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Headlight cleaning technique - all sparkly clear again!
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IdahoDoug
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 10:58 am    Post subject: Headlight cleaning technique - all sparkly clear again! Reply with quote

So the Syncro's headlights were milky fogged on the inside. Both lense and reflector. One needed to come out yesterday for install of a new German antenna (love how it properly retracts all the way).

My lights were fogged so they looked about half as obscured as if you had wax paper behind them. Pretty bad.

I laid them on the kitchen counter (good thing my wife is out of town), filled them with NAPA 8100 Glass Cleaner with ammonia (this is a wet foamy spray) and jiggled them around for about 60 seconds. So theyre full of a heavy foam. Be sure to flip them so you also are agitating the reflector side as fog there reduces output the same as the lense.

Then let them sit face down on the counter for about 5 minutes. Then filled them with warm water, flipped and drained and repeated this 2X. Be sure to agitate them in a circular motion as they drain out the bulb holes - otherwise I noticed bubbles sit on the lense and I don't know if they're holding soap. The motion sweeps these off.

Then put them on a heater vent. I've also taped a blow drier to a chair and warmed them if its summer and no heater when doing this on other cars.

Mine are now absolutely crystal clear again and sitting on the heater vents. Now off to the hardware store to get some washers and fasteners to replace the old plastic adjusters and such.

DougM
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joseph928
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 4:35 pm    Post subject: lights Reply with quote

Blue Bay Bus Great idea, thanks! Very Happy
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westyman71
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 7:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had an 88 Cabriolet that the high beams were all cloudy on the inside glass. I did the old bartender trick of cleaning coffee pots. Ice cubes and table salt. Swish them around for a minute or so. Dumped it out, rinsed, and let it drip dry. They came out like new. Guess this could work too.
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WestyBob
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 9:43 pm    Post subject: Re: Headlight cleaning technique - all sparkly clear again! Reply with quote

IdahoDoug wrote:
Then put them on a heater vent. I've also taped a blow drier to a chair and warmed them if its summer and no heater when doing this on other cars.


Many past threads about this. I use the same technique except just used tap water and that worked well. In winter, heated over a grate. In summer, let the sun evaporate. Main thing ... be sure all the water is gone ... even a small drop left will eventually cause fogging and potential reflector rust.
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IdahoDoug
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 11:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Careful with salt water and ultra thin metal plating. I wouldn't want any residue left in a delicate light assembly. Some lights are all glass on the inside and this would be less of an issue, but the Vanagon lights are a thin metal coating on the reflector.

Can't wait to get these mounted. Watched a movie while starting the process of replacing the aiming and mounting bolts on the headlamp. Will finish tomorrow.

DougM
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syncrodoka
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 12:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Alcohol works great.
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cruz99
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 12:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

syncrodoka wrote:
Alcohol works great.

I agree. After the 8th beer you forget you have fogged up lights Laughing
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syncrodoka
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 12:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Beer has alcohol?

Wink

Straight alcohol, not the drunking kind.
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RBEmerson
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 7:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

syncrodoka wrote:
Alcohol works great.


What he said! I used 97% pure isopropyl alcohol (see your friendly neighborhood pharmacy) to lift the film out of the lights. Fill, swish, let stand for an hour or two, swish, empty, and dry with a hair dryer. Do not use rubbing alcohol (added oils and scents leave a film) and avoid 70% alcohol (the 30% water can leave streaks and spots).

Keep in mind the reflector coatings are fragile, and the supporting mask structures probably aren't coated to avoid rust problems. Stay away from salt (corrosion) and ice (rust).
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GMByers
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 3:09 pm    Post subject: Cleaning Headlights - Old Threads - Same Solutions Reply with quote

In case anyone missed threads on how to clean the inside of headlights....

Here's a 2005 thread - http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=138301&highlight=cleaning+headlights

Here's a 2009 thread - http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=378845&highlight=cleaning+headlights

Here's a January 2012 thread - http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=495883&highlight=cleaning+headlights
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Otmar
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 31, 2012 4:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just did my high beam only by swishing around 91% alcohol. I did one initially so you can see the change in the picture (clean on the right of course). The main lights are E-code that were new 12 years and 120K miles ago and so did not need cleaning but the high beams had looked fogged for a long time from the first 120K miles before I had them. The 91% alcohol helped a lot, but still not quite as clean as the "new" ones. I think all the pits on the outside of the glass affect it some. I added headlight covers when I got the new lights so the new ones were protected.

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IdahoDoug
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Amazing. Changed the look of my Van with sparkly* lights instead of dull rectangles.

DougM

*sparkly is a technical term denoting advanced concepts in prismatic lense lighting. Void where prohibited, taxed, or otherwise regulated. Not available in all areas. Results may vary based on user's location, weather, vehicle loading, and driving habits.
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Luckyphil
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 2:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Down under we dont use any fancy product just some cheesecloth swirled around inside the light and comes up great

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