The vehicle was in an accident a few years back and the guys that put my car back together are not the best...I checked it out today and it has about an half an inch of water and condensation inside the right rear tail light...I was wondering:

-Is it best to.....
*pull and take apart...remove water/let air dry....use silicon to seal..

Has anyone had this issue in the past and used a better method to removing the condensation and sealing the assembly back properly?

 

remove taillight. all bulbs should be out. next you need to find the leak. fill up with water and let it sit to find the leak. use silicone to seal it. drill some small holes in the bottom to keep water from building up in it again. *usually* problem solved.
unless of course you take this thing to the automatic car wash. my infiniti Q45 headlights get water in them if i take it to the sutomatic car wash. its just one of those things.
good luck.

 

wouldn't condensation collect again with the holes drilled in bottom....if this worked for you, i may try the same method....

 

no. the holes should be drilled at the back edge of the taillight. they will be inside the car and not exposed to the elements. works great. i have used it many times. it was taught to me by a body shop guy.

 

thanks for your input...

 

no problem.

 

has anyone taken APART the rear tails off 94-01 teg?

 

i dont think that you can.... arent they a pressed seal? that means that you will break them getting them apart. on the prelude they are and they are on my old hatchback.

 

My RR light on my '97 was leaking. I drained the water and dried it in the oven at 150F. I fixed the problem by applying silicone gasket maker to the taillight where it meets the gasket. No problems since.

 

I have heard rumors about the baking method...

how did you bake it...IE...throw it in and set it on 150 F? How long did you leave it in there?

What did you use to get in that small crevice...just the nipple provided?

 

use a toothpick to work the silicone into the crack. be sure to clean it off with carb cleaner first so you have clean plastic for the silicone to stick to.

 

And wait til the silicone's dry before you re-affix the light housing. Ask me how I know...

DJ Vu

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by vtecteg00 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">has anyone taken APART the rear tails off 94-01 teg?</TD></TR></TABLE>

i had the same problem, i bought the taillights off of an 00 integra, because i like the all reds better on my black gsr.

you have to take the back panel off and there are 5 or 6 bolts on each side, the bolts that are towards the middle of the car are the easiest, but the the 2 bolts that are the fartest from the middle on both sides are kind of a pain. took me about an hour to do this.

 

i own 00 gsr and the only bolts are the studs to hold assembly in the frame...there are a few screws on turn signal side...i don't know if your reply was for pulling or tearing apart...

i'm not gonna pull the lense off because anyone would crack it even with extreme care...i'm gonna bake it for a few minutes and apply some silicone...

 

ohh must of missunderstood you

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by vtecteg00 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have heard rumors about the baking method...

how did you bake it...IE...throw it in and set it on 150 F? How long did you leave it in there?

What did you use to get in that small crevice...just the nipple provided?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I left it in there until it dried. It took a while.

I didn't seal the vent hole in the taillight; I applied silicone to the perimeter of the taillight where it contacts the gasket. That way the seal to the body was good and the leak was eliminated.

 

i don't necessarily have this problem but i know on my vdub jetta it comes with holes drilled and a small rubber hose so the headlights can breathe. if the taillight can breathe then it won't cause condensation. i agree with the other guy. i'm not about to put my taillights in the oven.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by I_dream_about_cars &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
i agree with the other guy. i'm not about to put my taillights in the oven.</TD></TR></TABLE>

If you fear the oven, you can use a desert.

You can't wipe the condensation out of the taillight due to the tortuous internal design. The best way to remove the water is to evaporate it. You don't want this to evaporate on it's own because it can form mildew if it takes too long. A temperature of 150F is safe.

 

hair dryer for 15 minutes on high...problem solved...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by GSR515 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
you have to take the back panel off and there are 5 or 6 bolts on each side, the bolts that are towards the middle of the car are the easiest, but the the 2 bolts that are the fartest from the middle on both sides are kind of a pain. took me about an hour to do this.</TD></TR></TABLE>

10mm deep + wobble socket extention ownz joo.