supra_si Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 Mods please make this a sticky if you feel its comprehensive enough. Welcome all, i thought i would make this guide as i went along refurbing my j spec headlights. This guide would have been really useful had someone created it before me so i thought i would share the experience if anyone else is looking to do the same. First off start off with taking the headlights out via the 2 bolts and 2 nuts. http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa34/si706/DSC02342.jpg once they are out, take out all of the screws etc from the back inc any wiring looms prior to putting into the oven. I put my oven on hot ( about 200degs) and left the headlight in for about 5 mins or until it was touch hot http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa34/si706/DSC02357.jpg then i used a screw driver to prise apart the lense from the body and it comes away eventually, you need a lot of patience and elbow grease. http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa34/si706/DSC02343.jpg once they are apart you can take out the insert via a single screw http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa34/si706/DSC02346.jpg and you will end up with three pieces like so http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa34/si706/DSC02347-1.jpg now its time to mask off the rings if you so wish, but before i did this I wiped everything over with prep wipes to get a clean surface then let it dry. http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa34/si706/DSC02348.jpg i didnt bother sanding anything down as i used plastic primer like so http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa34/si706/DSC02349.jpg i did 3 coats of primer to make a sound base for the vht paint, i used plasticote satin black, 3 layers of black. the before and after look http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa34/si706/DSC02358.jpg whilst the paint is drying get hold of your lens and cleaning product, i used autosol but there are other on the market http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa34/si706/DSC02350.jpg i cleaned both surfaces twice and it came up very very well. i found that most of the grime and contamination was on the outside so dont be surprised if you need more coats on the outside. once everything is done, i put the painted cover back into the lense and laid the lense back on the body. then it was back into the oven top get that sealant hot to bind back together. take out and push the lense back in place making sure you get a good seal around the edges. once that is done i re-attached the fog wiring loom and screws into the back and also the clips around the edges. at this point i put an added bead of clear silicone around the edges of the lights, i think black silicone would have been best though. now its time to re install them back onto the car, stand back and admire your handy work http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa34/si706/DSC02365.jpg hope this helps Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicolai Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 Nice guide, do you got a picture where you can compare old to new (next to each other.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRX Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 Thanks for the guide mate, i'll be attempting this in a couple of weeks. You used the existing sealant plus new stuff round the outside, do you think it would have been better to remove all old sealant and just run a new bead all round? or was the old stuff sufficient? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supra_si Posted June 10, 2008 Author Share Posted June 10, 2008 i thought the old stuff was sufficient and its a right bitch to get off to as to old vs new sorry i dont i only got before and after pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 When you say 200 degrees i assume you mean fahrenheit? If you mean celsius then thats a bit much. Good guide although you could use tags to show the pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supra_si Posted June 10, 2008 Author Share Posted June 10, 2008 you think 200dec c is over the top, wait til you try and get that sealant apart. it needs heating up hot to get it maleable. some say 70 degs but then ud be waiting a short lifetime for it to get hot if i had used the img button which i was nearly going to do then it will be very very picture heavyu this thread, at least now you can just click on it when u need to see it rather than wait for all the images to download onto here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 I did my lights. I put them in at 100degrees and they came apart no problem after 10 mins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supra_si Posted June 10, 2008 Author Share Posted June 10, 2008 10 min sat 100 or 5 mins at 200, each to there own. also depends how talented you are at doing it too. im a novice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luka-P Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 goog gude si, well done mate. im sure this will come in handy to a fair few! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konrad Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 80 degrees for 10 minutes is definatelly enough If you want to seperate them quick, start from inside bottom corner of the headlight and just pull Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kint Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 Very useful guide mate! well done. Where can U get the plastic primer and metal polish??? Sorry if the question sounds stupid... I'm new:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supra_si Posted June 11, 2008 Author Share Posted June 11, 2008 i got halfords plastic primer paint for 5.95, then got plasticote for just over 6 quid. metal polish also from halfrauds for about 5.50ish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nizam Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 look great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supra_si Posted July 11, 2008 Author Share Posted July 11, 2008 well done niz you found my thread, you should be able to have a go at doing it on your own now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nizam Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 yep! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fizzle Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 im following this as i do it, will let u know results bit later.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibbleyuk Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 im also going to do this today one question did you preheat the oven before you put them in? (this sounds like a cooking lesson haha) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRX Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 Just been to halfords to get the bits for this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fizzle Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 (edited) all done and lookin good... dont matter if u preheat, jus leave em in till seal goes soft whack em back in if needed... a gloss black would look good aswell, but i went 4 satin... i used meguiars plasticX to clean lens. heres a pic of one completed and one original.... Edited July 19, 2008 by fizzle (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibbleyuk Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 I also did mine i didnt paint them as i quite like the shiny crome they came up alot better Before one done Very happy with the out come thanks for the great thread i done both and they came up great look awsome back on the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Budz86 Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 Nice thread mate, will be doing this later this week. I take it your's are plastic lenses? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supradriver Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 mint mine look a bag of s**t lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibbleyuk Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 they make such a difference cant stop looking at the front of my car now haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P 17EED Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 I have started doing my headlights and just thought, does it have to be high temperature paint? I was gonna colour code mine to match the car which is being re sprayed now. Very good guide tho, cleaned one of my lenses up looks amazing!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 I wouldn't advise going for a gloss finish. Its no problem matching the colour of your car but there is no need for it to be exact. A close matt finish would be fine. No need for HT paint IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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