I don't know if someone has already made a thread of this or if this is even in the right section, but here is a DIY on how to clear your clouded plastic headlights. I cleaned up my headlights and the headlights on my mom's TL. I only took pics of the TL's step by step process. This process took me about an hour.

What you need:
masking tape
small bucket of water
600 grit wet sandpaper
1000 grit wet sandpaper
2000 grit wet sandpaper
PlastX plastic polish
microfiber cloth
carnauba wax

1. Tape off section around headlights with masking tape so you don't scratch the paint. Here's what the headlights looked like before.




2. Soak the 600 grit sandpaper in water and wet sand each headlight for about 5 min or so. I sanded diagonal both ways, vertical, and horizontal. They will look really cloudy once you dry them, but thats okay. Here's what mine looked like after sanding.




3. Repeat the wet sanding with 1000 grit. Here's what it will look like after. A little clearer than before.




4. Repeat the wet sanding with 2000 grit.




5. Headlights will be cloudy still, but now you're ready to make them shine. Use the microfiber cloth to apply the PlastX. Apply a few coats, using circular motions to work it in. Here's what it will look like after.




6. Headlights will be all shiny now. It should be a world of difference. Apply a coat of wax to protect them and you're all set. Here's the final product:





And here a few quick shots of my headlights.






Modified by donger at 4:54 PM 10/16/2008

 

 

this is the most helpful thread on this topic

 

good job man

 

I used donger's write up to clean up my lenses on the road warrior. Thanks for the diy










Modified by TenaciousB18c1 at 1:39 PM 9/6/2008

 

I'm gonna try this tommorow...

 

Where do you get the 600, 1000, and 2000 wet sandpaper from?

I tryed Wal-Mart and Home Depot but they dont got it.

 

Best Write-Up!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by TroyboyEK &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Where do you get the 600, 1000, and 2000 wet sandpaper from?

I tryed Wal-Mart and Home Depot but they dont got it.</TD></TR></TABLE>

You have to go to a place like o'reilly's or pep boysz

 

 

wow..nice restorations...

 

good write up.

 

wow I'm gonna do this to my head lights and to my sun beat red honda emblem...will it wotk for my emblem?

 

Wow, great post. Going to try this soon.

 

3m makes a headlight restoration kit I recently used it on my ek and the results are amazing its used with a regular power drill and includes sandpaper buffer compound and step by step instructions I bought it at autozone took me about a halfhr all together to do both...

 

I have blue ion lens on my ek and they are not that bad yet but I would like to do this as well. I'm kind afraid though that the process might mess up the blue ions on the lens. Is there anyone here who has experience on those kind of lights? or someone can clear whether the process is going to mess up the blue ions or not?

 

nice

 

hey man i did this, but i used a different kind of stuff, i used a headlight restorer(not sure of brand), and my lights are very foggy still. would plastx work better?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BloodStorm &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have blue ion lens on my ek and they are not that bad yet but I would like to do this as well. I'm kind afraid though that the process might mess up the blue ions on the lens. Is there anyone here who has experience on those kind of lights? or someone can clear whether the process is going to mess up the blue ions or not?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'm not familiar with what a blue ion lens is. Anyone?

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mmmbobby &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">hey man i did this, but i used a different kind of stuff, i used a headlight restorer(not sure of brand), and my lights are very foggy still. would plastx work better? </TD></TR></TABLE>

Did you just use some sort of polish or did you use sandpaper too? Using sandpaper makes a big difference. You could try it again using the headlight restorer a few more times. If that doesn't work just go get some PlastX. It's like $4-6 if I remember correctly.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Did you just use some sort of polish or did you use sandpaper too? Using sandpaper makes a big difference. You could try it again using the headlight restorer a few more times. If that doesn't work just go get some PlastX. It's like $4-6 if I remember correctly.</TD></TR></TABLE>
yeah i sanded with 600 1000 1500 and 2000 grit and i can still see slight scratch marks on the headlights and i used blue magic head light restorer by the way. i think i'll just go get some plastx and see how that works. would it help if i had a buffer? or did you just rub really hard?

 

^I used a buffer on mine and the light scratches went away.

 

Great info - Thanks !

 

super krazy useful write_up. Good ****!!

 

Is there any light scratches that still show after using the plastic polish?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by cimo463 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Is there any light scratches that still show after using the plastic polish?</TD></TR></TABLE>

no as long as you follow those steps with the right GRIT. I just recently did this same project on my g/f's jetta.