S3 headlight painting mod
- Thread starter SwedeS3
- Start date
Hey, ive been reading this thread and decided to order some facelift lights from ebay germany (branded TYC) but are exactly identical to uk ones. Ive spent the last 3 nights trying to split them with little success. Ive had the oven upto 200 degrees with them in for 10 mins, ive only managed to get the top part away, but the bottom is still glued in. The 2nd night i tried, i made the mistake of putting the headlight in the oven facing inwards....and slightly melted the lens (you can see a few tiny lines in the plastic if you look really close, but nothing major).
Anyway, i was wondering if you have any tips on how to split them, ive tried everything i can think of and just cant the the bottom of the lamp away.
Im even considering taking the dremel to it, as is suggested on a Dodge SRT-4 forum to split those lamps! :icon_thumright:
Anyway, i was wondering if you have any tips on how to split them, ive tried everything i can think of and just cant the the bottom of the lamp away.
Im even considering taking the dremel to it, as is suggested on a Dodge SRT-4 forum to split those lamps! :icon_thumright:
Jaywoo_A3
Registered User
Unfortunately two of my lights i brought wouldn't split so i brought another set especially to do this mod and they split easily?
Well i got them both apart last night! :icon_thumright: Second one came apart a lot easier than the first, maybe because i used more heat and left it in for longer, but melted one of the brackets at the top, but ive shaped it back into place so it should be ok! Haha..i hope! And the first headlight....well....is looking a bit butchered around the edge of the black plastic...but should still be ok once its done.
Hopefully get em painted and fitted at weekend, cutting the wing sounds fun too, it will be all worth it in the end though, ill get some pics up when its done! :icon_thumright:
Also, has anyone got any tips on how to remove all of the old silicone?
Dan
Hopefully get em painted and fitted at weekend, cutting the wing sounds fun too, it will be all worth it in the end though, ill get some pics up when its done! :icon_thumright:
Also, has anyone got any tips on how to remove all of the old silicone?
Dan
Dont remove any of the old glue. You should use a hot air gun and heat the glue allowing it to become tacky and press them together again. It will reseal fine.
Well..i finally completed it on sunday, with a lot of cuts, blood, bruises and burns later! Its the most ive stuck to doing something i think! (probably because once id started taking the lights apart...there was no going back) My headlights were such a pain to split, but it was worth it all in the end.
To paint them i sanded the chrome off and painted it with some plastikote matte black paint.
I ended up having to use a heat gun to get all the old sealant off the lenses to use new sealant (some black loctite stuff from halfords, used one tube per light)
But heres the finished result, this was also after doing the pre-facelift to facelift light conversion too!
Be warned....dont leave in the oven for too long...
Thanks for your help and this great thread that helped a lot! :icon_thumright:
Once i get a nice day ill get some better photos of it....
To paint them i sanded the chrome off and painted it with some plastikote matte black paint.
I ended up having to use a heat gun to get all the old sealant off the lenses to use new sealant (some black loctite stuff from halfords, used one tube per light)
But heres the finished result, this was also after doing the pre-facelift to facelift light conversion too!
Be warned....dont leave in the oven for too long...
Thanks for your help and this great thread that helped a lot! :icon_thumright:
Once i get a nice day ill get some better photos of it....
That would have probably been better now i look back, but at the time i just followed everyones instructions. :icon_thumright:
A3_Turbo
Swaying towards IHI....
Sorry to revive an old thread, but I tried this yesterday... Interesting experience to say the least.
My first comments are, actually getting the headlights out is a complete pig of a job without fairly advanced and specific tools, and don't whatever you do expect to complete this job in a day. I started working on it at 2pm, and didn't finish rebuilding the car until 12pm midnight.
Anyway, once the headlights are actually out, removing the lenses is pretty easy. I went for the heat gun method as opposed to the oven, and the lenses came away nice and easily. Parts to watch out for are the clips for the auto levelling, discovered both of mine were already broken before I even took the headlight out, and the plastic cogs for headlight alignment adjustment, all of these were knackersd on my lights too. I pressed on despite these issues, treating the current headlights as a test project, as it appears I'm going to have to replace them anyway, and got the lights looking really nice, with the lower inserts painted in Matte Black.
Its one of those jobs where, once you know what you're doing, it's pretty easy. My plan is to get two new headlight clusters, properly work on these for a few days to get them looking spot on, and fit them once they're done.
My first comments are, actually getting the headlights out is a complete pig of a job without fairly advanced and specific tools, and don't whatever you do expect to complete this job in a day. I started working on it at 2pm, and didn't finish rebuilding the car until 12pm midnight.
Anyway, once the headlights are actually out, removing the lenses is pretty easy. I went for the heat gun method as opposed to the oven, and the lenses came away nice and easily. Parts to watch out for are the clips for the auto levelling, discovered both of mine were already broken before I even took the headlight out, and the plastic cogs for headlight alignment adjustment, all of these were knackersd on my lights too. I pressed on despite these issues, treating the current headlights as a test project, as it appears I'm going to have to replace them anyway, and got the lights looking really nice, with the lower inserts painted in Matte Black.
Its one of those jobs where, once you know what you're doing, it's pretty easy. My plan is to get two new headlight clusters, properly work on these for a few days to get them looking spot on, and fit them once they're done.
jay1
Registered User
They look good mate thought about doing it to mine in the past but u made it look easy so will give it a go
Well i decided also to go for this mod. I split one headlight tonight and i cant feel my forefinger or thumb. :-(
Only issue i have is that i took out the torq screw holding in the indacator lamp so whilst i was faffing trying to part the outer lens i scratched some of the grey part, this means it will need repainting so the question is shall i paint it the same colour as before or black same as im doing the chrome bits?
Only issue i have is that i took out the torq screw holding in the indacator lamp so whilst i was faffing trying to part the outer lens i scratched some of the grey part, this means it will need repainting so the question is shall i paint it the same colour as before or black same as im doing the chrome bits?
Sidey
Registered User
s3clarke
Money grabbing s3!
I did it couple of days ago, its a great mod! Didnt have problems opening them, mine are Hella. I painted all the chrome parts in matt black and the silver ones in piano black... here are the pics 
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hey im currently trying to do this, i used a heat gun but just melted bits too quick think its too hot, what oven temp and time should i do it for and do i need to take any parts out apart from wires and pulbs before putting them in the oven?
