Morimoto 2Stroke 4.0 LED Headlight Kit Review

Something about a perfect beam pattern just sits differently. That’s the first thing I’ll lead off with in this review. To some, it may not be as important as a large amount of output, scattering light all over the place, but for those who want a quality LED product with a lifetime warranty, I wouldn’t pass up on the 2Stroke 4.0 LEDs, the successor to the 2Stroke 3.0s.

Remember, Bulbfacts tests every product, and provides unbiased results. We purchase the products and decline any sponsored offers (although Morimoto has not offered any). Be careful of fake review sites online, as there are many these days. You can find all the details of how we tested here. We try to remain as transparent as possible and are always open to suggestions to improve our procedures.

As an unbiased testing group dedicated to providing accurate results, we purchased a set of 2Stroke 4.0s to ensure that our review was based on genuine experience rather than cherry-picked information. So, let's dive into our findings!

REFLECTOR STYLE HEADLIGHT TEST RESULTS

Starting off with Reflector type headlights. This is where the 2Stroke 4.0’s really shine. The low and high beam performance was exceptional, with 138% additional low beam output (889 lux @ 25 feet) against a standard halogen bulb. Compared to a Sylvania Silverstar Ultra halogen upgrade, you’ll see an additional 75% output, or 1.75X the light throw.

Reflector Low Beam Pattern @ 12'

The biggest hurdle for an LED is normally the beam pattern. Most LED products, whether they are cheap kits from Amazon, or more expensive products, all struggle producing a quality beam. Since there are so many different reflector shapes in different vehicles, this is increasingly important to avoid glare, which can cause issues to other drivers on the road. How can these LEDs produce a beam better than a halogen? We are not exactly sure, but we think it has to do with how close the diodes are to each other on each side, which seems to be how these types of LEDs produce such an incredible beam. We tested these in a number of different headlight styles, all producing a quality and sharp beam. In our main test housing, they only produced 90 lux at our glare hotspot, compared to 65 lux from a halogen, quite impressive! This put them right under the comfort threshold of oncoming glare. Your headlight result may of course vary.

Reflector High Beam Pattern @ 12'

Moving onto high beam performance, the 2Stroke 4.0s excelled again here. Tested at over 2X the distance, they produced 114% additional light at 25’. The beam was nice and concentrated, so we expect them to travel a long distance for 100’s of feet down the road, essential when driving in very dark conditions and at higher speeds.

PROJECTOR STYLE HEADLIGHT TEST RESULTS

Projector Low Pattern @ 12'

Much like the 2Stroke 3.0’s, the new 4.0’s fell short in a projector type application. Due to the design of a projector, they seem to favor LEDs with a very large total output (lumens), as it seems to be required based on how the light is cast from the LED itself. Much of the light is not directed in the correct place unfortunately. We were hoping for a better result over the old 2Stroke 3.0’s due to the design with less light being blocked in the front, but that just wasn’t the case.

With that said, they did still produce an additional 35% output at 25 feet in a low beam projector. Not stellar, and perhaps not worth the money for an upgrade, but due to other features (such as DRL compatibility, more on that later), they may still be worth considering.

Projector High Beam Pattern @ 12'

When it comes to high beam performance in a halogen projector, you’ll likely want to choose another product, as these LEDs lost about 23% compared to a standard halogen. Some people may consider them for their DRL function however, which we’ll review later on, but you have to consider the output loss as a compromise.

KELVIN/COLOR TEMPERATURE

Color temperature is how Bulbfacts started, as I was looking for halogen bulbs to match my stock HIDs, so I can really appreciate a carefully selected diode set used in an LED product. The 2Stroke 4.0’s have a nearly identical color range to the predecessor 2Stroke 3.0 LEDs, which came out to 5250k. A nice pure white with no yellow, and very minimal blue tone. Pretty rare when it comes to an LED, as most products exhibit a cooler temperature closer to 6000k and above, emitting too much blue tone for our personal taste.

This can be beneficial in inclement weather such as snow, rain, and so on, as a less blue tone bounces less light, and cuts through water and humidity better. While not perfect in those situations (4000k is an expert agreed color temperature for all weather conditions), it’s much closer compared to other LEDs on the market.

Many experts concur that a lower kelvin color temperature is preferable for driving in inclement weather. Although there’s some disagreement on the optimal color temperature for headlights, most factory LEDs are around 5250k, with some manufacturers choosing a bluer tint for differentiation. Nonetheless, we can confidently state that the 2Stroke 4.0s deliver outstanding color temperature performance.

LUMENS

Like their last model, Morimoto took the path of producing the best beam pattern and distance, over a high wattage, high lumen output product. To some, this may be a turn off as they may not ‘appear’ to be brighter, but in real world use, you’ll get a longer, sharper beam down the road, with almost non-existent glare above the hot spot.

With that said, lumens came out to 1553 each bulb, which is about 7% down from a halogen, but nominally close. So around the same lumen output compared to a halogen bulb, but with a much sharper beam, better color, amongst other things.

Their claim is 2600 lumens (per pair), which you’ll only see a true and accurate number from the premium brands like Morimoto and alike. Still, our lab lumens test comes out to 3100 (per pair), which is nice to see our result beat out their claimed amount. You’ll see 10,000, 20,000, etc. lumens on Amazon products, but they are extremely inflated, and should never be trusted as per our tests which prove them to be vastly incorrect.

POWER DROP: A+ (More like increase)

The drop in output was actually 0, but in fact +19% after 30minutes! What gives? Well the Morimotos seem to start off at a lower power, slowly ramping up over time to their maximum potential. While our overall results only reflect the tests at 2 minutes in, we can confirm that once you are on the road, they only get brighter, similar to how an HID system works. Initial lumens per bulb was around 1550, then 1660 after 2 minutes, and finally 1870 after a half hour, incredible job Morimoto!

Why does this matter? Most cheaper LED products have a very large drop in output due to insufficient cooling. This means they might start off at 5000 lumens, but then drop to 2000-3000 over time, typically within a few minutes. Because the 2Stroke 4.0’s have a very sophisticated cooling system implemented by Morimoto, the diodes are able to stay cool enough to continue to run, providing an uniform experience throughout your drive.

*Lumens are tested at initial startup (typically much higher as expected), 2 minutes (initial warm up), and 30 minutes (full warm up). The 5.9% value comes from the difference between 2 minutes and 30 minutes.

LED CHIPS, POWER/CANBUS, TEMPERATURE, & NOISE

The 2Stroke 4.0s utilize a set of LEDs from OSRAM, specifically called Oslon Black Flat S. Some details from OSRAM: “The SMT device is very stable, durable and can be used with standard processes. A new solder pad layout allows for high reliability and superior thermal management. The compact chips not only deliver high light output, they are also individually addressable with an ensured chip-to-chip contrast.” While OSRAM doesn’t have the most impressive in terms of output, they are very reliable. We think Morimoto decided to use these particular LEDs due to their consistent output as previously mentioned, as well as their ability to provide a very sharp beam on their slim PCB.

Power draw is low, extremely low. 17.6w/ea as tested. These LEDs don’t utilize a lot of power, which will in turn lead to an extremely long life. They concentrate the light, instead of overpowering the output to “appear” brighter like so many others at the headlight assembly.

Temps remain low, as expected from a low amperage LED product. 121° F or just under 50° C at the heat sink. While we can’t test the temperature within the inside of the product, we presume it’s much cooler than other LEDs due to their unique internal circulated cooling system. The air is moved past the PCB in FRONT of the LEDs, and mixed with air inside of the headlight. This is an alternative to the typical external cooling, which pulls air from the rear of the LED. This is beneficial for people who drive in inclement weather, as they will help warm up the headlight, allowing for slow, ice, and so forth to melt. This is a common issue with LED upgrades. Halogen bulbs run HOT, around 160° F. When you move to an LED, that heat is no longer there. The Morimoto helps bridge the gap and allow some heat transfer back into the headlight (for non-sealed beam type headlights).

Noise shouldn’t be an issue as these run at around 60db (within 1ft), and have quality gaskets (where required) to keep vibrations down. The audible noise from the LEDs isn’t something to worry about except for people in electric or hybrid vehicles, where you may be able to hear them when stopped at red lights for example.

DIMMABILITY & DRL

Much like the 2Stroke 3.0s, the new 2Stroke 4.0s impressed us with their ability to properly DIM in a DRL low and high beam. This may not matter to some people, but for those with a DRL who want or need a proper amount of output, they fit the bill perfectly. This is especially important for a high beam, otherwise you’ll basically be constantly high-beaming everyone else on the road, and it won’t be a good time for anybody involved!

LIFESPAN/RELIABILITY

We have not yet run the 2Stroke 4.0s on our lifespan bench, but plan to hopefully run them in the future sometime. We can guess (which we don’t like doing however) that they’ll be around the same durability as the previous 2Stroke 3.0 LEDs. But again, only time will tell once we officially test a number of samples.

WARRANTY

Morimoto is now offering a limited lifetime warranty on the 2Stroke 4.0s, unlike the previous 3-years they provided on the 3.0s. We do personally have experience (as well as great feedback from our viewers) that Morimoto comes through in taking care of their customers. In most cases they offer a ‘field destroy’ which allows the customer to break or render the defective product inoperable, thus saving time and cost in shipping. This can be especially useful these days with rising shipping costs. Although we suspect most people won’t need to utilize the warranty, it’s a nice warm blanket that exists, especially when you are spending $200 USD or more.

CONCLUSION & COST

The Morimoto 2Stroke 4.0 LED Headlight Kit offers an exceptional option for people looking for the most precise beam pattern and reliable performance, particularly in reflector-type headlights. While it doesn’t outperform in projector applications, it still provides a notable improvement over stock halogen bulbs, with minimal power drop and efficient cooling. The high-quality beam pattern, durable OSRAM chips, and DRL compatibility make it a strong contender in the premium LED range. Although the lumen output may not appear overly high, the focused light and superior build quality ensure excellent road visibility. With a lifetime warranty backing the product, it’s a worthy investment for those seeking performance, reliability, and peace of mind in their headlight upgrade.

At BulbFacts, we pride ourselves on conducting unbiased and accurate tests . Unlike other websites that may provide paid reviews or false information, we always refuse sponsored reviews and offers. Our sole objective is to provide you with lab test details and allow you to make an informed decision about which product may be the best fit for your needs. If you do decide to purchase a product that we have reviewed, we kindly ask that you use our affiliate link. This helps us continue to improve and expand our testing capabilities, as well as enables us to test new products. Thank you for your support! -Blaise @ BulbFacts Team