Headlight Glass Cleaning

[cmar ireland]

Hi all,

On one of my full beam lights, the glass seems to have a residue on the inside. It looks kinda milky. I took out the light and bulb and wiped it with a piece of cloth on a long stick. It comes off easily enough, but it would be impossible to clean it all off through the bulb opening.
What could I use to clean it, a liquid maybe? Any ideas?

Thanks

[wokke]

Hi all,

On one of my full beam lights, the glass seems to have a residue on the inside. It looks kinda milky. I took out the light and bulb and wiped it with a piece of cloth on a long stick. It comes off easily enough, but it would be impossible to clean it all off through the bulb opening.
What could I use to clean it, a liquid maybe? Any ideas?

Thanks

I've done this many times using distilled water (important, not normal water) and a tab of the stuff intended to be used for 3rd teeth (no idea what it's called in the US). Leave it over night and then flush it with distilled water. Works perfectly.

[zubbie]

I've done this many times using distilled water (important, not normal water) and a tab of the stuff intended to be used for 3rd teeth (no idea what it's called in the US). Leave it over night and then flush it with distilled water. Works perfectly.

Do you mean denture cleaner like polident?

[CWB]

3rd teeth? i know bmw kinda look like sharks, but...

[attack eagle]

I'd honestly just take the headlight assembly off the car, take it apart, back the lens assembly in the oven at 300 degrees F and clean the lens by itself.

There are 3 screws that will release the projector from the lens assembly once out of the car, and if you just buy 3 new ball sockets for the tabs it is easier to just nip/cut the old sockets with a pair of dykes to take the headlight out of the car, disassemble it and have better access, whether or not you choose to take the lens it self off later or not.

Rubbing the smiley even with the softest cloth or wet paper towel will scratch or wipe the chrome off the hellas (bosch are metal and not so bad)

[cmar ireland]

Ok so I have two options. Rinsing out the unit with distilled water and 3rd teeth? Or removing the lens from the unit completely.

Now the questions,
If I rinse out the whole unit, will the water start to corrode anything? I presume the tabs your talking about are denture cleaners?

Regarding the oven method, How long at 300F or 150C would I leave the unit in the oven? What about resealing the lens, whats best to use?

Thanks

[attack eagle]

3-5 minutes is enough but 10minutes is still safe. 300F not 275. 3m windowweld is what I used to reglue them.

[wokke]

Ok so I have two options. Rinsing out the unit with distilled water and 3rd teeth? Or removing the lens from the unit completely.

Now the questions,
If I rinse out the whole unit, will the water start to corrode anything? I presume the tabs your talking about are denture cleaners?

Regarding the oven method, How long at 300F or 150C would I leave the unit in the oven? What about resealing the lens, whats best to use?

Thanks

yes, denture cleaner. I didn't know what it is called (don't need it yet). I've done about 5 complete sets with this method and it worked perfectly.

Cheers
Wolf

[Rozboz]

yes, denture cleaner. I didn't know what it is called (don't need it yet). I've done about 5 complete sets with this method and it worked perfectly.

Cheers
Wolf

i did this on my foglights and it worked too.

taking the lenses off the housing is an awful lot of work and u run the risk of cracking the lens if you're not careful. as long as you let them dry out completely, nothing will corrode in them

[cmar ireland]

So do you fill them up completely then or just enough to cover the glass?
I think I'll do this rather than the heat-up method.

[Rozboz]

yeah just fill them up