headlight clearing gone horribly wrong
03-18-2008, 07:13 PM
#1
headlight clearing gone horribly wrong
I was so exitited to finnaly start this project, i took the bumper off in like 30, mins, had troubble taking both headlights off but they finnaly came off. finnaly was time to cook them, i put one in the oven and cooked at 200 for 20 minutes with no preheat. when i took it out it was a nice surprise to see it melted in my oven!!! whoever said 20 mins at 200 i hope your TL gets stuck on a railroad track and a huge frieght train traveling 100 mph slowly kills you. na, just venting haha. how much does a new headlight cost?
03-18-2008, 07:56 PM
#7
Racer
Originally Posted by 04 TL 04
the top outside part and some of the front cover
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03-18-2008, 08:31 PM
#10
sorry to hear what happend.
this is what I did and always worked for me....I preheat the oven 200 til it's hot....then I put the headlight in for 7-10 mins MAX.
but since I can't really use an oven now these days, I just use my heat gun.
take a bit of time, but no melting issue.
this is what I did and always worked for me....I preheat the oven 200 til it's hot....then I put the headlight in for 7-10 mins MAX.
but since I can't really use an oven now these days, I just use my heat gun.
take a bit of time, but no melting issue.
03-18-2008, 08:36 PM
#12
Originally Posted by jags2487
if thats the wrong info what is the right one? becuase obviously its not a fool proof method and probably should be cleared up.
03-18-2008, 09:02 PM
#13
Huh??? How the freak did you damage the headlights??? I did it sooo many times now......just did a set of Type-S lights the other day with zero problems. You're leaving something out of the story, you must have done something way off!
Usually this happens when people go longer than 20 min. or if they go higher than 200 degrees. The only other reasons.....let me guess; did you put it in the middle of the oven without touching anything? If it was closer to one coil than another ot it was touching the walls of the oven=problems. Or you placed it on the grill by itself? That can melt the housing too, you need to place it on a rag.
If you follow the DIYs you couldn't have gone wrong. 98% of us have had no problems. The most common problem seen with clearing lights has been leakage/fogging which can happen even if you're careful. But if you melted something, trust me, you weren't cautious enough.
Usually this happens when people go longer than 20 min. or if they go higher than 200 degrees. The only other reasons.....let me guess; did you put it in the middle of the oven without touching anything? If it was closer to one coil than another ot it was touching the walls of the oven=problems. Or you placed it on the grill by itself? That can melt the housing too, you need to place it on a rag.
If you follow the DIYs you couldn't have gone wrong. 98% of us have had no problems. The most common problem seen with clearing lights has been leakage/fogging which can happen even if you're careful. But if you melted something, trust me, you weren't cautious enough.
03-18-2008, 09:06 PM
#14
Nothing"tricky too it". If it was, houswives around the world would never be able to prepare a caserole... ya gotta pay attention.
MIDDLE RACK!
Your rack was too close to the heating element. Mine almost did that, I caught it and raised the rack.
20 minutes at 200 is correct. I pulled mine at 15. You probably should have read the rest of the post that said... "check them frequently, to make sure they're not melting"
You can pickup a nice used one off ebay for less than $150.
Pull the projector out of the melty, and you can sell it for $90-$100 on hidplanet.
MIDDLE RACK!
Your rack was too close to the heating element. Mine almost did that, I caught it and raised the rack.
20 minutes at 200 is correct. I pulled mine at 15. You probably should have read the rest of the post that said... "check them frequently, to make sure they're not melting"
You can pickup a nice used one off ebay for less than $150.
Pull the projector out of the melty, and you can sell it for $90-$100 on hidplanet.
03-19-2008, 01:10 AM
#16
Technically the middle rack will actually place the headlights too high and close to the upper coil of the oven. The rack should be at the level at which the headlight itself is smack in the middle, at equal distance from the upper and lower coils.
Ovens are tricky. The varying sizes can make a difference. Some use both upper and lower coils only during preheat and broiling and only lower coils during baking. Some use both during baking. Some have a top-brown setting that only turns on the upper coil. Some use convection fans.
I usually pull it out at about 15 minutes like Kennedy because I am extra cautious. I get half of it apart and then stick it back in for 5 more minutes......It's better than getting it overdone. It tastes better that way too.
Ovens are tricky. The varying sizes can make a difference. Some use both upper and lower coils only during preheat and broiling and only lower coils during baking. Some use both during baking. Some have a top-brown setting that only turns on the upper coil. Some use convection fans.
I usually pull it out at about 15 minutes like Kennedy because I am extra cautious. I get half of it apart and then stick it back in for 5 more minutes......It's better than getting it overdone. It tastes better that way too.
03-19-2008, 02:29 AM
#17
~Da Nocturnal Cheetah~
Originally Posted by Kennedy
Nothing"tricky too it". If it was, houswives around the world would never be able to prepare a caserole... ya gotta pay attention.
MIDDLE RACK!
Your rack was too close to the heating element. Mine almost did that, I caught it and raised the rack.
20 minutes at 200 is correct. I pulled mine at 15. You probably should have read the rest of the post that said... "check them frequently, to make sure they're not melting"
You can pickup a nice used one off ebay for less than $150.
Pull the projector out of the melty, and you can sell it for $90-$100 on hidplanet.
MIDDLE RACK!
Your rack was too close to the heating element. Mine almost did that, I caught it and raised the rack.
20 minutes at 200 is correct. I pulled mine at 15. You probably should have read the rest of the post that said... "check them frequently, to make sure they're not melting"
You can pickup a nice used one off ebay for less than $150.
Pull the projector out of the melty, and you can sell it for $90-$100 on hidplanet.
03-19-2008, 07:15 AM
#18
I placed it on the lower rack so that might be my problem. and kennedy, your right I should have checked them frequently. but whoever lives anywhere around the orlando area and wants to help me or do my headlights for me, I would be very apresiative
03-19-2008, 08:23 AM
#20
B A N N E D
Join Date: Oct 2007
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Dude.... the average is 8 minutes, after that you keep checking on it repeatedly if it's hard to come off. I've done headlights in the past, if you want a safer route, some sort of heat gun like a bad ass blow drier maybe your mom, sister, friend, or gf has would work. you can sepearate the lens as you're going along. if there are any tl's in the area around me, i can check out the salvage yard to get them at a cheap price if you wish. let me know
03-19-2008, 11:23 AM
#23
Originally Posted by rockyfeller
Technically the middle rack will actually place the headlights too high and close to the upper coil of the oven. The rack should be at the level at which the headlight itself is smack in the middle, at equal distance from the upper and lower coils.
Ovens are tricky. The varying sizes can make a difference. Some use both upper and lower coils only during preheat and broiling and only lower coils during baking. Some use both during baking. Some have a top-brown setting that only turns on the upper coil. Some use convection fans.
Ovens are tricky. The varying sizes can make a difference. Some use both upper and lower coils only during preheat and broiling and only lower coils during baking. Some use both during baking. Some have a top-brown setting that only turns on the upper coil. Some use convection fans.
03-19-2008, 11:53 AM
#24
Terminex
Join Date: Jan 2007
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Ovens vary
Just an FYI - many ovens vary the amount of heat put out by the coils. the reason for pre-heating an over is twofold:
1 - To get the oven to a uniform temperature so that you do not have the top & bottom super hot, and the middle warm, while it is heating up
2 - so you do not burn the bottom or top of anything as the coils will be at their highest setting until it recognizes that it has achieved your desired temperature, at which point, it lowers the heat on the coils, to just enough to maintain the appropriate temperature.
From your first post, I am inferring that it is possible that you did not let the oven pre-heat completely before putting the lights in the oven. Could this be correct?
As with the other I have done this to several sets. as a matter of fact, one set I actually bumped the temp up to 225 as 20 minutes on 200 and the covers still would not budge.
Hope this clears up some confusion. I know it sucks to have to pay for a new headlight, but there is a silver lining, by posting this thread you may save others from making a mistake that would cost them money too.
1 - To get the oven to a uniform temperature so that you do not have the top & bottom super hot, and the middle warm, while it is heating up
2 - so you do not burn the bottom or top of anything as the coils will be at their highest setting until it recognizes that it has achieved your desired temperature, at which point, it lowers the heat on the coils, to just enough to maintain the appropriate temperature.
From your first post, I am inferring that it is possible that you did not let the oven pre-heat completely before putting the lights in the oven. Could this be correct?
As with the other I have done this to several sets. as a matter of fact, one set I actually bumped the temp up to 225 as 20 minutes on 200 and the covers still would not budge.
Hope this clears up some confusion. I know it sucks to have to pay for a new headlight, but there is a silver lining, by posting this thread you may save others from making a mistake that would cost them money too.
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