So I cleaned and painted my headlights...fail.

Discussion in 'General Subaru Discussion' started by joebush44, Mar 20, 2016.

  1. joebush44
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    joebush44 Well-Known Member

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    Since I bought my car a few years ago, I've always noticed a dirty/cloudiness on the insides of my headlights. I recently baked them and took them apart. Using rubbing compound, I polished the insides of the lenses. No cleaners would touch it. It was almost like lime scale. (Unrelated: I painted the insides of the housings black while they were apart)

    When I reassembled the lights, I even laid a nice fresh bead of butyl rubber around the housing. From what I've read online, most people just heat the housing back up again and not even bother using any additional sealant. I figured the extra sealant would help prevent them from having any chance of fogging.

    Well the lenses are nice and clear now, but...they are fogging. I'm wondering if what I polished out from the inside of the lense was some sort of anti-fog type coating from the factory or something?

    Is there a product I can use that will help prevent the fogging that I can apply to the inside of the lens? I know they make an anti-fog application you can use for ski/snowmobile goggles, but I'm not sure how it would hold up in the sun on the inside of a headlight. something like Opti-coat 2.0 work maybe?

    I'm guessing not, but can I buy only the front lense of the housing brand new somewhere?

    Other ideas?

    [​IMG]
     
  2. joebush44
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    joebush44 Well-Known Member

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    My next question is: Can I buy 06-07 WRX headlights (non-hid) and convert them over to HID using the bulbs/igniter/harness from my STi HID assemblies? Is there anything different when comparing the actual headlight assemblies?

    Edit: I'm guessing they are not the same. Leveling motors in the STi assembly, to name one thing...right?
     
    Last edited: Mar 20, 2016
  3. JasonoJordan
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    JasonoJordan Well-Known Member

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    If they are fogging they are getting moisture in them. Try reheating it up and resetting the lens. Its not sealed somewhere.
     
  4. tangledupinblu
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    tangledupinblu Event Coordinator Staff Member

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    The system isn't sealed. There is a breather tube on the back so it'll never be air tight. At least all of the ones that i've worked on have had breather tubes to allow moisture to get out.

    On the bugeye headlights there was definitely a coating. Not sure about other MY's.
     
  5. tangledupinblu
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    tangledupinblu Event Coordinator Staff Member

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    Found this...

    image.png
     
  6. JasonoJordan
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    JasonoJordan Well-Known Member

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  7. joebush44
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    joebush44 Well-Known Member

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    So I'm wondering if I'm f@cked because I took the coating off the inside. I wonder why they were so "frosty" looking with the coating in there.

    I'm tempted to buy a new pair of WRX (non-HID) headlights and swap the lenses with mine. Or maybe one of the cheapo eBay lenses even? Would probably be better off staying with oem lenses I'm guessing.

    I'll try to resell them again first, but I thought I did a pretty thorough job of sealing them to begin with.
     
  8. tangledupinblu
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    tangledupinblu Event Coordinator Staff Member

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    Maybe you "over sealed them"? The fact is, you had them inside where it was warm, and then put them back into your car while it was cold/cool outside. The condensation is more than likely from the temp difference, not water getting in them.

    Use a hair dryer and blow warm air into the bulb hole to dry them out. ;)
     
  9. Chux
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    Chux Well-Known Member

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    How long have you had them on the car since the modification?

    As mentioned, they are vented....I wonder if you introduced some moisture with it apart, and over time that would evaporate. It's certainly worth a try to give it some time and see if it gets better or worse.
     
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  10. joebush44
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    joebush44 Well-Known Member

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    That was my thought also, but doesn't seem logical/possible lol. They have fogged/dried out a a couple times now. Car sits in a heated garage (around 40-45*) and once outside for 5-10 minutes they start to fog on the insides.

    It's been about a week now since I reassembled them. I don't drive it daily and it's only been out a couple times this past week, but both times resulted in fogging. Once the warmer weather comes it probably won't be an issue at all, but still bothers me. I'll roll with it for a while and see if it gets better/worse and at least try resealing them before I go buy anything.
     
  11. pocketrocket
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    pocketrocket Well-Known Member

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    Maybe put some silica gel packs through the bulb holes and leave there for a couple nights. Remove and see if it helps. That's the moisture control packets they put in all sorts of stuff. If you don't have any on hand, raid Walmart/Target shoe boxes lol.
     
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  12. joebush44
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    joebush44 Well-Known Member

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    Lol. Think I'll hope for some warmer weather to let them bake in the sun for the day and see how it goes. I'm just worried I've "ruined" the lenses by taking a coating off that should be there...but they looked like ass before polishing them out
     
  13. idget
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    idget Want to pokéman? PM ShortytheFirefighter Staff Member

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    fill headlights with rice

    srs tho... would be really really really surprised if subaru applied anything like that to the inside of the lens. I mean, this is the same car company that didn't include an aux jack until 2007 and didn't make bt available till recently.

    Looks like regular condensation. If it really bothers you, take them apart, use some rainx antifog or similar, dry thoroughly, and reseal (top seam). If the fogging is permanent it's probably the paint outgassing. In that case, def let those cure for way longer next time.
     
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  14. JasonoJordan
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    JasonoJordan Well-Known Member

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    I have a similar regular condensation issue in the tail lights of my brz. Basically Subaru told me, Oh if there is no water that is how it is supposed to be. It is only a problem for the early months of spring(where its very warm during the day then very cool at night) once the temps stabilize a little then the condensation issue I have goes away.
     
  15. tangledupinblu
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    tangledupinblu Event Coordinator Staff Member

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    There is a coating. I found out with the bugeye lenses that there is. I tried to attempt what Joe did, but stopped as soon as i noticed. Then polished the scratches by hand.

    I definitely think that the paint could be off gasing. If you put them together right away, the gas can discolor the inside of the lense too. You really need to let them sit for a week before reassembling them. The longer the better!
     
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  16. joebush44
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    joebush44 Well-Known Member

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    That's possible that the paint is causing it too. I only let them sit overnight before reassembly. I did "cure" them with a head gun though so thought I should be good. I'll just hope for the best that they quit fogging after a couple weeks before I go any further with them.
     
  17. joebush44
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    joebush44 Well-Known Member

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    I've heard the BRZ has issues with moisture in the tails. Of course, Subaru considers this "normal". Even the "quality" aftermarket assemblies seem to have issues
     
  18. JasonoJordan
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    JasonoJordan Well-Known Member

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    I got them to give me $500 in subaru money to spend at the dealer with a bunch of bitching and moaning so I just finally let it go.
     
  19. NaMinesClarence
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    NaMinesClarence Well-Known Member

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    My fog would go away once the HID's were on for a bit. Didn't bother me. Does yours do the same?
     
  20. joebush44
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    joebush44 Well-Known Member

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    Yes, but not entirely
     
  21. Legsaucy
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    Legsaucy Well-Known Member

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    What kind of paint did you use? Water based, solvent, etc?
     
  22. joebush44
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    joebush44 Well-Known Member

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    Krylon Fusion for plastics (satin black)
     
  23. JasonoJordan
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    JasonoJordan Well-Known Member

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  24. joebush44
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    joebush44 Well-Known Member

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    Yeah, that could very well be part of (or the root of) the cause. That paint was recommended in one of the how-tos that I read and supposedly had consistently good results with it...idk
     
  25. JasonoJordan
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    JasonoJordan Well-Known Member

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    It may work real well but has some pretty nasty chemicals in it thats all I was saying.
     
  26. joebush44
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    joebush44 Well-Known Member

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    Right, I got ya. The pass side headlight seems to be more susceptible to the condensation than the drivers side so far and the pass side has the "freshest" paint on it...so it could very well be a chemical reaction thing. I'm going to wait it out for another week or so and see if condensation persists and go from there.
     
  27. Legsaucy
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    Legsaucy Well-Known Member

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    Yeah even "for plastic" stuff needs a good scuff and adhesion promoter. Paint can contaminate easily when you're using a product that has counter reactive chemicals to what it was already coated with. If you try again I'd look for a good adhesion promoter that's in the same paint line as your color and make sure to do several mist coats vs laying it on heavy.
     
  28. JasonoJordan
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    JasonoJordan Well-Known Member

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    Before even doing that you could try putting the headlights back in the oven on a low temp for a hr or so just to speed up any out gasing if that is indeed the issue and go from there.
     
  29. joebush44
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    joebush44 Well-Known Member

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    Yeah, I won't be repainting them...the paint looks mint ;)

    Current plant of attack:
    Wait a week.
    Condensation persists?
    No > Call it a day.
    Yes > Bake headlights again and reseal with butyl rubber, check light seals/o-rings.

    Condensation persists?
    No > Declare victory.
    Yes > Buy new WRX (non-hid) headlights (because cheaper) and swap the lenses out (to factor out that I F'd them up by removing the coating on the inside)

    Condensation persists?
    No > Jump for joy and sell WRX headlights at a discounted rate.
    Yes > burn car to the ground because I cannot live with condensation in my headlights.

    :)
     
    Last edited: Mar 22, 2016
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  30. JasonoJordan
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    JasonoJordan Well-Known Member

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    Well on the upside the fire would fix the condensation lol
     
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  31. pattyk
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    pattyk New Member

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    Hey Joe,

    The same issue happened to my headlights. How did this end up playing out?
     
  32. joebush44
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    joebush44 Well-Known Member

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    The issue was unresolved when I sold the car last summer. I replied to your PM