Milky Lights

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martauto
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Fri Dec 12, 2014 5:04 pm

I know this has been asked before but what is the best way to clean up the inside of the head light if it has gone "milky" with age , without taking them out if possible .
No I don't want to buy some more or go to smilys .

Cheers, Mart.
Only the E46 cab left now.
Just got too old.
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martauto
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Sun Dec 14, 2014 2:31 pm

Any ideas please?

Mart.
Only the E46 cab left now.
Just got too old.
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Sun Dec 14, 2014 2:55 pm

Pre facelift???
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325ftmfw
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Mon Dec 15, 2014 2:57 am

strip the lamps down, put in oven at 150 degrees for 5 minutes.. Carefully lift the glass off the housing. Dont pry with force if it doesnt budge, otherwise you will crack the glass. if the glass is still stuck down then you will need more heat. You can use a small flat head to get the lifting started.

Once glass is off, clean them, refitting is as simple as reheating the glass and lamp housings at 150 deg
for 5 minutes and pushing htem back together.

Put a mark on the glass and housing so you can align them to the silicone correctly again.

done this shit loads of times with glass style headlamps.
Cloggy Saint
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Mon Dec 15, 2014 7:24 am

Or just swill them with warm soapy water.
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martauto
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Mon Dec 15, 2014 3:51 pm

Cloggy Saint wrote:Or just swill them with warm soapy water.
Can you remove the light unit from the front of the car?

Mart.
Only the E46 cab left now.
Just got too old.
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Mon Dec 15, 2014 4:00 pm

martauto wrote:
Cloggy Saint wrote:Or just swill them with warm soapy water.
Can you remove the light unit from the front of the car?

Mart.
No.
Prefacelift lights have a different glue used on them, and if they are Hella, you will only ruin the reflector inside if you leave them in the oven too long. They are very difficult to take apart.
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Brianmoooore
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Mon Dec 15, 2014 4:13 pm

Doesn't rice feature in a DIY method of cleaning these?
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Mon Dec 15, 2014 4:53 pm

Never heard of that being used Brian. :?
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Mon Dec 15, 2014 5:44 pm

I've been tipped that Corega denture cleaning tablets can improve them at lot. Ive a few to try out when I get round to it. If it works, its a cheap fix.
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Mon Dec 15, 2014 5:51 pm

martauto wrote:
Cloggy Saint wrote:Or just swill them with warm soapy water.
Can you remove the light unit from the front of the car?

Mart.
Yes, remove the grill section and then it's just 3 screws holding the units in place.
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