I'm baking my headlight (UPDATE)

"Flyboy is FAA certified insane" (flyboy396)
07/21/2016 at 12:41 • Filed to: Weird trick

Somehow, the headlight became fogged on the INSIDE of the lens. So, bake for about 5 min at 200°f and the glue that holds it on should release.

I’m not sure what kinda of super advanced rubber adhesive that Chrysler/Karmann was using back in 2004 but the black plastic backing began to soften before glue did. Looks like I’ll be ponying up the $500 for a new/reman one.

DISCUSSION (17)

. . > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
07/21/2016 at 12:45

yamahog > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
07/21/2016 at 12:46

Looks like WALL-E

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
07/21/2016 at 12:48

looks tasty

aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
07/21/2016 at 12:48

So baked bro

jimz > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
07/21/2016 at 12:54

what the heck is that? that doesn’t look like the usual yellowing/frosting from UV exposure.

LOREM IPSUM > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
07/21/2016 at 12:56

I had an old maxima that ended up with water in the housing. Every time I would drive at night the water in the housing would turn to vapor. When I turned off the lights the vapors would condense. The next time I turned on the lights the halogen bulb would explode.

I was young and stupid and bought god knows how many bulbs for that thing. There had to be an inch of exploded glass sitting in the bottom of the housing.

Long story a bit shorter, I fired up the air compressor, put a trigger nozzle on it, stuck it in the hole in the back of the housing, and walked away for a few hours. Came back, installed a new halogen, and never had that problem again. No disassembly required.

Urambo Tauro > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
07/21/2016 at 13:05

I hope you did your research. I have no experience with this method, but I do remember yitz posting something about warping his S2K’s tail light.

EDIT: Found the post

Rykilla303 > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
07/21/2016 at 13:10

Doesn’t it have a little vent hose somewhere on it? Just set it in the sun with that hose pulled off? (removing the lens seems “extreme”)

Flyboy is FAA certified insane > Rykilla303
07/21/2016 at 13:17

It’s not water, that plastic itself has degraded

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
07/21/2016 at 13:19

I've done that to remove the orange reflector, good luck, it's a bit tedious, but it works. I've also had good luck with taking distilled water and pouring it in the headlight swishing it around to clear the residue inside and then letting it dry for a day or so before applying sealant around the housing to fix any leaks. Once reassembled, all was well. Don't bake it too long.

Flyboy is FAA certified insane > yamahog
07/21/2016 at 13:27

Now I feel bad having it stare at me while in an oven

Flyboy is FAA certified insane > Urambo Tauro
07/21/2016 at 13:28

Well I physically need to get to the inside to make the residue go away. But it didn’t work anyway.

TysMagic > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
07/21/2016 at 13:31

Just to be sure, have you tried sanding and polishing the outside? I’m not doubting you, just asking the questions

450X_FTW > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
07/21/2016 at 13:31

Where’s the David Tracy with a fire extinguisher picture when you need it?

VonBootWilly - Likes Toyota, but it's still complicated. > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
07/21/2016 at 13:43

I had that problem with a Mini Cooper taillight. I wanted to try some sort of self scrubbing solution (like scrubbing bubbles type cleaner) from the inside. Slosh around, maybe repeat a few times, then rinse out with clean water. I sold the car before I got my hands on some cleaner (it was on a to-do/procrastinate list).

Ross Kraz > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
07/21/2016 at 15:08

I’m hungry but not that hungry. I just want something light .

Rykilla303 > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
07/21/2016 at 15:26

AHHH. makes more sense.