All of these posts are logical assumptions about what "should" be, but they contradict the actual facts of what you yourself have experienced. And I've experienced the same facts also.

The 7.3L relies on a magnetic Hall Effect Sensor in order to run, period. (Search Hall Effect sensors to understand how they are sensitive to EMF). It is better known as the camshaft position sensor in the 7.3L. The intermediate wiper setting can have the same effect.

The only time I've ever experienced a camshaft position sensor failure was in a friends meticulously maintained truck... who had just added HIDs about two months prior to the failure. The truck started right back up again in a couple minutes, without us adding or replacing anything, and took us home. At first we blamed the CPS, but he finally narrowed it down to the HID lighting system he installed a couple of months prior.

Fact: It can be inconsistent.
Fact: It can be unpredictable.
Fact: It can increase with frequency of occurrence once began.
Fact: It can not occur at all.
Fact: It can happen several months after HIDs are added.

Whether these facts seem logical or not, they are facts... in that the same reports recur over and over again. Intermediate wiper settings, and some HID lighting systems, are both known to interfere with the function of the hall effect sensor that the 7.3L engine relies on in order to run.

 

^^^ x2
As I mentioned before, these trucks weren't designed with HID in mind so there's not telling what it will do, if it will do it, or how many times it will happen. Add to that equation that every truck has had a different 12-16 year life and you roll the dice. Lots of guys have had nothing but great things to say about their HIDs but there have been enough negative comments that have made me leery and that was before I found out about the CA Vehicle Code.


Not all $35 eBay HID are created equal...but I can guess their quality. I'm not knocking them but if I had an HID kit that gave me fits and it would cost me as much in time and shipping to replace the kit I would just move on with another another solution and chalk it up to a lesson learned. I wouldn't really bother with any kind of negative review (unless they were rude or difficult to deal with) as I knew what I was getting into for less than 50 bucks. That's just my opinion.


I had looked at a complete kit (with new housings since HIDs have a different focal point) but, to me, the potential electrical issues were not worth the risk regardless of how much better the light is.


Just my .02

 

now this isnt just a 35 dollar HID kit I did pay around 300 for both the headlights and fog lights from retrofit source. I understand where everyone is coming from and fully respect everyones opinion. You would think with a more expensive and better quality kit there would be better shielding to protect against the issue. I guess i have a big decision on my hands. Throw away a newer kit or just deal with it

 

thank you for the facts. I had gotten tunnel vision and couldnt see why this would happen because i guess i didnt want it to be true. Once again thank you to everyone for all of the help. now its time to go back to the drawing board and rethink this.

 

What a bizarre electrical coincidence. Never heard that this but Iv always hated those lights. Seems like all they are good for is blinding the hell out of you and that's how we pick out the high schoolers here.

 

I agree. I was looking at some kits in that price range (including Retrofit). If I was going to do it I was going to do it right like you did (housings, bulbs, good quality, etc.) but I was concerned about the RF issues you have. I would love to have that kind of (legal) light output especially since ours is so terrible from the factory (I have premium halogen bulbs and a GOS Racing upgrade harness). Even with the upgrades to my 9007 system it still looks like I haven't even turned on my lights at night. Passing cars give me better visibility than mine does which is why I wanted to put a better system in. I have a 6 pos chip too and that's what I read most about being affected (mine is from PHP). After reading about how many chokes people were putting on their cables to solve the issue made me concerned. Knowing that going into the investment and then having to explain that to my wife if it did happen would not go well (as well as telling her that I could get a ticket since putting HID on my truck was against the CA Vehicle Code). I have the 2005 headlights in the garage waiting to go on (I opted not to buy a new header panel so have to set aside the time to do some cutting). Sorry for the rant.

That's because most buy a conversion kit and keep their housings. The halogen lights have one focal point and the HIDs have two (IIRC) so the reflector needs to be designed specifically for the bulb/light source. This puts the HID output above the cutoff point that the halogen housing is designed for which then looks like high beams and annoying as...you get the point. A full system would be great but our trucks weren't designed around that kind of RF running through it's electrical veins.

 

I just ditched my HID harnesses and bulbs. In the pouring down rain here in Washington state. Any ways they're not as bright. But I did go with the 5000k non HID.

We'll see if this makes any difference at all

 

alright guys last night was the last straw i kicked the lights on and instead of just bogging down the truck she just shut off but restarted fine. now i know im going to start a war again and please all im doing asking for help i do not need to know how the lights are horrible or a full essay on why they are not legal or why you personally do not like them. but i am looking at led headlights. has anyone had any experience with them and if so what are the advantages and disadvantages? and im not talking the 5 dollar pep boy led lights. i have seen the leds for about 250 for both. I will get a website. I am sorry in advance for sounding like an a**hole but I dont want a war i just want help.

Thank you,
AJ

 

Looked at those too. They've come a long way in a short time for brightness and visibility. I think that Cadillac uses them now so they must be good.


The only negative thing I've read is that they don't put out much heat (if any). Guys in the colder climates were talking about their headlights icing over in winter and having to stop every now and then to scrape them.


This was quite a few months ago though.
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Lifetimeleds.com (IIRC) seems to have been the choice for a lot of people converting to LED. From what I gather they are a good product and have an excellent warranty and support behind them. I am considering but have yet to pull the trigger......


There are a couple threads talking about these that will have all the details, kind of hard to link as I am posting from my cell, but a search should get the info you need.

 

thats exactly what i have heard about the ice. thats why i havent pulled the trigger yet either. I did find sylvania has zxe bulbs that are pretty white and bright. my fiance has the zxe in her high beam for her ford focus and they are very white and bright. i may just go that route and screw this bs back and forth crap

 

Have pulled the DP tuner out to see if it still happens? They use to say it was there cable.

 

i have not yet. but i was going to ask about that. do i have to pull the whole chip or can i just pull the wire?

 

You have to unplug the chip from the PCM, not hard at all. Just make sure the keys are in your pocket.

 

i remember my truck came with a bullydog chip and the whole pcm had to be removed. i cant remember about the dp