Cleared headlights and painted Pillars
09-28-2008, 11:40 PM
#1
Cleared headlights and painted Pillars
So with nothing going on this weekend and gf out of town for work, this really is the only day I have free in a while so I decided to work on my car. Always been wanting to clear or black out my headlights, decided to clear it. There are plenty of instructions on how to clear them so I wont post that here. After a few hours here is what it looks like.
Yes, I know, car will be dropped after winter. anyways, I washed my car right after and found this. (thats condensation if you didnt know)
Pissed me off because I thought I sealed them all around but I guess not.
That was yesterday, so today I got started to correct the Issue. A read a lot on different websites about Silica gel. Its those gel things you find inside your shoe boxes. You put that inside your housing and it will absorb the moisture.
When I took out the headlights, I found out where the leak came from
I got out the water and made sure I sealed it right this time. I used a heat gun all around to melt the oem silicon into place and bought some clear silicon and applied it all around.
While I waited for the silicon to dry(took a while), I did this.
It was a quick mod, still need to touch up a bit, but its a quick fix it mod, I already have the paint and clear laying around.
My car is topless!
FYI, if you plan on clearing out your headlights, you will probably need to replace your bulbs. Because behind the silicon reflector, will be a white bulb. In my state, its illegal to see a white bulb. So I replaced it with an amber one.
Well everything is back on now and I'm 90% sure it wont leak, even if it does, the silica should protect it just fine. Bulbs and silicon costs me under $10 bucks. One of the cheapest mod you can do. I had to do it because the reflectors didnt match my foglights. Anyways, sorry its so long.
Yes, I know, car will be dropped after winter. anyways, I washed my car right after and found this. (thats condensation if you didnt know)
Pissed me off because I thought I sealed them all around but I guess not.
That was yesterday, so today I got started to correct the Issue. A read a lot on different websites about Silica gel. Its those gel things you find inside your shoe boxes. You put that inside your housing and it will absorb the moisture.
When I took out the headlights, I found out where the leak came from
I got out the water and made sure I sealed it right this time. I used a heat gun all around to melt the oem silicon into place and bought some clear silicon and applied it all around.
While I waited for the silicon to dry(took a while), I did this.
It was a quick mod, still need to touch up a bit, but its a quick fix it mod, I already have the paint and clear laying around.
My car is topless!
FYI, if you plan on clearing out your headlights, you will probably need to replace your bulbs. Because behind the silicon reflector, will be a white bulb. In my state, its illegal to see a white bulb. So I replaced it with an amber one.
Well everything is back on now and I'm 90% sure it wont leak, even if it does, the silica should protect it just fine. Bulbs and silicon costs me under $10 bucks. One of the cheapest mod you can do. I had to do it because the reflectors didnt match my foglights. Anyways, sorry its so long.
Last edited by fobstylez; 09-28-2008 at 11:44 PM.
09-29-2008, 12:22 AM
#4
Well what I did was I tied it to some thin string I had. If you take off the bumper, you will see the HID unit screwed onto the headlights, its right under the headlights. There are 3 screws, it will drop down the unit, then it will be held up by a harness. Unplug the harness it will give you access to your housing. I put the silica inside it and had the string hanging out. next you put back the unit and you're set. The silica sits on the bottom and behind the housing so you dont see it. Its a common fix for a lot of stock housing with leaks.
09-29-2008, 11:53 AM
#5
02 TLS SSM - Hi Oh Silvr!
I was just wondering if the heat from the light bulbs, would cause the silica gel packets to catch fire and short out the lights?
Have you tried taking a lighter to some of those packets?
Have you tried taking a lighter to some of those packets?
09-29-2008, 04:49 PM
#6
hehe no, if you take your headlights apart, it sits on the bottom below the housing, Its not going to catch on fire. Next time you have your headlights on, right after, turn off the car and touch the back of the housing. If its hot to the touch then yea, it can be worried but it's not that intense. Search the web for it.
09-29-2008, 05:30 PM
#7
5th Gear
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I think the cleared out headlights go really well with your color scheme. I can't tell what you have in those pics, but I think that yellow high beam bulbs would look awesome with your yellow fogs.
-sean
-sean
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09-29-2008, 08:49 PM
#11
'03 TL-S NaV SSM
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Agreed, you did a good job.
09-30-2008, 08:23 AM
#14
CITIUS::INFERIUS::FORTIUS
Great job man. Do you know what caused the hole on the side of housing? Another common leak area is the gasket/washer between the HID ballast and the housing. Just a heads up.
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