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Sodo Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007 Posts: 9489 Location: Western WA
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Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 10:46 pm Post subject: How to clean headlights on the INSIDE |
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Seeing as how one or two other folks on this list might have 19-year-old headlights.
I was installing my GoWesty 80/100W bulbs+relay kit when.......
....I noticed the headlights had foggy film, and funk inside on the glass and reflector. This would NOT do, for new 80/100 bulbs. I searched the internet for ways to clean them and found no joy whatsoever (for cleaning the inside). Lots of folks were heating them to soften the glue, taking lenses off, all kinds of trouble.
So I took some pipe cleaners and wrapped them around little pebbles and dropped into the lamp, with window washing fluid. I swished the fuzzy pebbles around on the lens top, bottom, sides, and reflectors for a few minutes each lamp each 'side', then dumped out the (now) cloudy washing fluid. I rinsed them with filtered water.
I had to swab a little water out of the corners with a group of 3 Q-Tips clamped in a roachclip. Then placed the lights in the oven at 170 degrees with the opening upward -----> for about 45 minutes.
Headlights are now nice and clear!
----> Onward to the 80/100 bulbs!
_________________
'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb |
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camerahunter Samba Member
Joined: July 23, 2009 Posts: 567 Location: Tacoma
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Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:21 pm Post subject: |
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It's actually much easier then that. Not that your idea was bad or anything. I mean it worked and it was inventive.
BUT
It would be easier to use an old waitress trick for cleaning out the coffee pots.
ICE & SALT
Thank you,
David _________________ 1984 - Daily driver |
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Sodo Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007 Posts: 9489 Location: Western WA
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Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:53 pm Post subject: |
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Searching the internet for methods, I must have read a hundred posts all over different forums, never saw that one either.
I wonder if ice would scrub away a very fine film as completely as a superfine brush? Well it's easy to test, if your lights look like foggy plastic, and when you're done they look like sparkling clear glass, then it works.
Anyway TheSamba now has two more methods than hundreds of other forums!
_________________
'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb |
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camerahunter Samba Member
Joined: July 23, 2009 Posts: 567 Location: Tacoma
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 12:06 am Post subject: |
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Maybe I should test the theory before spouting off. I have a smashed light here. I will try a piece of the reflector in my coffee pot full of crushed ice and salt and see what happens.
Another way that will probably work well is the old high school toilet bomb.
Vinegar and baking soda.
Makes for a foaming reaction that is good for cleaning out plumbing drains.
Thank you,
David _________________ 1984 - Daily driver |
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bread geek Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2005 Posts: 266 Location: fryeburg ME
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 5:00 am Post subject: headlights |
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i also just heard that puttin them in the dishwasher works great too. |
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larrytrk Samba Member
Joined: July 22, 2007 Posts: 377 Location: Central NJ & MA
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 5:32 am Post subject: |
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I found that using a piece of blue shop towel ,dipped in windex,and a flexible plastic rod allowed me to clean out the lights very nicely. _________________ It's all in your mind.
I Hate BAMBI!
87 Westy full camper "Bluie" aka-"busturd"
JUST SOLD HER, WESTYLESS!
Good by cruel world! |
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Home Team Van Samba Member
Joined: January 02, 2008 Posts: 465 Location: wilmington, nc
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 7:29 am Post subject: |
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I've used rubbing alcohol and salt with great success. _________________ _________________________________
82 Diesel Westy |
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PDXWesty Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2006 Posts: 6234 Location: Portland OR
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 8:10 am Post subject: |
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Warm water and dish soap is all I had to use. Swished it around for a bit and rinsed. Real simple and they look great. _________________ 89 Westy 2.1 Auto |
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Franklinstower Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2006 Posts: 1891 Location: PNW
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:21 am Post subject: |
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My headlights look like two black holes - where no light escapes! Honestly they look black in the center like there is no reflection left. I just thought they would never clean up, but maybe they will....Please post your results.
Paul _________________ '89 Westy - EJ25/22 Frank 4.44 5mt
'75 Miami Blue Sunroof FI Standard Bug |
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Sodo Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007 Posts: 9489 Location: Western WA
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:42 am Post subject: |
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Franklinstower wrote: |
Honestly they look black in the center like there is no reflection left. I just thought they would never clean up, but maybe they will.... |
Sorry no picture before/after
Yesterday I thought: Are these square Vanagon lights actually made out of some kind of plastic? Sort of cloudy, milky.
Today. Just imagine clean glass and sparkling shiny reflectors.
There are only 4 small sheetmetal screws per side, the (dual) lights remain in their left/right frames. No adjustments, it only takes 5 minutes to have your headlights out for cleaning, which takes a little longer....
I used window cleaner, which has ammonia and it worked fine.
Could be other detergents that are OK for the reflectors etc (but somebody has to test them). Automatic Dishwasher detergent is one of the more aggressive household detergents that most people have (remember it cleans by splashing, then rinses off 100%). Try a small spot of dishwasher detergent on your windshield you will be surprised that it lifts black stuff off a perfectly clean window. If you don't use rubber gloves, you will be surprised what it does to your skin too! _________________
'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb |
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zerotofifty Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2003 Posts: 1444
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 10:00 am Post subject: |
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dont get too agressive, that shinny mirror finsh inside the light is not very chemical resistant,a dn it scratches easy. you can esily destroy teh mirror finish.
use care. dish saop is as agressive a chemical I will use now days.
if you heat them, use care, uneven heat will crack them (I know) |
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vanaru Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2005 Posts: 169 Location: Sykesville, Maryland
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 10:29 am Post subject: easy |
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Cascade liquid dishwasher soap with very hot water... drop 2 paper towels in with the solution...let sit then swich around and rinse..remove pt and let air dry
no spots....no wiping |
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Sodo Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007 Posts: 9489 Location: Western WA
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 6:01 pm Post subject: |
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dave menche wrote: |
dont get too agressive, ......... you can esily destroy the mirror finish. |
If you use automatic dishwasher soap, (Cascade, for example) put it in a cup and dissolve it for awhile first before pouring into the lamp.
I would not leave it in contact with the mirror finish for longer than a few minutes. The stuff starts eating your skin pretty quick too.
.........then flush with lots of water. _________________
'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb |
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K58 Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2006 Posts: 1173 Location: Santa Barbara
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 6:17 pm Post subject: |
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Franklinstower wrote: |
My headlights look like two black holes - where no light escapes! Honestly they look black in the center like there is no reflection left. I just thought they would never clean up, but maybe they will....Please post your results.
Paul |
try putting bulbs in them
seriously, you're chrome is probably gone inside the housing.
you probably need to replace your headlights if the cleaning doesn't work.
Last edited by K58 on Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:57 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Chuck77 Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2007 Posts: 170 Location: Brush Prairie, WA
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:18 pm Post subject: |
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Use 93% Demineralized alcohol from a paint store, and get some distilled water so you don't get weird mineral-water stains. Before you go home, stop by and get a 6 pack of beer, this is the most importatnt part. Pour the alcohol inside the headlight glass, of course it has to be removed and set flat on a table, and let it sit. Crack open a cold one. Wait. Crack open a cold one. Shake it around a little, pour it out. Should take about an hour. Wash out the inside with the water, and let air dry. Crack open a beer. Maybe it is best to do this type of maintenance if you don't have anywhere to go, because if you follow my directions you will probably be buzzed by the time you are done.
http://www.t3nettet.dk/PNphpBB2-viewtopic-t-4183.html
I got it from a friend who translated, and he got it here. _________________ 1988 Vanagon GL 7 passenger, 15" Mercedes 8 hole alloys with Nokian Hakka's (SOLD) |
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Turk.380 Samba Member
Joined: June 22, 2009 Posts: 320 Location: St. Louis
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Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2009 1:21 pm Post subject: |
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All I did was pour in a little Windex, swished it around some, let them sit for about 20 minutes, swished some more, then rinsed liberally with distilled water.
Let'em sit out in the sun for a few hours, and viola! MAJOR improvement! _________________ Brian W
St. Louis, MO
'64 SO-33 Hatch Top Westy | '87 Syncro Westy: Subaru EZ30D powered | 2002 VW Winnebago Vista |
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bubbleguru Samba Member
Joined: January 29, 2011 Posts: 3 Location: Sausalito CA
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:01 am Post subject: crushed ice and salt method example |
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I followed the "crushed ice and salt method"... and had very good results cleaning my 87 vanagon lights...I poured about 2 tablespoon full's of each in each headlight... then added some water... and swooshed around for a min or so.
Here's a video of the end result.*
http://www.bubblecomment.com/id/uvu7e
It's a simple process to take the entire light frame with lights off the van...and carefully pull out/unscrew the bulbs... (do not touch or get grease on the actual bulbs).
I used my lawn hose on full stream to flush the water out.. then just sat them in the sun for the whole day.. until the water evaporated out of them.... Takes a little time to do...but so worth it.
* your mileage may vary |
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bosruten Samba Member
Joined: February 11, 2011 Posts: 544
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:16 am Post subject: |
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I swiped the magnet thingy my daughter uses to clean her fish tank and diluted dish soap. Outstanding! _________________ '87 Syncro Weekender |
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dubbified Samba Member
Joined: March 03, 2010 Posts: 1406 Location: Redmond, WA
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:49 am Post subject: |
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I tossed mine in the dishwasher. they came out lookin real nice.
Sadly.. the chrome flecked off the bottom of the refractor.. not the actual refracting part, just below it.
I think I would do this step, looks great! |
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kamzcab86 Samba Moderator
Joined: July 26, 2008 Posts: 7877 Location: Arizona
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 10:06 am Post subject: |
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Rubbing alcohol worked on mine:
_________________ ~Kamz
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子 |
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