I cleared my headlights this past March but got fingerprints inside the passenger light... It rained quite a bit last week, and my driver's side headlight has ALOT of condensation in it. I used a really high-temp gasket sealer to keep 'em closed but obviously didn't use enough... Now my question is, for anyone that has cleared their headlights and had to open 'em up again 6 months later, will the new seal be easier, harder, or impossible to break compared to the original? I'm planning on re-doing them both this weekend but want to know what I'm getting myself into before I start this mess... again...

 

ARGH! Search!


But, if you are feeling lazy and don't want to search, take the circle plastic piece off the back of the headlight and drop down some of those scilie (sp?) packates that you get in new dress shoes. Put like 4 or 5 down there. They just slide in the back of the housing and you cant tell they're even there. They'll pull out any moisture.

 

Its not about being lazy and not searching, I've gotta re-do them, the silica packets won't do the trick, there's just way too much water inside the headlight. Primary question is breaking the new seal...

 

just take off the circle part on the back, drive around for a couple days and get silicone from any auto part store and reseal the shit out of it

 

I opened my pass side up again, had to throw it in the oven for a while to loosen it up, that and the heat gun made it some what malleable, then jammed a baby flathead screwdriver and cut it open. Elbowgrease is definitley needed, just dont put to much pressure on the lens, they will crack.

 

you want to re-seal them asap... keep in mind your ballast sits on the bottom of the headlight assembly, that moisture will reach the ballast and then you'll be spending 3+ hundo easy to replace that. When I did my headlights I had very little condensation but that was only when I would wash my car.

 

This is a tried and true approach to clearing or redoing headlights from an old forum bud. He's helped a lot of people do theirs.

The rule of thumb is temperature. Most of that hard plastic takes quite a bit heat to really screw things up. The only problems we've ever heard of being damaged were when they turn the heat up to high. Our standard time/temp is 200 degrees in an oven for 10-11 mins. I suggest starting with headlights that are already at room temperature. If they're cold, it'll take some more time in the oven. A flathead screwdriver is then used to help pry apart the two pieces. Carefully and slightly pull the pieces apart and voila! Now if it doesn't pry apart fairly easily, don't apply more force with the screw driver. Put it back in the oven for 5 more mins or until it works.

The key trick to putting the headlights back together and avoid leaks is to put the 2 pieces back in the oven to heat the glue up again, and then they'll seal up nicely. Again soften the glue and then when you press it all together, you get a tight seal.

I've had mine out in storms and the car wash, and knock on wood, no problems.

Ruf

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very nice Ruf.

 

so its a pretty long process to clear the headlights?

 

Its amazing how quickly you can take the bumper off and lights out (10 minutes) once you've done it 3 times... I took the light apart, it was unbelievably easy compared to the first time I opened it. Bought a different type of silicone, hopefully this one will stay flexible compared to the other gasket sealer I used last time. Its C-clamped together right now after a second bake in the oven and goin back on the car tomorrow. Hopefully no leaks