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 Yellow Headlight Repair
Repairing Yellow Headlights

In the beginning... The finished headlight

This document Describes how to repair yellow headlights, caused by the formation of dirt film on the cover of the lens.
This is due to the rapid heating and cooling of the lens in wet weather conditions.
The heat produced by using high beam lights causes the headlights to become slightly melted. Normally this is not a concern, however in wet weather the lens are cool, creating a molten-like substance on top of the headlights - the yellow film.

To complete this mod you will need the following:
1 x sheet wet and dry 600
1 x sheet wet and dry 800
1 x sheet wet and dry 1200
1 x sheet wet and dry 2000
some dishwashing detergent
water
tape (nothing too sticky, something like plastic packing tape will do)
screwdriver
Plexus, turtle wax, McGuire's ScratchX, or some other polishing element
Sanding Block

Depending on products you already have you should only spend a maximum of $25. The Wet and Dry is about 50 cents to $1 a sheet. A sanding block isn't required, but it makes the job easier.

This should take approximately 30 minutes per headlight.

  • 2 Minutes to removing front indicators.
  • 3 Minutes preparing the headlight.
  • 5 - 7 Minutes for each stage of sanding.
  • 5 minutes doing a final polish and returning the indicators.

  • Removing the Front Indicators

    The removal of the front indicators is fairly simple. There is one screw located within the engine bay underneath the black plastic trim that runs along the top of the headlight (in the red area).

     Removing the Indicator


  • 1 -Remove this screw using a Phillips head screwdriver.
  • 2 - Slowly edge the indicator out of the slot - TAKE YOUR TIME! if you pull off the indicator lens it needs to be replaced. So get in behind the black plastic lining on the side of the indicator.
  • 3 - remove the bulb holder

    Your headlight should now look like this one.









     


  •  
    Preparing the Headlight
    The headlights needs to prepared in order to protect the bumper from being scratched during the sanding process. The best method is to line the headlight with tape.

    Preparing the Headlight

    1 - Run a length of tape approximately 30 centimetres long down your pants. This is order for the tape to lose a majority of its glue, meaning it is less like to damage your bumper when you remove it.
    2 - slot the tape under the headlight.
    3 - repeat the process in order to line the entire headlight
    4 - add as many layers as you think you will need, because they will wear through.

     

    Sanding the Headlight
    Just some points to begin with.
    1 - Take your time, if you go to fast you could sand the headlight unevenly.
    2 - Continue in the same back and forth motion, otherwise the finer sanding will take a long time.
    3 - Don't be afraid to continuously wet your sandpaper. The wetter the better. The more water the less chances of scratching the lens during sanding.
    4 - Don't stress about the milky lens at the beginning, it refines in the process.

    Ok lets begin!

    1 - Fill a bucket with warm soapy water
    2 - Attach the 600 Wet and Dry to the Sanding block.
    3 - Dunk the sandpaper into the water and begin sanding slowly back and forth the lens in a left-right direction.
    4 - Dunk the sand paper again and continue
    5 - repeat this process until the lens becomes milky and feels smooth.

    After 600 Wet and Dry

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    6 - Swap the sandpaper for the 800 and begin again
    7 - repeat steps 3 through 5.

    After 800 Wet and Dry

    8 - swap for the 1200 Wet and Dry, and repeat;

    After 1200 Wet and Dry

    9 - and then the 2000 Wet and Dry.

    after 2000 Wet and Dry


    As you can see with each stage the lens will become less milky and will feel more smooth.

     

    Polishing the Lens
    The final stage is polishing the lens. This is in order to give the lens a new protective coat, as well as making it shine. Simply coat the lens in one of the polishing elements, let it stand and then polish it off.

    Letting the polish stand

    I prefer Plexus as it is a Plastic Polisher and is designed to fill in the minute spaces to give it an even surface to polish.

    There you go. Brand new-looking lens for the price of nothing!

    Polished Lens


     
     Document Summary
     
    Document description: How to repair yellow headlights, caused by the formation of dirt film on the cover of the lens.
    Document written by: Ugly Igley on 16 2005>, Copyright © 2005 Ugly Igley, all rights reserved.
    Document revised: 15 2005 - Revision 1.0
    Document views: 26655 since 16 2005



     

     

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