My head lights are a yellowish color. Also noticing some consensation on the inside. Are they supposed to be yellow or is this just from age? I don't want to replace them; can they be cleaned and made clear? What about the condensation? Is this normal or can I do something to prevent this from occuring?

The car has pinstriping. It's a really narrow tape (not paint) along both sides of the car. What is the best way of removing this?

Thanks! (AGAIN)

Julie

Julie,

I am convinced that front light lenses go yellow because people use car wax, cleaner, soap or any chemical on it. If none was used by you or a P.O. then your favorite car wash has done it. The same applies to tarnished rear lenses.

My experience? My 240 1991 is sitting outside under the sun since 1991 and front lenses are as clear as new.

I have polished a front lens that I got from the bone yard to see how good it could be regenerated. I can say that 80% of the yellow can be removed. It is virtually all on the outside at the surface. I used sand paper #200 then wet #200, 400, 600, 1000, I finished with polishing compound and felt disk mounted on an electric drill. It is better if you practice on a scrap lens and see how it goes.

actualy its the seperation gell used at the factory to pull plastic from molds this is baked into the plastic apon manufacturing and after many years of headlight heat and sun heat draws it to the surface how do i know this well lets see i worked at honda of america in marrisvill on head lamp also seat build and tork converter line so the gell is a gold color that is reheated to hide another way to recolor plastic is to heat it up this is not used by weekend warriors since it is a long project and prone to melt down since the clear is tougf and brittel at same time

pss as i never built head lamps at honda being on the head lamp line there is many meeting and the manufactur would come and discuss the lamps and how there made as we as workers where alowed to ask questions so i was able to get alot of anserws hope this info helps as the last thing i want is to belittle anyone sorry if it looks that way

"actualy its the seperation gell used at the factory to pull plastic from molds this is baked into the plastic apon manufacturing and after many years of headlight heat and sun heat draws it to the surface how do i know this well lets see i worked at honda of america in marrisvill on head lamp"

I have no problem with the "belittle anyone". You did not say if you were making volvo headlights.

I only bring the experience I lived.

So my 1991 has clear headlight lenses after being under the sun (every sunny day) since march 1991. I must admit mileage is low; less than 50k miles. Lenses were never waxed, or had chemical on them. So could be that UV light produced by the halogen bulb has something to do in here. You could be right here.

I ever had a 240 1981 wich I cleaned stoplights almost every year with lacquer thinner or wd-40 and sometime NewFinish car wax. After 10 years of this the lenses were dull and frosty at the surface, looked like there was a powder coat on them.

Last fall I used sand paper dry and wet, rubbing compound and refreshed these just for the kik of it. At the beginning I went roughly, but as I saw that the problem was only at the surface I did finish the job carefully. Now my son is using these again and they realy look like others in good condition.

Could be that the production process has been modified over the years or supplier has changed or plastic formula is different.

It would be good to find from others who have 240 1991, high mileage, always outside,

Clear lenses or yellow lenses?

stop lights are not clear and yes wax is all thats needed for tail lamps. Your foggy dull headlamps where scuffed by the aluminum oxide in compound or wax witch is what sand paper is made from ,that you used. Try aluminum polish like i discribed. Older car interior plastic turns yellow as well we will talk of this later. You are right the prosses changes as so do the color of sep gel and purity of plastic and where manufactured interiors on old cars the plastic yellows cause of age and heat not light i said heat in former post brings it to surface. Im talking 40yr plus old autos.All i can say is stop useing wax and try aluminum polish on headlamps and you will be amased as i lerned this at honda in case the manufacture sent us dirty lamps we could cristal them with out sending back the manufacture told us to use aluminum polish and it works ive done this on 1000s of cars as i work as a detail mgr and finiser for many years now meaning i dont do this once a yr but 4-6 times a day can u see what im saying i would never put wax on plastic and most certanly not compound. To protect after cleared or cleaned use armor all or equivlent it is desinged for plastic

Sure will try this aluminum polish.

Thanks for your advice.

no prob remember to rub hard ps the lights that are dull not yellow is like sandblasting from the blow by from rigs and cars on hi way

"wich I cleaned stoplights almost every year with lacquer thinner "
Laquer thinner will "eat" plastic
--
Dan D. '85 245 DL , '93 945 .Delanisdjd@aol.com

it pits it and is very acustic it never stops and you do this every year

if pint stripe is old and cracked than dont use hot air take a razor square type hold the handel between your fingers index and middel fingers on one side your thumb on other side this is important dont forget wich side your thumb is on. Now place the edge sharp edge of razor on glass and lay it down so your fingers index and middel fingers are up against the glass and so is the razor. Now pull it back while lifting your fingers off the glass while the sharp edge is still contacting the glass. Using your thumb to apply presher so the sharp edge is scraping on the glass do this 3-4 times to dull the sharp blade. Its kinda like sharpining a knife on a stone that type movement.Now you have a little lip on edge of razor. This is why you must remember how and what side you dulled.That little lip will keep the razor from digging into paint. Now with a spray bottle and a soap mixed in bottle spray pintstripe soak it. The lip on razor should be the side with your index and middel finger lighty run lip under pint strip and with a slow taping motion move the razor forward slowly and softly to lift the pintstripe the water and soap will act like a lubracater and help keep razor from digging in. While your thumb is putting pressher enuff to kinda bend the razor as this will keep corners from digging into paint. Your fingers(knuckles) should be on the car to stabilize your hand as your moveing forward.Thats it . This is how detailers remove stickers and crusty cracked pint stripe hold razor as if you are scraping glass kinda this is for more advanced trained people and should only be a last resort hope some one can use this info as i removed many large stickers from paint and never scrached the paint works on plastic as well (bumpers painted) take your time althow if your going to paint it than its a good way to learn how to do this

mothers paste alum. polish is what i use as it is desinged to polish alum wich is softer than paint as far as scratching goes rubbing compound will only dull them as rubbing compound has rather large granes or grit wheres alum. polish has smaller graines or grit wich will not scuff rub in a stright back and forth motion with the rag and thumb not palm also never in circles as this will put a spiral look the large grit that rubbing compound has will scuff not polish plastic polish has not enuff grit in it to conqure this hard plastic pint stripe hot blow dryer and plastic razer when pulling the stripe off try not to pull stright up or torwds you but pull and fold it over as to overlap the stripe that is still on car and pull back as this will not pull off the hot paint hpoe this helps (as its probly the wrong way) lol

Yellow headlights: UV aging. Polish with Meguiar's two-step plastic cleaner/polish using a random buffer.

Pinstripe: use 3M spray adhesive cleaner and a plastic reazor blade.

Hey Julie,

Fear not(as you have not) the Brickboard. Ask as many questions as you need. We all need help sometimes, even those who provide the answers have questions as well.

Pinstriping is best reomved with a very hot hair dryer and gently pulling it off. Any glue residue is removed with Acrysol or equivalent LIGHT solvent, you don't want to take the paint with it.

As for your headlights, remove the bulbs and gently separate the lenses from the housings using a large flat head screwdriver. Dry them out. Use some mild rubbing compound to clean and polish them up, and a coat of turtle wax won't hurt either. If that doesn't meet your satisfaction, then FCP Groton and others now sell the lenses separately. Use some clear bathroom sealer to re-attach the lenses. Don't forget to put the lights back in after the sealer has dried overnight.

Happy Bricking!!!

Richard

87 245 DL 350,000 km
82 242 GLT 121,000 km

http://members.cardomain.com/richink