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Well after 20 Years you can't expect your Soarer headlights to be pristine and shiny, but you can do something about it! Every Soarer owner gets the headlight cloud eventually.. Z30 owners included. This guide is a how to on cleaning them up.
Pop the hood, lets get started. First remove your headlights.
Remove the clips out of all your lightbulbs and dont forget the optical connection to your VIP spec fender lights also.
Take EXTREME care in popping out the side indicators. There are two pin clips that its attached to the body with. These snap very easily so take caution. Insert a flathead screwdriver in the rear of the indicator and prise it out gently. You may want to switch this around if its a bit sticky and prise it from the front between the indicator/headlight gently also. Eventually it will just pop out if you're careful enough.
These are your indicator clip plugs. As I said above, careful not to damage them.
Then remove the last 3 bolts/nuts holding the headlight in.
Now go inside and fire up your Oven. Set it at 150 degrees celsius, preheat 10 minutes. Put a headlight in there and set the timer for no more than 5-6 minutes. Make sure you remove the rubber bulb surrounds, all retaining clips and the bulbs before you do this.
After about 6 minutes, the sealant/adhesive that bonds the clear front cover of the headlights to the frame should be gooey and soft. Taking a screwdriver you can prise the two sections apart gently. Careful though as the light will be hot. You might want to grip it with a teatowel while you do this. Dont let the missus/mum catch you doing it though. In fact, I should make it quite clear at this point that you shouldn't be even using her oven if shes around. This will either result in a) 'what the fuck are you doing dirtying up my oven?' or b) 'oh its good to see you're so enthusiastic in the kitchen, maybe you can learn to cook!'. Both of which are fatal outcomes.
Now there are many ways to do this, but this is my personal favourite. Meguiars Swirl Remover 2.0. Because the gunk stuck to your headlights is kind of like a scum/oxide layer on the outer i find this stuff to work well. Basically its a light cut and polish for paintwork, but works extremely well on cleaning up frosted/foggy taillights as well. Just squirt some on a good buffing rag/polishing cloth and get to rubbing it till its all shiny and clean. Inside and out. I found a lot of the crap on my headlights was on the outer so i didn't need to do much to the inside. There are other ways of doing this as well. I've head Brasso and a brillo pad works well, along with Wet and Dry sandpaper. Once you have cleaned it up.. Put both sections back together and pop it in the oven for another 1-2 minutes. Take it out and then press the sections together firmly while the adhesive is still gooey. Put all retaining clips, and bulbs back in and you're done.
And look at the amazing difference! Now all you need to do is repeat for the other side and then work backwards to put the lights back in your car and be travelling with ultra clean headlights!
Pop the hood, lets get started. First remove your headlights.
Remove the clips out of all your lightbulbs and dont forget the optical connection to your VIP spec fender lights also.
Take EXTREME care in popping out the side indicators. There are two pin clips that its attached to the body with. These snap very easily so take caution. Insert a flathead screwdriver in the rear of the indicator and prise it out gently. You may want to switch this around if its a bit sticky and prise it from the front between the indicator/headlight gently also. Eventually it will just pop out if you're careful enough.
These are your indicator clip plugs. As I said above, careful not to damage them.
Then remove the last 3 bolts/nuts holding the headlight in.
Now go inside and fire up your Oven. Set it at 150 degrees celsius, preheat 10 minutes. Put a headlight in there and set the timer for no more than 5-6 minutes. Make sure you remove the rubber bulb surrounds, all retaining clips and the bulbs before you do this.
After about 6 minutes, the sealant/adhesive that bonds the clear front cover of the headlights to the frame should be gooey and soft. Taking a screwdriver you can prise the two sections apart gently. Careful though as the light will be hot. You might want to grip it with a teatowel while you do this. Dont let the missus/mum catch you doing it though. In fact, I should make it quite clear at this point that you shouldn't be even using her oven if shes around. This will either result in a) 'what the fuck are you doing dirtying up my oven?' or b) 'oh its good to see you're so enthusiastic in the kitchen, maybe you can learn to cook!'. Both of which are fatal outcomes.
Now there are many ways to do this, but this is my personal favourite. Meguiars Swirl Remover 2.0. Because the gunk stuck to your headlights is kind of like a scum/oxide layer on the outer i find this stuff to work well. Basically its a light cut and polish for paintwork, but works extremely well on cleaning up frosted/foggy taillights as well. Just squirt some on a good buffing rag/polishing cloth and get to rubbing it till its all shiny and clean. Inside and out. I found a lot of the crap on my headlights was on the outer so i didn't need to do much to the inside. There are other ways of doing this as well. I've head Brasso and a brillo pad works well, along with Wet and Dry sandpaper. Once you have cleaned it up.. Put both sections back together and pop it in the oven for another 1-2 minutes. Take it out and then press the sections together firmly while the adhesive is still gooey. Put all retaining clips, and bulbs back in and you're done.
And look at the amazing difference! Now all you need to do is repeat for the other side and then work backwards to put the lights back in your car and be travelling with ultra clean headlights!
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