Hello All, Preparing to disassemble my C6 headlamps to change lens...

I took all screws I could out before the baking (275 degress for 15 mins)

Question is does the DS1 (Xenon) bulb need to be removed before baking?

I tried but, wiring seems to have a hard time coming out, cuz connectors are too big for the passageways ?

Or can they stay in during the baking process?

ANY TIPS would be appreciated!!

Thanks ALL

 

When I placed mines in the oven I took the bulbs out just in case. It's not too hard.

 

did you take all the wires out too?

 

I've done four headlights so far and only removed the DRL/turn signal, and halogen high beam bulbs.

HID bulbs stayed in as well as the ballast. As for the HID harness it is clipped inside the assembly and cant be removed until the light is apart.

I kept the oven temp to 235. Once it was preheated I put the light in and turned the oven off. I used a 1500 watt hair dryer to extend the working time.

Hair dryer heat on clear lens worked best. It seems the adhesive will separate from the clear plastic easier than the black.

Ed

 

I heated the oven today and was about to do it but didn't have the heart to! I'd appreciate it if you'd explain the oven heating step, what kind of oven? 275F wouldn't that melt the plastic housing material? Any other tips i should consider before i start? It would be great if you could list the steps here

 

Be sure that you have removed the three nuts with rubber washers from the bottom of the forward end of the light. If they are not removed you will break something. I'm not sure what will break first, but it doesn't matter because you can't get a replacement part without buying an entire headlight assembly. Except for the clear lens. Those can be had form a couple sources on the forum.

I preheated the oven temp to 235. My wife's electric kitchen oven. Once it was at that temperature I turned the oven off. I placed the headlight light on an aluminum cookie sheet and put it in the oven with the rack near the bottom. closed the door, and let it in there for about 15 min. Took it out of the oven & placed it on a cool cookie sheet to start prying it open. Start at the top of the light at the sharp curve. I just used a medium size common screw driver and a steel body panel clip tool.

The first heat cycle wont give you much progress, but you will see the adhesive start to stretch. Reheat the oven to 235 and go for another 15 minutes. repeat the procedure of prying until you get an opening at the top of the headlight. it will be under a lot of pressure but try to squeeze a flat strip of metal into the opening to hold it open while you put it back in the oven. Same heat cycle again. this time the clear lens will start to separate from the black housing a little easier. Not a lot easier, but a little easier.

Now continue prying it open about 1/2 way down one side using your tools. Place that flat strip of steel in the opening as far down as you can get it. Now start on the other side and work the same distance. All the time using a hair dryer, on high, to keep the clear lens hot. Still using the hair dryer go back to the other side and work down a little further. keep going side to side to open it evenly. Try to keep most of the old adhesive on the black housing. It's easier to get it off of there than it is from the clear lens.

I used a 1500 watt hair dryer to extend the working time. Hair dryer heat on the clear lens near the edge worked best. It seems the adhesive will separate from the clear plastic easier than the black.

If you weren't born with four hands, definitely get a helper to hold the light with a towel and work the hair dryer while you pry. I had the assistance of my wife of forty years, but don't ask a girlfriend. This job could ruin a relationship. She, or he will curse you when you slip and stab their hands with the screwdriver, and you will scream at them for burning your hands with the hair dryer, but remain vigilant to the task at hand. You can always get a new helper for free, (Not a wife. They are very expensive to replace,) but these lights are expensive.

Your helper will now avoid you, and not speak to you for several days, but that's a good thing. You can use that free time to prep and paint the lights. No assistance is needed for reassembly so it is not important how long the helper remains angry with you.

Have fun.

Ed

 

I just did this WITH SUCESS!
yea!


for me, I did everything stated above.
My "cooking" was a bit different.

for me I have an electric oven, preheat to 235.

and leave the oven cooking at 235. Using an infrared temp probe I montered the housing.

at 145* and 165* theunit would not budge.

Once the unit reached 200*+/- (one was 196* and the other was 201*). I was able to get 90% broke free. the last 2" was a little more difficult because the temp had droppped down to 163*.

Using a heat gun (1500watt hair dryer) I got it back up to 200* and it came apart with ease.

My "cooking" time while leaving the oven at 235* was 12 min -/+.

I will say its nerve racking and I would not do it again unless a friend had blackmail photos

cheers
cahd

 

That was a much more sophisticated method than mine, where I went strictly by time. I’m impressed.

I have to take one of mine back apart this winter because I started to get some cloudy streaks on the inside of the lens. I cleaned, and polished the inside of the lenses before sealing them back up.

The right side is good, but I must not have gotten all of the polish from the driver’s side. It isn’t noticeable unless you are in the right position with the sun shining directly on them.

They looked good until we got into the high 90o heat of the summer. It’s not the usual clouding that you get from moisture so it has to come apart.

I am not looking forward to taking it back apart. I used LocTite Premium urethane adhesive to seal them up. It got really hard. I hope it softens with heat. I will also buy one of those infrared temperature tools before doing the job.

Thanks for the tips.

Ed

 

im want to know if i can take the headlights out with having to take apart the front bumper

 

You don't have to take the bumper all the way off, but you do have to get all of the fasteners off so that it can move around. That includes the left & right fascia closeout panels on the bottom of the bumper.

You will also have to remove all of the screws from the fenders along the engine compartment, and the bracket that holds the fender to the bumper.

Ed

 

I have a 2013. I think they redesigned the headlamps. I cannot open the sealant. It is extremely solid. Also, the three bolts seem to be reversed. The ends are pointing upwards with a nut holding it in now. I keep turning the nut and nothing happens.

Please help.

 

Hey so I actually did the procedure today, and I have to say these are probably one of the easiest headlights to take apart that are glued!

After taking bulbs, wire, bolts etc.. that needed to be removed .

I preheated the oven to 235, once preheated I stuck the headlight in there on a cooking sheet and waited 13 minutes. Took a regular flat head and started prying it open. Within 2 minutes or less it was off!! No heat gun or hair dryer needed!

 

Nice! I have a nice set of Carbon Fiber hydro dipped oem inlays that would go great in there










the set in the car are mine. this is an extra set i have for sale

 

that does look sweet! however im fixing up mine and the headlights I bought were black and i painted them silver to match the car! but thanks for the offer!

 

nice job boys but its a shame you have to do this to such a new and expensive beautiful car like a vette

 

Where is the shame?

 

Yep. And here's what it looks like with the headlights pulled out:



I am in the process of doing the lens replacement routine. More of pain than I thought it would be, particularly the glue removal process.
And I cooked them much hotter than you guys did: 350 degrees to separate them, and 275 degrees on recycles to scrape the old glue, which is the most painful step of the whole process.

I think I'd take the naked pics of me online over doing this again.

And I'm not even done yet!
But I think the worse is behind me: I have both units apart, glue channels cleaned up.



You can see the glue residue on the bottom left of the pic.
Now I need to glue the new lenses back on and put the completed assemblies back in the car.

 

Question:
When you removed your headlight lens to clean the inside, did the heat cycles in the oven do any damage to the lens itself? When it was hot after heating in the oven, did the lens surface smudge from the gloves that you were holding it while you were spreading it apart.

I have replaced the old lenses with new, and I used the oven method as well, but I cant remember how the old lens looked after I had them off, whether they looked worse than when I had them on the assemblies.
Is it possible that the oven heat cycles affects the inside lens or outside lens UV protection?

Thanks