Is it time to put these suckers in the oven? Has anyone had this oxidation problem and if so, what route have you gone?

Also if you're viewing this and have the bookmark for baking the headlights, could you link it? If not I will check the search later at work. Running around right now otherwise I'd search.

Anyone in SF want to get into a Headlight project?

 

Are your headlights fogging on the outside, or is there condensation on the inside?
Fogging requires just a polishing, condensation requires drying it out, which can be done with a hairdryer through the lamp opening. Then you need to figure out where the moisture is entering from. first check the lamp socket seals then the edge seals of the lense.

 

Oxidation is normally on the outside and would require polishing.

 

Oxidation as in dulling or whitening of the lens.

 

I did have the front blinker bulb out now that I think of it. So I'm assuming with the information provided that water could of enter. So I'm taking a hair dryer to opening of the lamps. This requires me removing the battery and everytime I seem to touch the battery something ends up not working.

So this should be a fun afternoon project thanks for bringing "light" onto this for me. I'll try this out and let ya'll know. Thanks

 

BTW here's the writeup on baking and opening the headlights: http://www.shiftice.com/angel_eyes.html

 

my headlights are really cloudy too. nothing worked. I took it to a shop, they sanded it and polished it, nothing. It bothers me at night with my lights are on.

 

The sanding and the polishing should have helped. I wonder what the issue is on your headlamps.

I read (and have tried) Brazzo and it helped. I had 50% improvement on the cloudiness. I am sure if I do it again, I will get it better some more. A lot of elbow grease required, though.

 

http://www.amazon.com/3M-Headlight-L.../dp/B001AIZ5HY
Used it on my 5.5's after I put them in my AE. Made a world of a difference.

 

Time for......... Wet sanding, did mine and it made a night and day difference.

 

I agree, I wet sanded my headlight about a month ago and wow, what a difference it made, my lights look brand new

 

One of those "headlight restoration kits" is the best choice.

The problem with wetsanding is the clear coat. What keeps the headlight lens plastic from yellowing due to UV is the clear coat.

With wetsanding, you remove the chips, but also the clear coat. So it will look good, but it will oxidize again, depending on how much UV your lights get (some people complain 3 months after wetsanding, others might be good for 3 years).

Your best bet is to get a restoration kit that includes some sort of clear coat or protectant to put over it. Or, if you do wet sand, make sure that you regularly apply PlastX or another polish to protect it from UV.

I don't really get the fascination with Brasso. I've used it, and it is just not that effective. It can clean up the surface a little bit, simply because it's a polishing compound, but there are so many other options out there actually designed for headlights.

 

I agree. The 3M kit got all the oxidation off. No oxidation has come back and it's been 6+ months for me. It gives you all the instructions you need to do it RIGHT and there's also a youtube video to follow along with.

 

however it is that you fix the cloudiness, be sure to put a few coats of clear acrylic on them after for extra protection

 

Wait, wetsanding will get the rock chips out? If so I'd gladly take the loss of clearcoat as a tradeoff. My headlights look like they've been sandblasted.

 

Yes. If they're really bad, using a buffing compound alone won't be enough. You'll need to wet sand with progressively finer grits, then buff it out with a plastic polish, or apply a clear coat or something.

Once you've restored them, make sure you regularly apply a wax or plastic polish or sealant to them to prevent them from yellowing.

 

i used 3M car polish and a buffer and my headlights came out super clean i usually do my headlights everytime i wash it and everytime it gets better so i recomend that!!!

 

I may try something like this in the spring:

http://www.chemicalguys.com/category_s/124.htm

I doubt 2500 grit will do it for mine though.

 

How about that Brasso stuff? I kept hearing that last time i searched about clearing headlights..

 

Brasso, mothers plastic polish and few coats of clear coat.

 

metal cleaner is very agressive and has worked (easy) for me,, be sure to follow with plastic cleaner

 

stock lights are clear coated, so if you wet sand, better put clear coat after.

 

Clear coat as in paint?

 

I had this problem and just went ahead and bought some new AE headlights off Ebay...probably a lot more expensive, but do they look good

 

If you use the 3M kit i posted about earlier (post #9) it comes with a polish you put on after wet-sanding.

 

yep, very close to paint
one of my lens is stock still has clear coat, one is a replacement from a junk yard due to an accident which has no clear coat.

 

Polishing compound works well, McQuires and Mothers have special headlight cleaners. I have only used Brasso on my chrome tail pipe, not sure about the headlights

 

This kit includes a clearcoat
http://www.doublehornproducts.com/pr...8&cat=1&page=1

 

I usually tell people to avoid baking their headlights. Much can go wrong if you aren't careful. A heat gun works just as well, and you can monitor how much heat you're throwing at the headlight. If you can source a heat gun, i would recommed trying it in the event you are going to take them apart. As everyone else has stated, there are a pile of products made to clean up the oxidation problem many of us have. It's not permanent, and you'll have to do it about twice a year to keep them looking clear.

 

Things go wrong with headlights when you don't heat it enough. Then the glue is not fully melted and you have to pry very hard to get it off and usually end up cracking something.

If you heat it for 10-15 minutes at 250 degrees, the glue is fully melted and the lens will slide right off like butter. Put on a glove, grab the lens firmly, and you can just pull it apart with your hands.

Or, you can heat it for 5 minutes at 200 degrees with the door partially open, then have glue that is softened but not melted, and break your headlights because you're trying to pry it apart with a few screwdrivers.

 

I went with the 3M headlight restoration kit. It works great. The PlastX from Meguirs works well for a lot of people if you don't have serious issues. I need to take mine apart now cuz I have some oxidation on the inside now.

 

My 2003 has needed this for more than a year. Last week I was told that it wouldn't pass inspection as is. That was probably a load of crap, but I just picked up the Turtle Wax kit for $9. It took me less than 10 minutes per side, and they look brand new. I'm not sure how long it'll last, but with as little effort as this required I'm not too worried about it. If I had known it would be this easy, I wouldn't have waited as long as I did.

 

Before and after pics would have been awesome!