Headlights

SurfjaxLS

SurfjaxLS

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I'm looking to clear out the corners of my headlight and maybe paint them to match the car. Does anyone know where all the mounting brackets are, a near foolproof way to take apart and reseal the headlight, and the turn marker bulb #.

Also, if anyone has any pics for the headlight teardown it would be greatly appreciated.
 
first check to see if you have the gray sealant on your headlights. Lift the hood and check the seam where the clear plastic and black plastic meet if you can gray sealant you are in luck. If the glue is Black you will not be able to do it.
 
removal of the headlights is a snap. You should be able to get that part with visual inspection.

You will need to remove the bulbs and plastic pieces from the back of the head light after removal from the car. Do not touch the bulbs as the oils from your hands can damage the bulbs once the are powered on.

The following is what I did:

tools:
cookie sheet
towel
work gloves
oven

procedure:
remove all but one baking rack
adjust remain rack so that it isnt too close the the bottom and allow clearance above the head light
pre heat oven to 300
place the head light wrapped in towel on the cookie sheet
place cookie sheet in oven with wrapped headlight.
set timer for 10 mins
make sure you stay near the oven to make sure nothing catches fire.
at 10 mins remove cookiesheet and place on stove top
unwrap towel and try to seperate the two halves.
if successful repeat for other headlight.

I dont have any photos but I assure you the process is easier than boiling water. Take your time and dont use brute force.

to reseal heat oven and place the headlight back in the oven, wrapped, to heat the glue up again. once it is ready to seal up I highly recommend pressing the two halves together till absolutely cool.

Before you reinstall the headlights you might want to consider replacing your high beams becasue you cannot not install new bulbs with the unit in the car. I use the Silver Stars by Sylvania. They are a night bright whitish blue and can be purchased at walmart. IIRC they are 2 for 40 dollars.
 
also make sure you dont finger print up the inside of the clear lense. I did the first time but took them back out to clear corner the turn signals.

Quik LS pointed out some cool bulbs that illuminate orange per dot spec but are blue in color so during they day they do not reflect orange in the mirror lense. I do not recall who made them though.

Quik LS can you chime in. I think I might be ready for those bulbs too.
 
Clear corners look nice, but I've seen one or two (I think GrayGhost1 and Quik LS have these) is the translucent plastic corners. Where can I get a set of these?
 
LBK_LS said:
Clear corners look nice, but I've seen one or two (I think GrayGhost1 and Quik LS have these) is the translucent plastic corners. Where can I get a set of these?
Click to expand...

The turn signal lens that I have is a piece of acrylic that I've cut to fit in the bezel. I have some of this material left. Email me and maybe we can work something out. Here's a picture of my car with the painted to match bezel and the clear corner lens:

lsefoglights1.jpg


clearcorner.jpg
 
GrayGhost1 said:
The turn signal lens that I have is a piece of acrylic that I've cut to fit in the bezel. I have some of this material left. Email me and maybe we can work something out. Here's a picture of my car with the painted to match bezel and the clear corner lens:

lsefoglights1.jpg


clearcorner.jpg
Click to expand...

nice work you did the corners and the side marker lights.
 
I made the turn signal lens and had the clear bumper marker made from an injection molding company. I'm working with the company to reproduce the side maker lenses on the bumper, turn signal lens and the rear tail lights lenses. This may take a while but will be some nice custom pieces.
 
Thanks for all the info.

GrayGhost, I'm thinking about the whiteish turn signal. I think it will look good against my white LS
 
Any tips on painting the black part of the headlight? Also, is the turn lamp bulb # 3157?
 
The person that paints all of my items for my website painted my bezel. The only thing I'd say is prep it well if you plan to paint it yourself. It's a pretty easy part to paint but you have to take the headlight apart of course.

The parking/turn signal bulb is the 3157. I have the SilverStar signal light in mine so that the corner won't look yellow with a yellow bulb. One of those chrome 3157 bulbs would work too but the SilverStar bulb is amber when lit.
 
Is the turn lamp minor wire the one that is hot when the lights are on, and the major wire when the signal is activated?
 
There are three wires going to the turn/parking lamp:

- Orange/Blue (+)
- Blue/Black (- for parking lamp)
- White/Black (- for turn signal)
 
Thats weird. A negative trigger. So how do you tap into them, positive to the orange/blue, and negative to the blue/black?
 
The LS using the negative as the trigger on all parts of the electrical system. You're right on the positive and negative.
 
GrayGhost,

That is one sharp looking front end! You're gonna make me start scrounging around for an LSE front end for my '00... Have you tried any of the LED parking and turn lamps? I have thought about them before, but with these cars having the status check system, I wonder if the internal resistance of the LED would be too low for the system and make it think it had perpetualy bad lamps.

Kleetus

'00 LS V8 Sport
 
I haven't tried the LED bulbs but QuikLS has. He said that he had to get a resistor and solder it in line with the bulb so that the check bulb indicator wouldn't come on.

As for the LSE front bumper, it's my favorite too! :Beer
 
You can get RTV sealant at just about any automotive store. I use McKanica's aerosol RTV sealant for high heat. I get mine at Pep Boy's but AutoCrap (I mean AutoZone) or Advanced Auto sells it.
 
GrayGhost1I'm working with the company to reproduce the rear tail lights lenses.[/QUOTE said:
Ken, you are making an aftermarket piece for the rear tail lights?? what would it be, clear?
Click to expand...
 
LennDawg said:
Ken, you are making an aftermarket piece for the rear tail lights?? what would it be, clear?
Click to expand...
It's on my project list. The same company that is producing the clear side marker lenses can make clear or tinted tail light lenses. However, the trick is getting the lenses off of the OEM assembly. I got a set of core tail lights from a local dealer and I'm playing around with them in my spare time (yeah right!). As I look at these assemblies they are not going to be that easy to take apart.
 
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