Baking lights to open them and clean

[4orced4door]

I've read on here before that people baked their corners at 175-200F to soften the glue and cut them open. I got a set of JDM headlights in, one looks good, the other is pretty cloudy and really could use a cleaning. I'm trying to build this thing up nice and I want these lights to look like new. Can I bake the JDM headlights and open them up? The housings are plastic as we all know, hopefully the glue will melt before the housings, right? I would really hate to mess these up, I just spent nearly a hundred dollars on the bulbs and relays, etc. Plus these have city lights.

Anyone have any experience with this?

 

[14u2nV]

I just used a pen torch, heated up the glass and the plastic slightly, then pried them apart. I don't trust putting them in an oven. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[cheekychimp]

Paul,
Drop Curtis a PM, he does this all the time, I'm sure he'll give you some tips !!!

Paul

 

[Polish]

I have put headlights in the Oven a few times. I set it at it lowest temp (175-IIRC) and let them sit for a minute. It wasn't enough so I kept doing it in short intervals until the glue softened it only took a couple times. You'll have to put the seperate pieces back in the oven to soften the glue to put them back together also. Mine were all plastic and they were fine.

 

[curtis]

Remove all the junk from them. Brackets, rubber vent hoses etc..
Pre heat then Bake at 175F for 15 minutes
Check the lens with a screwdriver (wide flat tip).
If it doesn't want to separate easy stick them back in.
Turn up the heat to 200F and start checking them every 5 minutes or so.
I just did a Evo VIII set up yesterday and they took 175 for 15 and were done, but most VR4 lights take about 30 minutes probably due to age. I usually stagger them so I have a few minutes to work before the second one is done. But I've done a bunch of them. For you first time guys do them one at a time.

The hard part is working fast enough (wear gloves) you have to get the lens off and start cutting the glue off before it hardens. You don't have to get it all but it helps. You can use Black RTV or silicone to reseal or just reheat the two pieces and then slap them together and reinstall the stainless steel clips.

Its not hard just a messy pita.

Do not touch any of the chrome lens pieces because if you try to wipe off fingerprints with a cloth it will leave faint marks on the shinny stuff. If you paint the interplate I usually use the high heat low gloss black engine paint.

After you reseal the glass you can clean everything up with alcohol and tape the glass up and spray the tops sides and bottoms. It makes a difference. Best of luck give me a yell if you need help.

PS stay away from the torch method. The plastic has a melting point lower than any lighter or torch. Even by heating the glass with a torch you can crack it due to the coefficient of thermal expansion of the glass in relation to the thermoset plastic backplates.

 

[14u2nV]

Negative, the pen torch works great. You just don't hold it up against the glass or the plastic for very long. Just because you don't agree with the idea, don't imply that its not a good one. I had no trouble, and didn't even blacken the plastic when I did it. FWIW, there's a chance of problems with both, you just have to be careful.

 

[Hertz]

Not everyone has your mad crack-torch skills

 

[14u2nV]

 

[4orced4door]

Thanks for the info Curtis! Can we move this thread to the how-to section mods?

Kenny I'd try the pen-torch method but I don't have one and I'm cheap. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

I love this place.

'cmon, lets get butthurt over a torch and some headlights.

DIY is DIY. Do It at Your own risk. That is the reason this forum is here.

Wait, lets fight over penis size, or horse power, or dyno egos, or tit size (didn't forget the lady's either).

I mean really, OUCH!!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bawling.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jawdrop.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif

 

[14u2nV]

um,, no one was fighting?? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

Never said anyone was, it was just funny like Carlos Mencia.

Like I said, I love this place.

 

[464/2K]

thats odd...... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/uhh.gif

 

[curtis]

To Kenny and everyone else. I didn't post this because I haven't done the crack rock method. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I have accually tryed the torch method when redoing the foglights on the car and it did smoke the plastic and was a stinky mess. As it was stated DIY is DIY I wasn't dogging on you or anyone else. If I was starting a fight I am well skilled and everyone would have known it. I post info to help everyone. I'm not the type that figures stuff out then hords the knowledge up and laughs at everyone else. Or trys to make a killing off people because I know and they don't. I just put out info in a know it all kind of way. Usually because I've either done it or have helped do it or have studied it. Thats just my personality. Thats why I went to school forever to get that damn piece of paper and almost 200 fricking credit hours, I like solving problems and not just with the assistance of my TI calculator. Now I just need to stay off the computer, finish my house, sell it and get a position somewhere farther south like FLA.

If anyone needs a fellow VR4 know it all Engineer that can fix, design or build anything (in Florida) give me a yell. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[14u2nV]

Curtis, lets take this outside. I'll fight ya with one hand behind my back, and my eyes closed. I'm not scared of you. You think you know it all, and are the best, well, I've got news for you son. I am the greatest, and always will be, so put that in your pipe and smoke it.



haha, gotcha, I'm just playin. You know I love ya Curtis. (nohomo) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[curtis]

Did you ever wonder where kenny went I kicked his ass and he's been in the ICU for almost 2 years now. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif

 

YOU BASTARD, you almost killed Kenny /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif

 

[CP]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif

 

He was last on 3/2/07.