Oven or Heat gun???
 

I'm catching hell trying to open my 2k2 HIDS w/o messin them up so I can change out the amber reflector. I read that some use the oven and some use heat guns which is better or easier should I say?

I would think an oven would be your primary choice. It would provide even heat over all of the headlight assembly whereas a gun just blasts heat onto a concentrated area.

That's my two-cents. Peace.

make sure u wrap it .. before puttin it in the oven..

oven for a cleaner job.... heatgun if u want the process to be more controlled...

i used a heat gun..ldone it 3 times already take ur time with it

Well I tried both but I was neverous that I'd melt the lite in the oven so I guess I didn't leave it in long enough cause it didn't budge, then I tried the heat gun and almost melt a spot, Heat gun seem to be a bit much trying to handle it and the prying tools, what was your method?

Temp and time??
 

What a good oven temp to cook on and for how long?

I used 250 as the temp setting. I put the headlight in for 10 minutes on a pan. After that pull the light out and start prying it from the headlight side. I found it easier to use 2 or 3 screwdrivers at once in different spots. You have to free the light housing from those little tabs. I got it about 1/3 of the way open and put it back in the oven since it started cooling down. 10 more minutes and it was ready.

Glue
 

Did you have trouble wit that glue getting everywhere and if so how did you get it off?

No, just lay an old towel on the kitchen floor by the oven. When it is time to pull the headlight out, sit on the floor with the headlight and slowly pry it apart. It is a tense moment. I remember sweating and thinking it was going to break. Just make sure the headlight is good and hot. Start working on it immediately after you pull it out of the oven. Carefully pry where the tabs are. Leave one of the screwdrivers there, and pry around it. Then move to the next one. If it starts getting difficult to pull apart, put it back in the oven for 10 more minutes. You'll figure it out.

I'd use the oven.....a lot easier. BTW 250 for 8 mins.

I tried both...the heat gun seems like a better idea because you have direct control over the heat. BUT by the time you heat up one side you then have to switch to the other...and it hardens up. Your best bet is to use the oven. I put one light in at a time I used a pan and put a T-Shirt on it to keep the pan from melting the housing. I did it at 200 for 10 minutes and it worked fine.

Bingo
 

Thank fellas, I tried it again with the oven and I managed to get it started but then as it cold I used the heat gun to keep it soft, then i got it open all the way. I hope I can get it back together, did any of you use and special silicon when closing the housing? I was think of painting the grey plastic Black, what do you think? My car is Sherwood Green.

Dont use silicon or you will never be able to get it apart again (the melting point is too high).

I just heated mine back up with a hair dryer until it was soft. After the light was back together I put it back in the oven for another 10 and pressed together hard. I havent had any condensation.

I have heard people using a headlight sealant from Nissan, but when i tried to get it neither Infiniti or Nissan knew what I was talking about.

heat guns dose not work good.:thumbsdow

do the oven.

What the hell, I thought this was Maxima.org, not Cooking Channel, lol!

I know you are trying to open the headlamp assembly, but your post above ^^ struck me as funny.

This is my 1st pw post. :grinno:

Lol
 

I didn't really notice but now that you mention it............lol.

Todays show, we will discuss how to properly cook a headlight

did umnitza recommend a marine silicone sealer? I would like to know what you guys successfully used so I can order it and have it on hand. But if you're saying that I just need to get it hot again and press it back together, I may just do that instead.

I just finished opening my 2k2 lights, painting them, clearing them, and installing the DDEs. To open I put the light on a cookie sheet and baked at 250 for 15 minutes. I didnt use a towel or anything and nothing melted. To reseal I put a bead of silicone around where the two pieces meet, pushed the pieces together best I could and put it back on the cookie sheet and into the oven at 250 for 12 minutes. It went back together very easily. Ive opened 2 sets of headlights so far and used the same methods for opening both of em. I havent installed the lights on the car yet so I dont know if im gonna get condensation, I highly doubt it tho.


The only problem I had is I got some of the glue on the front clear lens in a few spots on the headlights and that stuff is like cement when it dries. I need to figure out how to get it off the lens. I was thinking heat it up and pick at it, or maybe some goo gone.

Heres a pic of the finished light:
http://www.freepixhosting.com/upload...%20closeup.jpg


-Steve

Tight!!
 

scmaxima2k, did you use the clear piece from Home Depot too to clear out your light? I was also think of painting the inside of my housing. How did you paint the grey surrounding the chrome reflectors and what kinda paint did you use?

scmaxima2k: I see that you finally got them painted. Congrats. How long did it take you?

All: There was a thread that I did called "Headlight Project". I explained everything in detail about doing this process. The re-assembly instructions are different from the removal instructions. If you do it the way that I did it, then you don't need any additional silicon. Also, I have no condensation or leaks.

Here's the link to the "Headlight Project" thread:
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=281060

heres the paint i used
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...5_108_full.jpg
It shouldn't take that long...i put a couple layers on there too...
http://images.cardomain.com/member_i...535_4_full.jpg

Yeah I used the clear piece from the home depot lights. Check out page 8 on my cardomain page which goes over everything I did and used to do my headlights. I havent updated it with how I installed the DDE's or how I resealed them but I will update it soon. Heres a link to my writeups.

Yeah I finally got them all finished up. Im out at school right now so my buddy 00SEinMA and I were working on them at his house whenever we could since he lives close to my school. It was tough to find time with school and all so the headlights were apart for about a month but we only worked on them 4 days. I would say the entire job took us around 15-20 hours. Also, we didnt think the additional silicone to reseal them was necessary but we did it anyways just to be safe. They arent perfect but I am very pleased with the way they came out seeing as this was my first time attempting something like this. I didnt find it very hard at all.


-Steve

250 for 15 minutes. Sit on cookie sheet. Be sure to remove the 3 screws that hold the light together (they're small). You don't need to use extra sealant, but here's the most important part: USE CHANNEL LOCKS to assure the light is sealed tight after removing from the oven at completion of project. I have no moisture issues.

I posted a how-to with pics for this on my site: www.innerbean.com/housecor

Oh, and almost forgot: Matt from Umnitza, who has likely opened more headlights than all of us combined, does NOT recommend using a heat gun because it's very easy to melt the light if you're not very careful. Plus, the oven method is easy and foolproof if you follow instructions.

scmaxima2k - Your lights look awesome! Can't wait to see the finished shots on super black. I'm sure it's gonna look sick! :thumbsup:

check out my webpage...
super black maxima with same color headlights!!!!!
i think its the best mod ever! well looks wise!

Yeah I forgot to mention using something to make sure there is a tight seal. Channel Locks work well, I used some of those squeeze clamp things that close real tight and put em all around the housing.


THanks :) , I should have some pics of them installed on my car within a week. Heres a pic of them installed on 00SEinMA's car(we installed them on his car just to see how they looked):
http://www.freepixhosting.com/upload...s/On%20Car.jpg
http://www.freepixhosting.com/upload...Close%20up.jpg



-Steve

BLKMAX005SPD - WOW. Yeah, that looks so friggin mean! Love everything you've done. Did you ever have any luck getting those center caps on? Wheels and drop look sick!

Guys with DDE's, did you use those black connectors Matt provided or did you just bypass them and solder the wires coming from the rings to the ballast white wires?

I am going to eventually solder them together. It seems like a shaky connection using the black connectors.




-Steve

Yeah
 

Just bought my DDE's figured I'd go all out since I now have good
How-to's from housecor and scmaxima2k, Thanks!!

Just waiting for the parts to come in..........

Yeah, I used the connectors and have had no problems. Theoretically a soldered connection would be superior, but no issues here.

i havn't tried yet with the center caps...i been real busy with school and work...
so early spring i will figure ouut what i want to do