DIY installing LCI tail lights (Blacklines)...

[BGR]

Installed these this morning. Went smoothly. Tried to match the hight of the OEM tail lights as you can do some adjusting before/as tightening the nuts down.

[CAVU]

I installed my LCI Blacklines this morning. Thanks to Dack and others who contributed to this DIY. Installation was straightforward. Here are some before and after photos.

[Dackelone]

@RickMsport looking good!

[CAVU]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

The black foam seal that seals the tail lights to the car body. If the tail light is not tight enough... water can leak into the car. Also make sure the rubber flap/seal of the tail light is routed correctly to "deflect" water around the trunk seal.

I took a look at the deflector seal today. The left one is fairly flush with the body of the car, but the right one has a significant gap. I plan to loosen the nuts and take another try at it, but the rubber seal nests where it wants to nest, there is not enough adjustment in the position of the lens assembly to get the seal to lay flush. I'll try to get a before photo and report how well I'm able to close the gap. If anybody has any other ideas please post!

[CM]

Originally Posted by RickMsport

I took a look at the deflector seal today. The left one is fairly flush with the body of the car, but the right one has a significant gap. I plan to loosen the nuts and take another try at it, but the rubber seal nests where it wants to nest, there is not enough adjustment in the position of the lens assembly to get the seal to lay flush. I'll try to get a before photo and report how well I'm able to close the gap. If anybody has any other ideas please post!

I'd be interested to see the pics RickMsport. I'm planning to install my blacklines this weekend and I want to see if I have that same gap.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by RickMsport

I took a look at the deflector seal today. The left one is fairly flush with the body of the car, but the right one has a significant gap. I plan to loosen the nuts and take another try at it, but the rubber seal nests where it wants to nest, there is not enough adjustment in the position of the lens assembly to get the seal to lay flush. I'll try to get a before photo and report how well I'm able to close the gap. If anybody has any other ideas please post!

Was your car ever rear ended? Wreck ? I guess you could always buy some foam tape at any hardware store and use that to layer up more foam so it seals better.

You can also buy the foam seal separately from bmw...

p/n 63217303319
p/n 63217303320

http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...63&fg=20&hl=32

[CAVU]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

Was your car ever rear ended? Wreck ? I guess you could always buy some foam tape at any hardware store and use that to layer up more foam so it seals better.

You can also buy the foam seal separately from bmw...

p/n 63217303319
p/n 63217303320

http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...63&fg=20&hl=32

No, the car has never been involved in a collision. I might have inadvertently referenced the wrong "seal" in my original post. The issue is not with the foam seals behind the taillight assemblies, it is the integrated rubber seals that divert water from the longitudinal trunk lid channels over the top of the taillight assemblies. It is almost as if the seals were improperly manufactured and lacking a small amount of interference fit molded into their shape.

I loosened all mounting nuts this afternoon and confirmed that even maximum available rotation on the Y axis doesn't allow the seals to come even close to seating properly. I took some photos after putting it all back together.

I'm not sure what I could be overlooking. These assemblies really only fit one way, and once install and tighten the nuts while maintaining consistent gaps around the exterior of the taillights, the seals pretty much sit where they are going to sit.

[Dackelone]

@RickMsport

Yea... looks like they weren't made correctly. You can tuck the flap under the trunk seal(bottom pics)... I had to do that on my car. The other part lifting off the trunk opening... I would just use some black silicone RTV to seal that area(top pics). Maybe first contact the place where you bought these blacklines from. New parts do have a warranty. Its just gonna be a hassle bc you have to send them back in order to get new ones.

[Dackelone]

@RickMsport I took a look at my tails... mine looks the same as yours. Have a look.

[CAVU]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

@RickMsport

Yea... looks like they weren't made correctly. You can tuck the flap under the trunk seal(bottom pics)... I had to do that on my car. The other part lifting off the trunk opening... I would just use some black silicone RTV to seal that area(top pics). Maybe first contact the place where you bought these blacklines from. New parts do have a warranty. Its just gonna be a hassle bc you have to send them back in order to get new ones.

I bought them from Schmiedmanns, so returning them will be a bit more of a hassle than if I'd gone with ECS or another US distributor. I need to decide if I want to try the silicone method... I think I'll start with an email with photos to Schmiedmanns and see what they say.

[Marc08EX]

The OEM LCI (non blackline tails) I have looks like that as well.

[Overpar56]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

@RickMsport I took a look at my tails... mine looks the same as yours. Have a look.

Take the Mellow Yellow out of the trunk. That's causing a fluid imbalance. 😃

Let me know if you need another set of eyes on it. I'll be back in town later this week.

[BBursey]

Originally Posted by RickMsport

No, the car has never been involved in a collision. I might have inadvertently referenced the wrong "seal" in my original post. The issue is not with the foam seals behind the taillight assemblies, it is the integrated rubber seals that divert water from the longitudinal trunk lid channels over the top of the taillight assemblies. It is almost as if the seals were improperly manufactured and lacking a small amount of interference fit molded into their shape.

I loosened all mounting nuts this afternoon and confirmed that even maximum available rotation on the Y axis doesn't allow the seals to come even close to seating properly. I took some photos after putting it all back together.

I'm not sure what I could be overlooking. These assemblies really only fit one way, and once install and tighten the nuts while maintaining consistent gaps around the exterior of the taillights, the seals pretty much sit where they are going to sit.

I saw you post this link in the "Blacklines with moisture inside" thread. I saw your post about the fit of these seals earlier and had a look at my original stock seals. Mine look exactly like the photos you posted and I expect they'll look the same after I install my blacklines this weekend.

I think you're absolutely fine - I'm more worried about getting the pressure on the gasket between the light assembly and the car body just right.

Cheers,
Bryan

[Marc08EX]

How tight do the nuts have to be? I'm now worried about my blacklines... I'm not sure if I tightened the nuts down too much...

[BBursey]

Originally Posted by Marc08EX

How tight do the nuts have to be? I'm now worried about my blacklines... I'm not sure if I tightened the nuts down too much...

I just installed my lights. The nut went from easy to turn with no leverage on small socket wrench to fairly snug in less than a quarter of a turn. I stopped right there.

Hope that works!

Cheers,
Bryan

PS> I love the way these look on my Le Mans Blue 135i!

[CAVU]

Originally Posted by BBursey

I saw you post this link in the "Blacklines with moisture inside" thread. I saw your post about the fit of these seals earlier and had a look at my original stock seals. Mine look exactly like the photos you posted and I expect they'll look the same after I install my blacklines this weekend.

I think you're absolutely fine - I'm more worried about getting the pressure on the gasket between the light assembly and the car body just right.

Cheers,
Bryan

Thanks for comparing my photos to your stock seals. I've been nervous about seeing water disappearing into those seals, but the water does seem to reappear on the outside of the car around the bottom taillight to body seam. I was careful to not over tighten the mounting nuts, and I don't see any water inside the taillights themselves. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

[owen2001]

Just catching up on this thread. I installed my Blacklines about 2 months ago. My seal looks exactly like Rick's (top photo). The seal is not flush with the surface.

Mine do not look like Dackelone's (bottom photo). His have a much tighter seal. I'm going to take a closer look and see if I can get mine to sit a bit more flush w/ the surface. Thanks for posting those pics.

As of yet, no water/moisture issues. And I've been out in the rain and washing my car regularly.

[berne]

any one have done this on a the 2010 and up? just wonder if was have to be coded after the install? and is it just plug and play, dont need to modify any cabel or somting like that?

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by berne

any one have done this on a the 2010 and up? just wonder if was have to be coded after the install? and is it just plug and play, dont need to modify any cabel or somting like that?

My car is a 2010. The Blacklines(#282 kit) or normal LCI lights are totally plug and play.

[berne]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

My car is a 2010. The Blacklines(#282 kit) or normal LCI lights are totally plug and play.

I think i dont have the lci onece... Will it be problem?

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by berne

I think i dont have the lci onece... Will it be problem?

Not a problem. My car didn't have LCI's either. The xenon blacklines are totally PnP on all US spec cars. Since you have a EU 135i you have xenons... so the Blacklines will also work on your car.

[fututi]

shipping from Odense to Seoul
easy to install
thanks!