Baked headlights?
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: burton, staffs, england
Baked headlights?
Hi, have any one done or attempted this? I have a black ek4 and would like to spray the current oem chrome finish headlights black or gunmetal, like an ek type r. Im not to sure how to go about doing it though, im told i need to bake the light so that i can open it up and removed the chrome for spraying. What temperature should i bake the light and and how long for??? 
B*a*n*n*e*d
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 697
Likes: 0
From: Sanger, California, United States
Re: Baked headlights? (dan_vti)
Well.... aren't you lucky i'm doing this today as well lol. I got a few links so here they are: https://honda-tech.com/zero...age=1
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=282131
But these are pretty much the steps you have to take...
What you need:
10mm socket and wrench
Oven
Large Flathead screwdriver
Philips Screwdriver
100% Silicone
1) Remove Bumper
2) Remove headlights
3) Take lights and plastic off headlights
4) Pre-heat oven 200-240 degrees (Anymore is really overkill and you run a good chance of melting them)
5) Insert headlights with oven set to 200-240 degrees for 10 minutes, constantly checking on them to see if the sealent is gooey.
6) Remove headlights from oven. They shouldnt be too hot to handle without an oven mit or something of that sort, but to be safe maybe you should put some on. With a Flathead screw driver, CAREFULLY pry open the Cover (Its easier with 2 people). If it doesn't pry open too easily, put the headlight back in for a min or 2 and try again. After some patience, You should have 2 peices, the housing and the lens.
7*) If you want to clear out the headlights, now is the time! Remove the long reflector by removing the philips screw located on the back of the chrome shell. The inner amber cap has its own screw, remove it.
8) Now is the time to tape the turn signal area if you wish to leave it chrome. Using PAINTERS MASKING TAPE, tape a piece of newspaper roughly the shape as the signal over the signal area. Tape anything else you don't want painted. (If you dont havep ainters masking tape, I found out that if you use pretty much any time and just put your fingers over the sticky part so it wont be so sticky will work too.
9) Its time to paint! You can either use primer or not. But I hear using Primer makes for a better look. (Plus its only like 2$ at Autozone). Wait a few minutes for it to dry. Then use your choice of paint (I used Charcoal Metalic Rim Paint (Gunmetal)). Spray LIGHT COATS, letting each one dry before you apply the next. Repeat until it meets your standards. If you wish, you can add a clear coat to follow up your paint.
****REMEMBER!: APPLYING MORE LIGHT COATS IS BETTER THEN APPLYING LESS THICK COATS!!!****
10) After waiting a while allowing the paint to dry, it's time to reassemble the headlight. Place the painted piece in the clear lens. Screw back the 2 philips screws you removed in the beginning. Run a THICK bead along the groove of the grey plastic housing. Now take the clear lens and press it back into the housing where you just applied the silicone. If you used enough, it should now be oozing out the sides. Simply wipe this up. You're almost done! (Some have found that putting the headlights make in the oven to make the sealent gooey again works as well)
11) At this point you should have a whole headlight basically assembled. If you're like me and want to be sure not to have any condensation forming inside the housing follow this last step. Take the same silicone use in the previous step and run a thin bead along the outer edge where the clear lens meets the housing. Rub it level with your fingers. Fill all little cracks where you think air could get in.
12) Repeat these same steps for the other headlight as well. You may want to check their vertical alignment by looking at the gauge in your headlight. Follow owners manual on how to adjust alignment if needed.
13) Depending on what color you used and whether or not you removed the amber from the headlights. Yours should look something like this. (the one below was painted black)
Hope that helps! Thanks to Torontocivics.com for such a great article that I used for reference, as well as other H-T Members who have done this with a write-up.
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=282131
But these are pretty much the steps you have to take...
What you need:
10mm socket and wrench
Oven
Large Flathead screwdriver
Philips Screwdriver
100% Silicone
1) Remove Bumper
2) Remove headlights
3) Take lights and plastic off headlights
4) Pre-heat oven 200-240 degrees (Anymore is really overkill and you run a good chance of melting them)
5) Insert headlights with oven set to 200-240 degrees for 10 minutes, constantly checking on them to see if the sealent is gooey.
6) Remove headlights from oven. They shouldnt be too hot to handle without an oven mit or something of that sort, but to be safe maybe you should put some on. With a Flathead screw driver, CAREFULLY pry open the Cover (Its easier with 2 people). If it doesn't pry open too easily, put the headlight back in for a min or 2 and try again. After some patience, You should have 2 peices, the housing and the lens.
7*) If you want to clear out the headlights, now is the time! Remove the long reflector by removing the philips screw located on the back of the chrome shell. The inner amber cap has its own screw, remove it.
8) Now is the time to tape the turn signal area if you wish to leave it chrome. Using PAINTERS MASKING TAPE, tape a piece of newspaper roughly the shape as the signal over the signal area. Tape anything else you don't want painted. (If you dont havep ainters masking tape, I found out that if you use pretty much any time and just put your fingers over the sticky part so it wont be so sticky will work too.
9) Its time to paint! You can either use primer or not. But I hear using Primer makes for a better look. (Plus its only like 2$ at Autozone). Wait a few minutes for it to dry. Then use your choice of paint (I used Charcoal Metalic Rim Paint (Gunmetal)). Spray LIGHT COATS, letting each one dry before you apply the next. Repeat until it meets your standards. If you wish, you can add a clear coat to follow up your paint.
****REMEMBER!: APPLYING MORE LIGHT COATS IS BETTER THEN APPLYING LESS THICK COATS!!!****
10) After waiting a while allowing the paint to dry, it's time to reassemble the headlight. Place the painted piece in the clear lens. Screw back the 2 philips screws you removed in the beginning. Run a THICK bead along the groove of the grey plastic housing. Now take the clear lens and press it back into the housing where you just applied the silicone. If you used enough, it should now be oozing out the sides. Simply wipe this up. You're almost done! (Some have found that putting the headlights make in the oven to make the sealent gooey again works as well)
11) At this point you should have a whole headlight basically assembled. If you're like me and want to be sure not to have any condensation forming inside the housing follow this last step. Take the same silicone use in the previous step and run a thin bead along the outer edge where the clear lens meets the housing. Rub it level with your fingers. Fill all little cracks where you think air could get in.
12) Repeat these same steps for the other headlight as well. You may want to check their vertical alignment by looking at the gauge in your headlight. Follow owners manual on how to adjust alignment if needed.
13) Depending on what color you used and whether or not you removed the amber from the headlights. Yours should look something like this. (the one below was painted black)
Hope that helps! Thanks to Torontocivics.com for such a great article that I used for reference, as well as other H-T Members who have done this with a write-up.
Trending Topics
B*a*n*n*e*d
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 697
Likes: 0
From: Sanger, California, United States
Re: (j boy)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by j boy »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yeah there are like 5 billion threads on this.. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Yea I know... but search wasnt working when this guy needed help.
Yea I know... but search wasnt working when this guy needed help.
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,343
Likes: 0
From: Where the SOHCs play...
Anyone ever baked TYC Headlights?...the Euro Clear ones to be exact. The lens cover is plastic instead of glass...so I don't wanna melt it. Or how about JDM ones?...those are plastic...any success on baking those?
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 81
Likes: 0
From: Savannah, GA, USA
Re: Baked headlights? (dan_vti)
just wanted to say that you can use a heatgun as opposed to baking in an oven. Just hold it 6 inches or so away from the surface and run it slowly over the part you want to pry up. Keep working at it until you have the whole thing pried apart. You can even go as far as to reheat the glue and stick the two pieces back together when done, but I would suggest a fresh bead of silicon. i have seen this done so i know it works. just some info for thought. 
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 6,281
Likes: 0
From: Catching Rivers on Fire TWICE
Re: Baked headlights? (mugencivic4dr)
u cant do the tyc or jdm headlights because of the plastic lense/cover it will discolor and sag, just get some denji headlights they are made of glass. If your unsure about using the oven just use a heatgun alot harder to mess it up with one
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,343
Likes: 0
From: Where the SOHCs play...
Re: Baked headlights? (Soccerking3000)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Soccerking3000 »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">u cant do the tyc or jdm headlights because of the plastic lense/cover it will discolor and sag, just get some denji headlights they are made of glass.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Not to undermind what you said...but do you know this from personal experience or is it just word of mouth? I really want to do the black housing on my car...so I'm lookin for personal experiences. Thanks for your insite though.
Not to undermind what you said...but do you know this from personal experience or is it just word of mouth? I really want to do the black housing on my car...so I'm lookin for personal experiences. Thanks for your insite though.
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,120
Likes: 0
From: long island, ny, usa
Re: Baked headlights? (Soccerking3000)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Soccerking3000 »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">u cant do the tyc or jdm headlights because of the plastic lense/cover it will discolor and sag, just get some denji headlights they are made of glass. If your unsure about using the oven just use a heatgun alot harder to mess it up with one </TD></TR></TABLE>
are u talking about 96-00 lights? if so, as far as i know they are all plastic...and i know many people who have baked them, and i personally used a heat gun. u just gotta be carefull and they wont melt
the glue melts before the plastic, and thats when u gotta pry them apart
btw i did my 96 lights with gunmetal rim paint, and they cam out beautiful...i hacked the hell outta the edges tho with all the prying...but u cant see that so its ok
</TD></TR></TABLE>are u talking about 96-00 lights? if so, as far as i know they are all plastic...and i know many people who have baked them, and i personally used a heat gun. u just gotta be carefull and they wont melt
the glue melts before the plastic, and thats when u gotta pry them apart
btw i did my 96 lights with gunmetal rim paint, and they cam out beautiful...i hacked the hell outta the edges tho with all the prying...but u cant see that so its ok
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,120
Likes: 0
From: long island, ny, usa
Re: Baked headlights? (Soccerking3000)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Soccerking3000 »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">92-95 i am talking about</TD></TR></TABLE>
oh ok i got confused since th thread started with ek headlights..
oh ok i got confused since th thread started with ek headlights..
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,343
Likes: 0
From: Where the SOHCs play...
Re: Baked headlights? (JDM96SpecCTR)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JDM96SpecCTR »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
are u talking about 96-00 lights? if so, as far as i know they are all plastic...and i know many people who have baked them, and i personally used a heat gun. u just gotta be carefull and they wont melt
the glue melts before the plastic, and thats when u gotta pry them apart
btw i did my 96 lights with gunmetal rim paint, and they cam out beautiful...i hacked the hell outta the edges tho with all the prying...but u cant see that so its ok </TD></TR></TABLE>
Yeah...I was thinkin that since the EK lights are plastic...my TYC Euro's would be fine to bake or at least use a heat gun or hair dryer. I think I might still try it with the Hair dryer...if it melts...I'll just order another set. I guess I'm bein dumb and not taking all the advice...but I really wanna make mine black housing.
Thanks for the help Soccerking3000 and JDM96SpecCTR
are u talking about 96-00 lights? if so, as far as i know they are all plastic...and i know many people who have baked them, and i personally used a heat gun. u just gotta be carefull and they wont melt
the glue melts before the plastic, and thats when u gotta pry them apart
btw i did my 96 lights with gunmetal rim paint, and they cam out beautiful...i hacked the hell outta the edges tho with all the prying...but u cant see that so its ok
</TD></TR></TABLE>Yeah...I was thinkin that since the EK lights are plastic...my TYC Euro's would be fine to bake or at least use a heat gun or hair dryer. I think I might still try it with the Hair dryer...if it melts...I'll just order another set. I guess I'm bein dumb and not taking all the advice...but I really wanna make mine black housing.
Thanks for the help Soccerking3000 and JDM96SpecCTR
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
