Headlight moisture

[stumog]

After taking the 80 for a very deep swim one of my headlights is now full of water. I took it out today removed the clips that hold the lens on but couldn't get the lens off.

Does it even come off?
I got most of the water out but it could do with a clean.
Any ideas.

Stu

 

[Chas]

Probably the wrong thing to do but when I constantly had this problem I ended up drilling small drain holes at the bottom of the glass lens, obviously they filled up again but instantly drained out.

 

[Chris]

I know people have tried Stu and ruined their units.

Here's an idea to consider. Remove the headlight. Wash out what you can. Empty a shot gun cartridge if you can get one and pour the shot in. Or get some shot. Swish that round with some warm water in to get the marks off the inside. Pour it all out and then using a hair drier or heat gun on gentle heat, dry the glass from the outside with the unit at an angle so that water collects in a corner until it's all gone. I actually clean my glass decanters like this.

 

[stumog]

I took the bulbs out and put on the roof in the sun and they dried but still a bit of a tide mark.

Patrern is ok for mot just wanted to make better.
Stu

 

[StarCruiser]

What would you think to putting them in the dishwasher? My only thought is how the coating on the reflector would fare, but not any more aggressive than shot I would have thought.

 

[stumog]

My dish washer is blond and has legs......

 

[Ian Chuter]

My dish washer is blond and has legs......

Ooooh your going straight to hell for that one.

 

[stumog]

Bit of a bad joke in our house. My friend suggested a a dish washer and I responed with I am married and there is no need. Didnt go down tgat well I will say.

 

[Towpack]

I had a similar issue with the headlights on a Sierra I owned some years back and washed them out in a large bowl of hand hot water with one of those dissolving, glass cleaning tablets meant for dishwashers. Left them to soak for 15mins or so, then just swished them round and drained them. I then dried them with a hair dryer on low power with a funnel and a bit of plastic pipe taped to the end to blow the air into the light unit via the bulb hole. They dried in around 10-15mins and were like new. The drilling of a drain hole sounds a good idea if you wade regularly. JMO

 

[Dave2000]

Having used dishwasher for years I have found they are quite abrasive on glass, OK for a one off on the glass headlights but I would be more concerned about the reflector inside.

regards

Dave

 

[Towpack]

There are (or there used to be) special glass cleaners for use in dishwashers which are supposed to be much kinder to glassware but I agree you have to be careful with the reflector which is chrome plated plastic at best? My Sierra lights didn't suffer any though but I only did them once. JMO

 

[Sarmajornz]

Look around on other forums or Google it. I took the glass covers of a couple of headlight units to clean / replace reflectors for my 80. Just heated them in the oven for a while. Only thing I can't remember is the temperature but it was not to hot.


Sarmajor

 

[Chris]

Typically it's the salt that you add to the dishwasher not the tablet itself.