do this yourself.

Cheers!

[chrisko]

Mine just got delivered 5 minutes ago. Did you have to take off those little rubber seals on the light like in the video? Or can you just leave them on? I assumed he did that because of it being a convertible or something.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by chrisko

Mine just got delivered 5 minutes ago. Did you have to take off those little rubber seals on the light like in the video? Or can you just leave them on? I assumed he did that because of it being a convertible or something.

You leave the foam gasket on the new lights. When you remove the old tails... you will see the foam will have molded to the body opening for the lights.

Don't go crazy when you torque the new tails in place. The nuts/studs feel like they could break off IF over torqued.

Also before you snug the new tails in place... you will see you can move around the light housing some what - make sure all the body gaps are linear. Then your good to go!

[Section147]

Perfect instructions, Dack.

I followed each of those steps when installing mine in August and it's been all good.

[chrisko]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

You leave the foam gasket on the new lights. When you remove the old tails... you will see the foam will have molded to the body opening for the lights.

Don't go crazy when you torque the new tails in place. The nuts/studs feel like they could break off IF over torqued.

Also before you snug the new tails in place... you will see you can move around the light housing some what - make sure all the body gaps are linear. Then your good to go!

Perfect! Thanks for answering my question more thoroughly than I would have ever expected! You've been a great deal of help

[chrisko]

Thanks for all the help and tips, this was the result:





Love it

[vodycolk]

/\ I've seen your photos on instagram haha.

Once word of caution, keep a good hand on the nuts when you take them off/put them on. I dropped one underneath all the trunk carpeting and I had to take 3/4 of it apart to retrive it.

[chrisko]

Originally Posted by Volksfragen

/\ I've seen your photos on instagram haha.

Once word of caution, keep a good hand on the nuts when you take them off/put them on. I dropped one underneath all the trunk carpeting and I had to take 3/4 of it apart to retrive it.

Haha small world, or good hashtagging on my part

Yeah, I kept a magnet at the tip of my socket just in case they slipped through my fingers.

[andnkuhn]

thanks for the great write up! you couldn't have explained it better.

I the LCI NON blacklines..i have space gray and im not a big fan of the murdered out look. I put tints on so it makes it look darker already. so i wanted more contrast and stayed with the non-blacklines...had my car been white i would def get the black lines... thanks again dack