Re-sealing Headlight Lenses
 

Before I remove the primary light lenses on my W124 '87 300TD for cleaning, what would be the suggested sealant for reassembly?
Thanks

It comes apart?

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

If i understand you correct, you want to remove the front headlight lenses.
They are snap-on, snap-off pieces. The only sealing is a foamy gasket which in my case did not need to be replaced.

On the other hand.. If your lenses needs cleaning on the inside, you might have a defective gasket..

Freestyler

Yes. It is the lense that I want to clean. I bought it as a new shelved unit and it was missing the headlight back cover. There is a very slight hazing on the inside of the lense which wipes off yet to get at the whole inside surface I need to separate the lense from the body of the unit. I believe you are correct in stating there is a foam type of gasket. If it does not separate and remain a reasonably good seal, I thought I may have to seal it with silicone or something. As to the missing back cover, I simply used my old one. Thanks.

Sixto,
I hope it comes apart. I'll know better later this morning after I disect the old one. It appears there is a sealant or gasket holding the lense to the reflector housing. If I am correct, I will split the two pieces, clean and put them back together. If I am wrong, I hope someone reads and responds before I spend too much time on the project. I certainly love vacation time. :D :D :D

See my response to this thread...

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=84848

pcmaher
Thanks for the link. Read it after I came in from attempting to pull the lense on the old one. That was not a success. However, being the patient and stubborn person I am, I took my flex, "dropped parts grabber" put a small amount of Invisible Glass on a soft, lint free cloth, latched on to it with my tool, inserted it where the bulb goes into the fixutre and yes it was possible to remove the slight haze on the old lense. Of course that method won't allow anything to be done to the reflector but the new light's reflector appears to be okay. It just has a slight haze on the inside of the lense. I may find when I go back out to remove the assembly from the car that it has a regular seal and therefore will come apart.

pcmaher
Thanks for the link. Read it after I came in from attempting to pull the lense on the old one. That was not a success. However, being the patient and stubborn person I am, I took my flex, "dropped parts grabber" put a small amount of Invisible Glass on a soft, lint free cloth, latched on to it with my tool, inserted it where the bulb goes into the fixutre and yes it was possible to remove the slight haze on the old lense. Of course that method won't allow anything to be done to the reflector but the new light's reflector appears to be okay. It just has a slight haze on the inside of the lense. I may find when I go back out to remove the assembly from the car that it has a regular seal and therefore will come apart.

I don't get this..
You should be able to unclip the lens from the headlight assembly by wedging a flat screwdriver under the clips. (see picture below)

And DON'T try to clean the reflector! You will scratch it even if your are using the softest cotton cloth you can find. Trust me on this one.

Freestyler
Oh, do I wish it was that simple with our US (choke) configuration. Where you unclip the entire lense unit, mine still leaves the actual headlight lense in the unit. I had already taken the direction you indicated and that allows me to clean the "fog" lense (it was new so that wasn't worth doing). I have what is considered the sealed unit headlamp. Though I bought it "new" it was on someone's shelf for a long period of time w/o the bulb access cover. It accumlated a slight film on the inside of the headlamp lense and that is what I am trying to clean. Reflector. Wouldn't touch it unless I had to. If I had to though I would be able to properly clean it.

Since the headlamp lense is probably acrylic, I need to possibly find a safe spray cleaner that will not leave residue and completely dissipate. Any suggestions (not buy another one since I am saving my pennies to switch to the Euro type)?