altezza tail light installation HELP

[civicdood]

I just received a set of altezza tail lights as a present. When I tried installing it, the manufacture wiring is totally different from the altezza's set up. For instance, the manufacture trunk light has to slots with two bulbs, whereas the altezza only has one slot for one bulb. Also, the tail light has three bulbs, and the altezza seems to miss a slot for the light on the side when u turn your lights on at night.

I am somewhat confused to whether these extra ligth bulbs in the manufacture taillight are not needed? Do i just not use them? Also, do i need to apply something to prevent water leak and stuff when I wash my car?

Thanks.

[Jas_M]

Not to sound like an ass, but are the lenses you received the correct type for your particular model?

[eckoman_pdx]

Okay dude, you have the Gen 3's probably, correct? Thats what it sounds like. First off, seal the tails edges with clear silicion to prevent water leaks. second, use the stock tailight gasket seals, not the ones that came with the altezza's. The altezza gaskets suck and will prbably leak. Third, if you have the gen 3's, thats just how they are. The marker light isn't used and has no slot. Just kinda hangs there. For the inner trunk light, if you wanna do it the easy way, just use the socket it came with and don't worry bout the inner tial/brake light. If you care, I can tell you how to jury rig/modify connectors to work. Really easy, but it will sound complex. If you don't really care if the red inner tail ring lights, then don't worry about it.

[jeffseby]

maybe he got the hatchback model, lenses, if some grandma or something gave it to him, more than likly, it is for the wrong car, TailLight installs are the easiest conversion...

[eckoman_pdx]

Originally Posted by jeffseby

maybe he got the hatchback model, lenses, if some grandma or something gave it to him, more than likly, it is for the wrong car, TailLight installs are the easiest conversion...

I was refering to not installing the tailights, but you know the Red ring on inner housing assembly on Gen 3 Altezza's? How it doesn't light? It just sits there and looks pretty? I was telling him I can tell him how to wire the back end so he can get a socket in there and make it light, if he wants. Like I said, it's easy to do, just sounds complex the way I explain it, which is why I didn't want to explain it unless he wanted to know. But tailight installation? God yes it's easy. 4 bolts and nuts, and remove/install the assembly. But he didn't say he couldn't install them, he said it only came with 3 bulbs, and that "the altezza seems to miss a slot for the light on the side when u turn your lights on at night," and that "the manufacture trunk light has to slots with two bulbs, whereas the altezza only has one slot for one bulb." If you have ever seen Altezza's thats just how the Gen 3 Altezza's are. That doesn't make it the wrong taillight. All Gen 3's lack the spot to put the "marker light" (the name for the light he refered to first). All Gen 3's also don't come with a 2nd socket or wiring to put a light in the semi-slot for a bulb to light the red ring. It not really a slot, just an opening, though you can zip tie a properly wired socket/bulb to make it light up. Only the bulb/wiring for the back-uplight is lncluded. He thought because his only included these, maybe he had the wrong lights. That doesn't make the the wrong light. It sounds like he has Gen 3's, and if thats the case, It will be like that for all the lights: for the 92-95 coupes/sedan, and the 92-95 Hatch, as well and the 96-98 sedan lights, the coupe lights, and the 99-00 sedan and coupe lights. Basically, all Gen 3's are like that. So if they fit into the opening for the tailights on the car and properly bolt in, they are probably the correct light. The lack of a spot for the marker light and not including any socket or wiring to light the red ring on the inner hatch light doesn't make it the wrong lights, it just tells me he has Gen 3 Altezza style lights. And again, he'll know if they are the correct lights the moment he puts them in and the bolts don't line up or the taillights don't fit correctly.

[Miataracer]

How it doesn't light? It just sits there and looks pretty?

That is just my

[eckoman_pdx]

Originally Posted by Miataracer

That is just my

I agree, as I said, it's a pretty dumb design to have a red taillight chamber that doesn't light, but just sit's there and does nothing.

[civicdood]

Originally Posted by eckoman_pdx

I agree, as I said, it's a pretty dumb design to have a red taillight chamber that doesn't light, but just sit's there and does nothing.

you are right....it fits and everything. I've had it installed.

Could u tell me hwo to modify the inner trunk tail. I agree that its a stupid design and considering changing to a different set if I don't like how it functions after the modification.

Thanks

[eckoman_pdx]

Originally Posted by civicdood

you are right....it fits and everything. I've had it installed.

Could u tell me hwo to modify the inner trunk tail. I agree that its a stupid design and considering changing to a different set if I don't like how it functions after the modification.

Thanks

Alright, first off, go to a junk yard or somewhere and buy a set of taillight sockers for your OUTER taillights. I know on the 92-95 Civics, the inner one is a box, so its no good for this app, since you need sockets. Then, take the Outer taillight sockets and cut the plastic connector cover off, so its just the bare wires and metal tabs. Then, take your inner taillight sockets, or the OEM inner tailight box, it doesn't matter. Cut the wires right below the plastic connector. Then pull them out, DO NOT CUT the plastic connector, you are re-using it. Know know your outer tailight sockets? Slip the wires into the connector in the proper places, look at the connector on the car, and put the wires on the tailight connector in the respective places. So red will line up in the spot that connects with red, green with green, black with black, etc. If you do this right, when you connect the connectors, it will be properly wired. Make sure you put them in lined up with the proper respective wire, you don't wanna do it again. Okay, now you put 2057 bulbs, I belive it is, in the brake/taillight socket, and 1156 in the reverse light socket. DO NOT touch the glass part with your bare hands when installing the bulbs. Now put the reverse tailight were it fits, and for the brake/tailight, put it in the semi-socket open area, get some Zip ties, and once you have it places snuggly in there, zip tie it in place. Cut the zip tie a bit so its not so long, but leave enough slack so you can loosen it, and take the socket out to change the bulb as needed. The zip ties should hold it in place fine. Any/brake tailight socket that will fit there will work, but I perfer the proper ones since the wires are color coded, so its easier for people not very good with tracking wires to figure it out. Just match the colors up. Also, keep a spare set of 2057's in your car. Since there is less space there, the lights burn out quicker cuzit gets hotter, but it looks better, and also insures you that you always have more than the legel number to brake/tail lights if one blows. If this doesn't make since, let me know and I'll try to explain it better. When you are done, the red ring lights up all nice, it looks really good, makes the tailights look good when lit at night. I've never met anyone else who's modified it to light, so when your done, you should be one of the few people with those tails that have ALL the red chambers lit up.