hey guys whats goin on. i just got my 96' es pearl white a few weeks ago and wanted to clear the corners or at least first clean the headlights. anyways i went about doing the project. removed the headlights our of the car, removed all the pieces attached to the headlamps and then went at it in the oven. i first tried 175 degrees for a few minutes and it wasn't heating up enought, then went to 200 degrees and then to 250 and when i took it out of the oven and was pulling it apart(my dad was helping me) it seemed like there was too much silicone that it wasn't coming apart. it came out a cm or 2 but was hard. and i melted a little of the bottom plastic of the headlamp.

My questions so it can be successful next time

How many degrees for how long should i put it in the oven?
What should i place it on in the oven, (i tried a sheet of foil and that only melted the plastic)?
Any way to pull it apart to make it more doable?
What tools should i use to make the job easier?


I think thats it for now
Thanks,
Josh

 

do a search for this

But most use 250 for 5 mins approx and pry open veryyy carefully!!! TAKE YOUR TIME!!!

 

the thing is if i take too much time the silicone will cool and then you will have to heat again. and i already did a search and found a lot of help, but still have these questions unanswered

 

when i cleared my headlights on my 92, i just placed the lamp directly in the oven, didn't use any cookie sheets or anything like that. when i heated it the first time, i set it between 200-250, somewhere around there, for about 7-8 minutes. i found it a lot easier to start separating it when it was heated for a while. i started prying it open from the underside of the lamp, from the end nearest the high beam. i just used a large flathead screwdriver and slowly pried it open at the bottom, then flipped it over and pried open the top side. keep prying until the sealent starts to harden, don't try to continue opening it. stick it back in the oven for 4-5, and continue opening. i didn't find the headlamps to be very fragile, when i got most of open end pried, i used my hands to part the rest of the lamp, but still use caution and common sense, take your time and it'll pay off. don't worry about heating the lamp a lot, it's better if you re-heat it several times, you don't want the sealent to harden. if you need more help, feel free to ask. good luck!

clear corners

that's the site for my clear corners and tails, on there is a link to a site i used for help. i had a few problems during my first attempt, but heating the lamps for 7-8 minutes the first time really melted the sealent and made my job a lot easier.

 

The safest way to clear your corners is to have the oven on the lowest setting. You should NEVER be able to get it open the first time. Take as many heating as prying sessions as you need to, and DO NOT FORCE the headlights open. I know a few people on here have blew it big time and had to buy a new headlight. I'd honestly recommend that you don't continue with the project if you are having trouble. If you know someone that has done this before, have them do it. There's no use in paying a few hundred for a new headlight.

 

hey guys thanks for the info, i have a question for you mcelligot, which methods did you go at taking it apart that you found to me most effective, like prying from the bottom first, or the side..? you advice will be helpful, and snboarder8 thanks for the feedback.

 

Start prying anywhere where the seam bewteen the 2 pieces is visible. Ususally, starting from the side is best. That makes it easier to pry the entire assembly apart when all of the adhesive is ready to give way (usually after 4-5 heating sessions).

 

start in the middle, remember the glue is only soft when it is hot, you may only get a few inches and it hardens again, that is when you have to put it back in on low for 5 minutes, remember pry and heat, pry and heat again and again it took me 5 heating sessions to get it seperated. remember if you break the light you are f****ed go slow and it will seperate...