REVscene - Vancouver Automotive Forum


Welcome to the REVscene Automotive Forum forums.

Registration is Free!You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today! The banners on the left side and below do not show for registered users!

If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact contact us.


Go Back   REVscene Automotive Forum > Technical Discussion > Autobody, Lighting, & Structural Tech

Autobody, Lighting, & Structural Tech This forum is brought to you by RPM Electronics in Burnaby.
Discussion about modifying your auotomotive lighting, retrofits, auto body, share projects, ideas, etc.


Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 01-31-2013, 08:05 PM   #1
RS Lurker, I don't post!
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 2
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Baking Headlight!

Hey there I'm new in this forum. I have a 2012 Mazda 3 Skyactiv and I've done my research about baking these headlights. However what worries me is i may make a mistake and condensation will be built up. And I don't want that.... Especially when you live in Vancouver. If anybody knows how to open and bake the headlights and can prevent condensation that will be great. and of course I will pay you as well...!

here a few pics from other forums with people baking their headlights.!
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 14jyhjc.jpg (46.7 KB, 0 views)
File Type: jpg iDdReBlhudT3H.jpg (128.2 KB, 0 views)
Advertisement
604amg2211 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-31-2013, 08:11 PM   #2
フルコンボ
 
RCubed's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: YVR
Posts: 5,196
Thanked 3,920 Times in 582 Posts
never had a problem with condensation with my headlights.

-Preheat oven to 255ºF
-Clean and dry headlights
-Remove as many components as possible.
-Bake for 10mins
-Pry apart
-Do what you need to do, paint, remove ambers, etc
-Put back both halves for 5 mins to soften glue
-Put lights together
-Rebake for another 5 mins when together. (this will make sure the glue spreads out properly)

I did 3 sets of headlights like this with no problems. Its a lot easier than you think.
RCubed is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-31-2013, 08:36 PM   #3
The Brown Reason
 
BrRsn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Whalley
Posts: 4,607
Thanked 5,863 Times in 1,525 Posts
try a hint of cinnamon for that extra kick of flavour!
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by bcrdukes
fuck this shit, i'm out
BrRsn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-31-2013, 09:26 PM   #4
I STILL don't get it
 
entrax's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Burnaby
Posts: 460
Thanked 694 Times in 157 Posts
keeping condensation away depends more on the vent holes at the back of the housing and less on the seal in the front. when i did my retrofit it took me a while to figure out why my housing was condensing even when ive sealed it a few times over. turns out my 7x6 sealed beam housing didnt have any vent holes. drilled some in and no more condensation!

also adding to RCubed's post, if it makes you feel better, you can get the rubber sealant most likely at mazda or any parts store. as well as when you're heating it for 5 mins after you put back the housing, i find it helps it seal better when you have some tiny c-clamps holding the housing together so air bubbles get squeezed out as they heat up.
entrax is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-01-2013, 10:43 AM   #5
RS has made me the bitter person i am today!
 
Acura604's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 4,753
Thanked 2,906 Times in 753 Posts
My RSX headlight baking guide:

Best advice? Take your time!!!


DIY Blackout Guide
Acura604 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-01-2013, 12:05 PM   #6
Rs has made me the woman i am today!
 
G-spec's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 4,032
Thanked 2,165 Times in 594 Posts
I've done dozens and dozens of sets for the local Nissan/Infiniti guys, and the number one thing I would tell people is to give it proper time to dry, few days if you must in a nice warm room all the headlight pieces open together.
This because paint takes few hours to dry to touch, but few days to fully cure sometimes.
That's why what I do is I put the actual plastic bezel piece in the oven to cure it myself takes a whole day to do it.

Anyway that's my bulletproof method, and out of those dozens upon dozens of headlights I've done, only had condensation with like 2 or 3. And the solution is super simple, no need to take the lights off the car again, just get under the wheel well as if you're changing a lightbulb, and just pop the back tab open on the headlight, let it air out in a nice warm place over a night or two. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU DO IT ASAP, AS SOON AS YOU SEE CONDENSATION
I say that because in some cases and this is what happend to a buddy of mine whose lights I did, in some cases the heat from the HID's (gets super super hot inside the light) well that extreme heat will actually boil the water inside the lights which will in turn melt that layer of coating on the inside of the lens (there's a coating there to help with the heat otherwise the plastic lens would melt... anyway in extreme cases this can happen if you don't open up and let the condensation escape.

My buddy's headlights on the inside was left looking like waxy residue from the melted coating... I did the best I could cleaning it up without damaging the inside lens, but not much you can do really at that point.
__________________
(oO:::\___/:::Oo) (DPE-wheels) // Satin Cocaine White
G-spec is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-01-2013, 12:22 PM   #7
RS Lurker, I don't post!
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 2
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Thanks guys, there are some very use full tips here, however i face an objection. I can't back my headlight, i have to use a heat gun...? anyone faced this issue? the reason why I have to use a heat gun is due to my headlight being big to fit inside the oven...

G-SPEC how much do you charge to do this? I will provide all the materials. Thanks
604amg2211 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-01-2013, 12:40 PM   #8
no
 
jpark's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: home
Posts: 5,371
Thanked 6,058 Times in 1,222 Posts
heatgun is fine too, just gets messier than the oven method
jpark is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-01-2013, 12:46 PM   #9
Rs has made me the woman i am today!
 
G-spec's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 4,032
Thanked 2,165 Times in 594 Posts
I don't do this anymore, I only did it to help out my Nissan guys who had no choice but to send it to a shop in the US and pay about $1000 to get it done.... I've taken care of all their lights so yea I'm done with that sorry, it's very time consuming...

Heatgun well.. it's a lot harder with a heatgun but not impossible, it's like by the time you heat one side, the other will be cooled off.... like Park said, it's really messy with a heat gun
__________________
(oO:::\___/:::Oo) (DPE-wheels) // Satin Cocaine White
G-spec is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-01-2013, 01:25 PM   #10
Media Officer / MOD
 
!Aznboi128's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: vancouver
Posts: 28,073
Thanked 5,751 Times in 1,724 Posts
sadly I dont have access to an oven so I always used heat gun and its not that bad. work on it one side at a time but you just have to have patience
__________________
[NS]NiteShadow
my feedback (128-0-0)
Revscene Automotive Reviews
Quick link to personal reviews -> Website YouTube
Official Revscene Instagram Coordinator
!Aznboi128 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-01-2013, 04:13 PM   #11
Rs has made me the woman i am today!
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Burnaby
Posts: 4,020
Thanked 6,687 Times in 1,624 Posts
I'd suggest bribing a friend with an oven with some beer rather than using a heatgun lol
inv4zn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-01-2013, 04:39 PM   #12
no
 
jpark's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: home
Posts: 5,371
Thanked 6,058 Times in 1,222 Posts
basically, if you are using a heat gun its easier to do with 2 people.
one person blows the heat gun and the other person uses a flat head to pry open at the same time
jpark is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-26-2013, 10:44 PM   #13
I Will not Admit my Addiction to RS
 
dinfung's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: vancouver
Posts: 586
Thanked 297 Times in 45 Posts
always wanted to do it, but still worry i will screw up. anyshop that can do out locally?
Posted via RS Mobile
dinfung is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are Off



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 05:49 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
SEO by vBSEO ©2011, Crawlability, Inc.
Revscene.net cannot be held accountable for the actions of its members nor does the opinions of the members represent that of Revscene.net