Head lights look unclean!

Post Mon Dec 30, 2019 5:10 pm

Hi,

The headlights on the drivers side look dull! Can anyone say what they think is wrong with the lights! I had them out but not opened, as I cannot get them open without fear of breaking them! PAssenger side lense was replaced!

regards

Richard

Passenger side below is clearer! Now I took these photos this evening! It was getting colder. Car has been sitting for weeks with a cover over her in a unheated shed!

Post Mon Dec 30, 2019 5:27 pm

Pull the light unit out and swill them with warm soapy water. Rinse them well and don't replace until they're 100% dry.

Post Wed Jan 01, 2020 7:46 am

A gentleman on bimmerforums actually heated the housings to remove the silicon seal, removed the glass and gave them a very good clean and polish to make them look brand new.

Problem it, one will spend so much time on a 30+ year old seal to carefully cut them off, so i guess what cloggy said will be far quicker and "good enough".

Post Wed Jan 01, 2020 6:29 pm

I did similar to Cloggy, except i used white spirit, plus some rice-grains to add a bit of abrasion.
I found i had to use pure de-ionised/distilled water to rinse out the stuff afterwards, or i ended up with water-spotting on the reflector.
Anyone know where the dirt film comes from in the first place? All i can think of is maybe fumes from the galvanizing on the shroud round the hot bulb?

Post Thu Jan 02, 2020 10:31 am

The hazing comes from years of off-gassing in the materials from the housing assembly - seals, bulbs, wiring sheathing etc.

Removing the haze can be a chore.
Here’s what I did:
viewtopic.php?t=278775

Post Thu Jan 02, 2020 1:56 pm

Tzantushka wrote: ↑
Thu Jan 02, 2020 10:31 am
The hazing comes from years of off-gassing in the materials from the housing assembly - seals, bulbs, wiring sheathing etc.

Removing the haze can be a chore.
Here’s what I did:
viewtopic.php?t=278775

I can’t get the bulbs out of these as they seem to be seized. Any tips on how this is done without breaking them?

Post Thu Jan 02, 2020 5:07 pm

Can't see how they're stuck-they usually fall out under their own weight once the spring-clip is out of the way.

Post Fri Jan 03, 2020 8:19 pm

biffer wrote: ↑
Thu Jan 02, 2020 5:07 pm
Can't see how they're stuck-they usually fall out under their own weight once the spring-clip is out of the way.

Sorry I was refering to the rear hosuing on each light!

Post Fri Jan 03, 2020 9:09 pm

Oh yeah, mine were pigs to get moving when i tried to remove them for first time- sprayed WD40 on the seals and left them for a day or two.