Fogged up headlight

[ramthis9501]

My driver side ebay headlight has been fogging up again. I put caulking around the entire outer edge but it still didn't help. So now I want to split it apart and seal up the entire inside of it. Only problem, I don't know how to get it apart. The lense is glued on pretty good. Anyway I can do it without screwing it up?

[myoung84]

Bake it... I would try about 200 degrees for about 15 minutes and see where that gets you.

[ramthis9501]

It wont melt the plastic?

[myoung84]

Nope. I baked mine to add the projectors. Not sure what they can withstand, but 200-250 is not a problem. You're just baking them enough to loosen up the adhesive holding the lens and casing together. Then pry like hell.

[DoubleTakeDodge]

It wont melt the plastic?

Baking is a common way that many people use to customize headlights including painting the shrouds. I had considered doing it to mine several times.

[ramthis9501]

Cool thanks man. I'll have to do that this weekend. I might even paint the orange reflector black :D

[DoubleTakeDodge]

Definitely!

[myoung84]

That will look good.

[ramthis9501]

Oh and what should I use when I glue it back together?

[916Timmy]

Clear silicone!

[ramthis9501]

Alright thanks Timmy!

[BMRbrnSNRbrd]

Honestly dude I would skip the hassle and order new ones...if they leaked when practically brand new, they are probably made of cheap, brittle plastic that will end up breaking and leaving you without a headlight.

Contact Jeremy and see what his TYC price is for some new 2nd gen headlights, he's now a dealer and gets special pricing.

[ramthis9501]

Yeah I might look into that... But it pisses me off because I paid over $100 for these things. I don't want to just throw that away.

[BMRbrnSNRbrd]

Hang them on your garage wall...I've seen what can happen when someone tries to disassemble a cheap headlight and it's never good. Think about it: if something goes wrong, what are you going to do then?

[ramthis9501]

Well if I screw them up, I still have my stock ones to fall back on until I find some new ones... Wonder if Jeremy could take them and fix them instead?

[0212353]

Clear silicone!

don't do that.....

Clear is ok at the end (as a seal over a seal), but using it to seal up the light isn't a good idea. I wish I learned this earlier than my first couple months of doing lights. Clear silicone gases like a mofo.

Oh and what should I use when I glue it back together?

Butyl rubber (windshield weld, etc)

Honestly dude I would skip the hassle and order new ones...if they leaked when practically brand new, they are probably made of cheap, brittle plastic that will end up breaking and leaving you without a headlight.

Contact Jeremy and see what his TYC price is for some new 2nd gen headlights, he's now a dealer and gets special pricing.

2nd gen lights are F'N $$. TYC sells the sport ones, 120 a pop.

My advice? Don't open them. Thats not going to get you anywhere. You'll probably try to wipe the inside lens clean, which WILL scratch the f out of the lens. Leave it sealed, put silicone around the bulbs. Dunk it in a water tank and check for bubbles.

:fuckyea:

[0212353]

Well if I screw them up, I still have my stock ones to fall back on until I find some new ones... Wonder if Jeremy could take them and fix them instead?

It wouldn't be worth it man. Shipping alone would be $60 (round trip). silicone them bitches up.

[ramthis9501]

Alright I'll try doing that one more time... Wish me luck! Thanks Jeremy

[myoung84]

Advice straight from the headlight whisperer. Doesn't get any better than that!

[rvarela]

man thats wild. i never knew that. thats good to know. thanks.:fuckyea:

[ramthis9501]

Well I got them sealed up! I used RTV windshield weld and it should work. Im going to let them sit overnight and dry. Thanks for the help guys!

I dunked the fogged up one in water and it was leaking in three places! I made sure those were air tight lol

[BMRbrnSNRbrd]

How did you get the water back out from the test?

[ramthis9501]

Took a blow dryer to them for a minute, now im just letting them sit overnight

[BMRbrnSNRbrd]

Gotcha, good deal bud.

[0212353]

first thing I thought too.........."please tell me he let it air out before he sealed 'em up"

good deal man!

[ramthis9501]

I do got a brain! Lol j/k but you should see how much silicone I put on them, its ridiculous! But it'll work! Thanks again for the help

[ramthis9501]

Im about to blow a gasket... put them back on and just drove it and the drivers side light was fogging up. Just pulled it off and dunked it and its still leaking:favorites68:

So im going to put even more silicone on it and see if that fixes it.

[Matt]

you need to clean all that shit off and start over gooping more and more isn't the way to do it what you should've done was test them AFTER you siliconed them up

[ramthis9501]

Yeah I know I should have and im kicking myself for not doing it. I got the spots peeled off that were leaking and reapplied the silicone. I'll test it in a little bit after it dries.

[ramthis9501]

Alright so I gave up on the crappy silicone. May sound weird but my dad suggested to use gasket maker, what the hell why not? Well I have to say (knock on wood) it seems to be working. Im going to let them sit overnight and tomorrow and dry. In the mean time I'll get to drive the Mega Cab :D

Please pray that this will work! It has been pissing me off all day, so hopefully the gasket maker will work. (fingers crossed)

[0212353]

the only issue I have seen with some gasket makers........they crack (sometimes). crack = spot for water to roll in.