removing headlight lens

[marshmallow15]

is there any way i can remove the headlight cover itself so i can clean it from the inside?

[finchuck]

yea but u probably won't be able to get it back on and sealed properly. u have to heat up the seams real good and use a razor to cut away the glue.

[marshmallow15]

oh so it's like the same procedure as removing the taillight lens...heating up that glue huh? i tried that b4 to make my friend's solara headlights clear corners, but putting it back on was just too hard. i guess i'll get a pair from the dealership.

[pDhMiBsh]

hey my buddy did that with his s2000 so he could paint the inside yellow he put them in the oven and litterally baked them at 200 degrees. and the lens jsut pulled off and he stuck it back in baked it til the glue got soft and fit the lens back on he said the hardest part was the burning of is fingers haha but i dunno he has some experience with cars and i don't know if i want to try it

[finchuck]

i wouldn't expect that cleaning them from the inside would do much. cleaning the outside is going to get the best results. buff and polish them. maybe even do some slight sanding. you'll be able to get them back to clear.

[marshmallow15]

yea i did that. it's still yellow though and i think it's from the inside.

[Bundy]

I replaced one (driver's side) headlight after the accident a few weeks ago. Because of that, the headlight looked odd all the time since the new one looked so clear, and the other one looked so yellow after it's cleaned. I decided to go with a new one on the other side, too, and ordered the new lense at mazda for about $250. I'll get them on Wednesday and supposed to be easy to install. IF I can't, they'll install that for another $40.<P>Bungo

[rayrrod]

what are those 3 things on the outside of the headlite lens? they get in my way when I polish the lens. I thought of sanding them off. any reason not to? they are like little nipples. someone told me its for the car bra. Is that true?<BR>thanks

[curtklze]

Those little nipples are mounts for a head light aiming tool.<P>If you sand them off you will have to go to a shop that has an electronic aimer if you want to aim your head lights,because a normal<BR>aimer wont be able to sit on the lense.<P>Also if you can get a mechanic to order the head light pods from the dealer they only cost $150.00 CDN plus tax.

[Wheelz]

If you take the whole assembly out, and take out the bulb, use about a 7 to 1 mixture of CLR (that cleaning stuff for bathrooms etc) and water (7 parts CLR, 1 part very very hot water) and pour it in the hole where the bulb would go, swish it around and let it sit for about 30-40 minutes, then rinse, repeat if necessary. Works pretty well, good luck with the one bolt on the headlights that's behind the bumper though, you'll need a drill-bit ratchet attachment and an extension piece, take out the turn signal and it's right there.<P>Good luck.