I am going to clear my headlights Tomorrow and want to know what would you do, use the existing sealant or go buy the 3M strip sealant.
just do what it takes to make it look nice... you will be happy in the long run. plus ya gotta represent man. None of this poorly put togather stuff! hahaha good luck
Neither. After taking apart the lights you should assess the condition and amount of the original sealant. I've worked on lights that did NOT have a enough left to warrant putting it back together without adding a new coating. bad idea. So, your answer is this....You don't need to replace the original sealant, but you MAY need to add more if there are sections that are bare or have a minimal coating.
x4! I'd go to Napa and pick up their: "Permatex" Black Silicone Adhesive Sealant, item #81158 16B. It's about $4-5 bucks and works great! But if there is enough existing sealant, you may not need it. I personally like to add a little fresh stuff all the way around just to be safe. Don't want any moisture in there.
I believe RTV works well, or weatherstrip adhesive. Anyone feel free to enlighten, but it seems like RTV that's in there from factory.
It most definitely isn't a silicone. Its more of a sealant that never really cures/hardens. That's why it bakes in the oven at 200 degrees to soften it.
NO NO NO!! I used the 3m weatherstrip adhesive on mine and when it cured it left white powder on the inside! It makes it look like there's moisture on the inside!
It was RTV that I used on my color changes, not weatherstrip adhesive. I haven't had an issue with any "powder". I will have to look into this more though. Thanks for the heads-up.
I (Jason) used "The Right Stuff", which is a black silicon. Works great, no moisture, no powdery substance.
When I did Greg's (RallySTI) STi headlamps, I used it again. Once again no moisture and no powdery junk. It seems to hold up to severe temp changes, and all kinds of moisture.