Jump to content


Yellowed Headlights!


Recommended Posts

The headlights on my 95 sc 400 are slightly yellowed, i have seen worse but i

would like to get mine crystal clear if possible. I have read about ways it can be

done by heating them in the oven to get them open but i wanna kno is there an

easier method??? help please!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Here's how you would go about cleaning them:

http://www.cureline.net/lex/howtos/howto_h...ht_cleaning.htm

At the end of the post where it mentiones how to make the lights clear by heating them; it says, that you are better off buying clear lights from ebay or somewhere else rather than doing it yourself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The headlights on my 95 sc 400 are slightly yellowed, i have seen worse but i

would like to get mine crystal clear if possible. I have read about ways it can be

done by heating them in the oven to get them open but i wanna kno is there an

easier method??? help please!!!

well first of all, is it yellowing on the outside or inside? if it's the outside, you can apply some mothers or mcguires wax on your headlights and buff them out with a buffer or hand buff. that will take away like 90 of the yellowing. or if you want, use a rubbing compound to micro clean the lens by cutting and inserting crystals in the cuts then apply a polish to have a super clean look. either way is good. i've done both methods on my headlights because they were yellower than yellow... now they are crystal clear. if it's yellowing in the inside, then i can't help you there... good luck on cleaning them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You could just use a razor to cut along the sealing line, but do it as close as possible to the edge. Ive heard boiling the lights works as well. Its supposed to soften up the sealer and you can just pull them apart. Just use some gasket sealer and put em back to gether

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mequiar's Mirror Glaze (Cleaner, Polish, and Detailer) will make them look new again and keep them looking great. Polishing compound and a buffer can remove any stains or larger scratches. If the seal on the light has been broken for a while you can have condensation and discoloring from the inside, which would mean opening the light assembly or replacing altogether. Here is my 1993 headlight:

Headlight.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

along the same line, if its yellow of foggy outside, use cleaner. i used toothpaste (suggested by someone from the forum), and it worked great. dealer told me to replace whole light setting for 900 bucks..!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have the same problem and I will try wet sanding it with 2000 grit sand paper and then restoring it with Novus plastic restore kit.

See the following: (ebay sells the Novus for cheap!!)

This will help many SC400 Owners clean their lenses. Many SC's leak. The discoloration you see is inside the headlights usally...in some cases outside only. The procedure requires popping your lights into the oven for about 5 minutes at low temperature (be careful or you will damage the light), then removing the plastic casing. From there, you need to polish the plastic with a good plastic polish and scratch remover. Using the right product is important, you don't want to be leaving scratches and nicks on the plastic surface. Use a product such as Novus, Plexus, or Meguiar's plastic cleaner/conditioner. You will certainly want to use Novus, as it will leave the final surface very clean and shiny. A high speed polisher will save you a lot of time and effort. Although, it can be done by hand and some elbow grease.

Websites that carry the Novus and Plexus are listed below. You can also find them at other websites by doing a search for 'novus plastic cleaner' or 'plexus plastic cleaner.'

Novus: http://www.noscratch.com/novus/form.shtml

Plexus: http://www.plexusplasticcleaner.com/

Silicone/RTV sealant: can be bought at local car parts stores for about $3 in a small tube.

Sand paper: use 2000Grit paper, and wetsand the outside of the headlights using a soapy water solution. Your headlights will be crystal clear and smooth. Also, follow up by buffing the sanded surface with the plastic polish/cleaner.

Oven Temperature: about 175-200F for about 5-10 mins, depending on the actual temperature of the oven. Leave the headlights in there until they are somewhat warm to the touch. Start at one end of the headlight, and use a dull object such as a butter knife of dull screwdriver to separate the headlights.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I received the Novus plastic care system (1-2-3) today and used it to clean and treat the yellowed headlights. The result is superb as seen below (I only used 1 to clean the surface and 2 to restore):

DSC00840_1.jpgDSC00838_1.jpg

I used Novus but Plexus should also be good.

In my case, I sanded the surface with 2000grit paper and that left micro scratches on the surface. Unless you need to, do not sand it!!

From the shop I used, I got a discount code that gives 10% discount (PTC10) off the website prices at CarStuff4Less.com. Feel free to use it!

Now, I am moving onto my collection of DVDs and CDs that are skipping. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Use silicone sealant when putting them back together again and you'll be water tight with no more condensation.

Another trick I heard of doing if your lights have condensation on the inside is to drill a few very small holes at the bottom of the light where it won't be noticable. This will allow any moisture to escape and not cloud up the lens anymore. I haven't tried this yet, but I might soon. Mine were yellow and hazy on the outside, but the inside is clean. I just have some condensation I need to get rid of.

I used Meguiars plastic polish and a rotary polisher with a foam pad on slow speed and they cleaned up very nice. I use Plexus on the clear vinyl windows on my boat and that stuff kicks !Removed!. I might try that just to polish them up a bit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I recently cleaned my headlights with a soft scrub pad and toothpaste. Just rub along with the lines of the headlights. Most headlights are yellowed in the outside IF they don't have any cracks or leaks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

  • 7 months later...
  • 1 month later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...

Forums


News


Membership