TheSamba.com :: View topic

Wed Sep 23, 2009 10:46 pm

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!

Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:21 pm

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

Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:53 pm

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!

:wink: :wink:

Thu Sep 24, 2009 12:06 am

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

Thu Sep 24, 2009 5:00 am

i also just heard that puttin them in the dishwasher works great too.

Thu Sep 24, 2009 5:32 am

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.

Thu Sep 24, 2009 7:29 am

I've used rubbing alcohol and salt with great success.

Thu Sep 24, 2009 8:10 am

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.

Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:21 am

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

Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:42 am

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!

Thu Sep 24, 2009 10:00 am

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)

Thu Sep 24, 2009 10:29 am

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

Thu Sep 24, 2009 6:01 pm

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.

Thu Sep 24, 2009 6:17 pm

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 :lol:
seriously, you're chrome is probably gone inside the housing.
you probably need to replace your headlights if the cleaning doesn't work.

Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:18 pm

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.

Fri Sep 25, 2009 1:21 pm

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!

Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:01 am

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 :wink:

Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:16 am

I swiped the magnet thingy my daughter uses to clean her fish tank and diluted dish soap. Outstanding!:lol:

Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:49 am

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!

Wed Oct 12, 2011 10:06 am

Rubbing alcohol worked on mine: