This DIY will guide you through the process for retrofitting the Mini H1 projector into the 8th gen civic OEM style headlight, for a standard configuration. There may be additional tasks you need to do if you choose to customize certain parts, like using a different shrouds. It also didn't cover the part for removing the bumper so that you can access to the headlight, or the wiring part, but you should be able to found those information in other threads in this site. And.... it never means this is the only way to install this projector, so please read more and use whatever way you think is appropriate. 
OK, Let's start!
1. Remove all rubber covers.
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2. Use painter tape cover all the holes.
![Image]()
3. Pre-heat oven to 230F in bake mode.
![Image]()
4. Put a wood block of paper box on the oven rack, then put the headlight on top of it. Make sure no part on the headlight touch anything except the wood/paper block.
![Image]()
![Image]()
5. Let the headlight bake for about 13 minutes.
![Image]()
6. Put on thick gloves (the headlight going to be hot), and then put a disposable gloves on top of it. It is unavoidable you will get into some of the sealant when you trying to open up the headlight light, and those things are super sticky. With a disposable gloves, you can keep your think gloves clean.
![Image]()
7. When the bake time finished, take it out from the oven and place it on a table.
![Image]()
![Image]()
8. On the headlight, you will see several locking tabs around the edge. Use a flat head screw driver pry those open. Don't worry too much able they get back to locking the lens after you pry it, you just have to keep your eyes on them and pry it again when you work to that part.
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9. Start working from the high beam side. Use a flat head screw driver to separate the front lens from the housing.
![Image]()
10. Once the opening is big enough for you to insert your fingers in, try to pull the housing apart from the lens slowly. Keep your eyes on at least 2 locking tabs on each side which near to the position you working on. Sometimes they just fall back to the locking position even you pry those at the beginning. Just use your hand to pry it again if needed. Also, be careful to not letting the sealant dropped back to the lens while you separating them.
![Image]()
11. Now you should have the front lens separated from the housing.
![Image]()
12. If you didn't take too long on separating them, the sealant should be still soft. You may take this chance to smooth the sealant which left in the housing groove with a small flat head driver. It will make your sealing work at the end easier and have a better seal.
![Image]()
![Image]()
13. Now is the time to take the reflector out. There are three places locking the reflector onto the housing. One on the top between high and low beam, one at the side next to low beam, and the final one is at the bottom, which actually is the factory aiming screw.
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![Image]()
![Image]()
14. The first to take out is the one on the top. Use a bended nose pliers to push the locking tabs inward from both sides, then you should able to release it.
![Image]()
15. The 2nd one is the one at the side next to the low beam area. This one is a little bit trouble to release, as space is not enough for you to put the pliers in. I used a tiny flat head driver to push the locking tabs in, one side at a time. It will take some times to do it, but it is doable.
![Image]()
16. Then finally the bottom one. Just simply unscrew it from the back of the housing, then you should have the reflector out from the housing.
![Image]()
![Image]()
17. Take the 9006 bulb locking ring and front bulb cover out. The ring is hold by two screws, and the front bulb cover is by one screw. Now you are ready to start putting the mini H1 projector in, if you are not planned to black out the reflector. However, I highly recommend to black out the low beam reflector for a better control of glare by reflection, and better look IMO (check additional information at the end).
![Image]()
![Image]()
18. Now lets take a look of the mini H1 projector. It should come with the bulb holder attached to the projector, and a rubber washer and locking nut stored on a bag. Take the bulb holder out by removing the bulb clip, and then three tiny screws.
![Image]()
![Image]()
![Image]()
19. Before continue to install the mini H1 projector into the reflector, I could suggest to take a look of the Mini H1 Pre-Installation Tips thread at HID Planet. There are a couple mods which you may want to perform before installing the projector.
20. To put th emini H1 projector into the reflector, first put the rubber washer in.
![Image]()
21. Then put the projector onto the reflector. Route the solenoid wires through the hole which locking the front 9006 bulb cover. If you have ccfl angel eyes or leds attached on the shroud, you should route the wire through this hole too, now. If you received a mini H1 projector with a plug already attached to the solenoid wires, it will be too big to pass through the hole. Either you will need to take the wire out from the plug (check additional information at the end), or use a dremel tool to get that hole a bit bigger (top side if you want to able to get back to halogen).
![Image]()
22. Insert the mini H1 projector into the 9006 bulb hole. Obviously, solenoid side at the bottom.
![Image]()
![Image]()
23. Screw the locking ring in from the back of the reflector. You may use needle nose plier to tighten it, but don't over tighten. You should tighten it to a point that you will need to use big force in order slightly rotate the projector by grapping the projector with your hand from the front. While tighten it, also keep your eyes on the rotation, which the return wire position should be approximately aligned with the screw hole which used to hold the front 9006 bulb cover.
![Image]()
24. Then you can put the bulb holder back and tighten it down with the three tiny screws. And this is how it looks like from the back and front.
![Image]()
![Image]()
25. Now it is time to do the rotation aim. Put the reflector back to the headlight housing, then put the bulb in and locking it with the bulb holder. Then put the headlight back to the car without the front lens, and temporary attach the ballasts and power. The picture here has the shroud on, but you should do this without the shroud.
![Image]()
26. Power up the bulb and tune the rotation by slightly turning the projector with your hand gripping the projector from the front. This is why I said you shouldn't have the shroud on, as this allow you to turn the projector a lot easier, as you will need quite a lot of force in order to turn it slightly. Get the cutoff straight across both headlight. Once it is done, you can switch off the light and take the headlight out from the car again for next steps.
![Image]()
![Image]()
27. Here is the mini gatling shroud which come with the mini H1 projector. Notice there are three lock tabs on the inside, which is used to lock the shroud onto the front half of the mini H1 projector. The shroud can only be fully put onto the projector in the orientation as shown on the picture, which has the tab, which not on any shroud vents, positioned at 12 o'clock.
![Image]()
28. The bottom of the shroud will needed to be sand down just a little bit.
![Image]()
29. Also you will want to sand down a little bit of the inner side of the front ring so that the shroud can be slide onto the projector easier.
![Image]()
30. While there are three locking tabs on the mini gatling shroud, I'm still suggest to use some glue to make sure the shroud won't fall out from the projector. I like to use Ultra Black silicon, but it will take overnight for it to be cured. Use JBKwik instead if you don't have time. Just add a few drops around the front of the projector's lens holder. Don't add too much, they are there just to help the locking tabs. Remember you should wait for whatever glue you use to be fully cured after you put the shroud, before go to the next step.
![Image]()
31. Time to do the final step, sealing the front lens back to the housing. The original sealant (grey color) left on the groove may be good enough, but to make sure it is fully sealed, I will suggest getting some 3M Window Weld Ribbon Sealer. You should be able to found those at auto parts stores like Kragen or AutoZone, or you can found them at ebay. Each pack should be around $15, and it is more than enough for 10 or more sets of retrofit (sorry, I can't found any place selling in smaller quantity).
![Image]()
32. The 3M sealer comes with different diameters, but even the thinnest one will be too thick for applying to the headlight groove. So, you are going to stretch it thinner, then slowly applied it into the groove. Don't add too much, just evenly cover the goove to about 1/3 height should be enough.
![Image]()
![Image]()
33. Now, get yourself a lot of clamps, I would say at least 6, but the more the better.
![Image]()
34. And the other tool you need will be the heat gun (or a powerful hair dryer). I think there are peoples putting the headlight back into the oven to heat up the sealant, but I never tried that.
![Image]()
35. Use the heat gun to heat up the sealant and make them soft. Move your heat gun very slow, and do it for about 4 to 5 complete cycle. Don't let your heat gun station at one location for too long, as you may melted the housing.
![Image]()
36. After the sealant soften, you can put the front lens back onto the housing. Play attention to the turn signal side. There is a pole stick out on the lens, which has to be goes into the hole on the housing.
![Image]()
![Image]()
37. Press the lens onto the housing, then add as many clamps as you can to hold them together. You will need to keep applying the heat around the joint (again, move it slowly and don't heating the same spot for too long), until you can fully pushed the lens into the housing and able to lock the locking tabs. In case you don't have a lot of clamps, you can use the clamps section by section.
![Image]()
![Image]()
38. Almost done! Once you sealed the headlight, remember put all the rubber covers back to the headlight.
![Image]()
39. If you got a bulb with special 9006 weather boot, then you can use the weather boot covering the low beam reflector hole, then use the OEM rubber ring lock it in place. If your bulb doesn't come with the weather boot, or a smaller standard weather boot, then you can use some foil tape and silicon to make a bulb cover.
![Image]()
![Image]()
40. And now the retrofit is done.
Additional Info
Passing solenoid wire through the reflector
If the mini H1 you got has the plug already attached to the solenoid wire, it will be too big for you to pass the plug through the 9006 bulb cover hole. You will need either enlarge the hole a bit (which is no big deal if you are not planned to get back to halogen, especially if you decided to black out the reflector), or take the plug out from the solenoid wire. To take the solenoid plug out, use a tiny tweezers to push the two locking tabs in for each pin, and pull the wire out from the back at the same time. Keep in mind the polarity for the plug when you put the pin back into the plug, the flat side is positive (red wire).
![Image]()
Black out the headlight
1. If you want to black out also high beam breeze and turn signal area, there are total five screws on the breeze part, two holding it to the front lens, another two holding the turn signal area to the breeze, then the last one holding the high beam breeze.
![Image]()
2. Unscrew all five screws, then lift the breeze up from the high beam side.
![Image]()
3. Then take the turn signal area out, started from the bottom side. You may need some force to do it. Once it is out, you can also separate the amber/clear cover and the amber reflector from the turn signal area.
![Image]()
![Image]()
4. Then you can paint everything in black. Remember used painter tape to cover the place you don't wanted to be paint (high beam reflector, turn signal reflector). You should also tape the back of the high beam and turn signal bulb hole, as the paint may get in from there and get to the reflector.
![Image]()
OK, Let's start!
1. Remove all rubber covers.
2. Use painter tape cover all the holes.
3. Pre-heat oven to 230F in bake mode.
4. Put a wood block of paper box on the oven rack, then put the headlight on top of it. Make sure no part on the headlight touch anything except the wood/paper block.
5. Let the headlight bake for about 13 minutes.
6. Put on thick gloves (the headlight going to be hot), and then put a disposable gloves on top of it. It is unavoidable you will get into some of the sealant when you trying to open up the headlight light, and those things are super sticky. With a disposable gloves, you can keep your think gloves clean.
7. When the bake time finished, take it out from the oven and place it on a table.
8. On the headlight, you will see several locking tabs around the edge. Use a flat head screw driver pry those open. Don't worry too much able they get back to locking the lens after you pry it, you just have to keep your eyes on them and pry it again when you work to that part.
9. Start working from the high beam side. Use a flat head screw driver to separate the front lens from the housing.
10. Once the opening is big enough for you to insert your fingers in, try to pull the housing apart from the lens slowly. Keep your eyes on at least 2 locking tabs on each side which near to the position you working on. Sometimes they just fall back to the locking position even you pry those at the beginning. Just use your hand to pry it again if needed. Also, be careful to not letting the sealant dropped back to the lens while you separating them.
11. Now you should have the front lens separated from the housing.
12. If you didn't take too long on separating them, the sealant should be still soft. You may take this chance to smooth the sealant which left in the housing groove with a small flat head driver. It will make your sealing work at the end easier and have a better seal.
13. Now is the time to take the reflector out. There are three places locking the reflector onto the housing. One on the top between high and low beam, one at the side next to low beam, and the final one is at the bottom, which actually is the factory aiming screw.
14. The first to take out is the one on the top. Use a bended nose pliers to push the locking tabs inward from both sides, then you should able to release it.
15. The 2nd one is the one at the side next to the low beam area. This one is a little bit trouble to release, as space is not enough for you to put the pliers in. I used a tiny flat head driver to push the locking tabs in, one side at a time. It will take some times to do it, but it is doable.
16. Then finally the bottom one. Just simply unscrew it from the back of the housing, then you should have the reflector out from the housing.
17. Take the 9006 bulb locking ring and front bulb cover out. The ring is hold by two screws, and the front bulb cover is by one screw. Now you are ready to start putting the mini H1 projector in, if you are not planned to black out the reflector. However, I highly recommend to black out the low beam reflector for a better control of glare by reflection, and better look IMO (check additional information at the end).
18. Now lets take a look of the mini H1 projector. It should come with the bulb holder attached to the projector, and a rubber washer and locking nut stored on a bag. Take the bulb holder out by removing the bulb clip, and then three tiny screws.
19. Before continue to install the mini H1 projector into the reflector, I could suggest to take a look of the Mini H1 Pre-Installation Tips thread at HID Planet. There are a couple mods which you may want to perform before installing the projector.
20. To put th emini H1 projector into the reflector, first put the rubber washer in.
21. Then put the projector onto the reflector. Route the solenoid wires through the hole which locking the front 9006 bulb cover. If you have ccfl angel eyes or leds attached on the shroud, you should route the wire through this hole too, now. If you received a mini H1 projector with a plug already attached to the solenoid wires, it will be too big to pass through the hole. Either you will need to take the wire out from the plug (check additional information at the end), or use a dremel tool to get that hole a bit bigger (top side if you want to able to get back to halogen).
22. Insert the mini H1 projector into the 9006 bulb hole. Obviously, solenoid side at the bottom.
23. Screw the locking ring in from the back of the reflector. You may use needle nose plier to tighten it, but don't over tighten. You should tighten it to a point that you will need to use big force in order slightly rotate the projector by grapping the projector with your hand from the front. While tighten it, also keep your eyes on the rotation, which the return wire position should be approximately aligned with the screw hole which used to hold the front 9006 bulb cover.
24. Then you can put the bulb holder back and tighten it down with the three tiny screws. And this is how it looks like from the back and front.
25. Now it is time to do the rotation aim. Put the reflector back to the headlight housing, then put the bulb in and locking it with the bulb holder. Then put the headlight back to the car without the front lens, and temporary attach the ballasts and power. The picture here has the shroud on, but you should do this without the shroud.
26. Power up the bulb and tune the rotation by slightly turning the projector with your hand gripping the projector from the front. This is why I said you shouldn't have the shroud on, as this allow you to turn the projector a lot easier, as you will need quite a lot of force in order to turn it slightly. Get the cutoff straight across both headlight. Once it is done, you can switch off the light and take the headlight out from the car again for next steps.
27. Here is the mini gatling shroud which come with the mini H1 projector. Notice there are three lock tabs on the inside, which is used to lock the shroud onto the front half of the mini H1 projector. The shroud can only be fully put onto the projector in the orientation as shown on the picture, which has the tab, which not on any shroud vents, positioned at 12 o'clock.
28. The bottom of the shroud will needed to be sand down just a little bit.
29. Also you will want to sand down a little bit of the inner side of the front ring so that the shroud can be slide onto the projector easier.
30. While there are three locking tabs on the mini gatling shroud, I'm still suggest to use some glue to make sure the shroud won't fall out from the projector. I like to use Ultra Black silicon, but it will take overnight for it to be cured. Use JBKwik instead if you don't have time. Just add a few drops around the front of the projector's lens holder. Don't add too much, they are there just to help the locking tabs. Remember you should wait for whatever glue you use to be fully cured after you put the shroud, before go to the next step.
31. Time to do the final step, sealing the front lens back to the housing. The original sealant (grey color) left on the groove may be good enough, but to make sure it is fully sealed, I will suggest getting some 3M Window Weld Ribbon Sealer. You should be able to found those at auto parts stores like Kragen or AutoZone, or you can found them at ebay. Each pack should be around $15, and it is more than enough for 10 or more sets of retrofit (sorry, I can't found any place selling in smaller quantity).
32. The 3M sealer comes with different diameters, but even the thinnest one will be too thick for applying to the headlight groove. So, you are going to stretch it thinner, then slowly applied it into the groove. Don't add too much, just evenly cover the goove to about 1/3 height should be enough.
33. Now, get yourself a lot of clamps, I would say at least 6, but the more the better.
34. And the other tool you need will be the heat gun (or a powerful hair dryer). I think there are peoples putting the headlight back into the oven to heat up the sealant, but I never tried that.
35. Use the heat gun to heat up the sealant and make them soft. Move your heat gun very slow, and do it for about 4 to 5 complete cycle. Don't let your heat gun station at one location for too long, as you may melted the housing.
36. After the sealant soften, you can put the front lens back onto the housing. Play attention to the turn signal side. There is a pole stick out on the lens, which has to be goes into the hole on the housing.
37. Press the lens onto the housing, then add as many clamps as you can to hold them together. You will need to keep applying the heat around the joint (again, move it slowly and don't heating the same spot for too long), until you can fully pushed the lens into the housing and able to lock the locking tabs. In case you don't have a lot of clamps, you can use the clamps section by section.
38. Almost done! Once you sealed the headlight, remember put all the rubber covers back to the headlight.
39. If you got a bulb with special 9006 weather boot, then you can use the weather boot covering the low beam reflector hole, then use the OEM rubber ring lock it in place. If your bulb doesn't come with the weather boot, or a smaller standard weather boot, then you can use some foil tape and silicon to make a bulb cover.
40. And now the retrofit is done.
Additional Info
Passing solenoid wire through the reflector
If the mini H1 you got has the plug already attached to the solenoid wire, it will be too big for you to pass the plug through the 9006 bulb cover hole. You will need either enlarge the hole a bit (which is no big deal if you are not planned to get back to halogen, especially if you decided to black out the reflector), or take the plug out from the solenoid wire. To take the solenoid plug out, use a tiny tweezers to push the two locking tabs in for each pin, and pull the wire out from the back at the same time. Keep in mind the polarity for the plug when you put the pin back into the plug, the flat side is positive (red wire).
Black out the headlight
1. If you want to black out also high beam breeze and turn signal area, there are total five screws on the breeze part, two holding it to the front lens, another two holding the turn signal area to the breeze, then the last one holding the high beam breeze.
2. Unscrew all five screws, then lift the breeze up from the high beam side.
3. Then take the turn signal area out, started from the bottom side. You may need some force to do it. Once it is out, you can also separate the amber/clear cover and the amber reflector from the turn signal area.
4. Then you can paint everything in black. Remember used painter tape to cover the place you don't wanted to be paint (high beam reflector, turn signal reflector). You should also tape the back of the high beam and turn signal bulb hole, as the paint may get in from there and get to the reflector.
