How to clean your S14 plastic lights...

ONLY for ADVANCED technical discussion about the 240sx!
User avatar
S14 Wannabe
Posts: 505
Joined: Fri Feb 14, 2003 7:36 am
Car: Zeni S14
Contact:

Post

Do you hate your S14 lights? Do you hate the fact that they are still slightly yellow even after a good hand wash? Do you wish your lights looked a little more clear? I did when I bought my car. I had a friend tell me about an easy process that will make you fall in love with your S14 lights again. Here it is :

1.) Go out to your local Autozone or auto parts store and buy : Eagle One aluminum and rim polish. It's in a small silver can and it is a white polish.

2.) Go home and take out your headlight. (This process can be skipped if you have steady hands and trust that the paste will not get onto your car's paint) Do one headlight at a time.

3.) Take the can and unscrew it.

4.) Make the rag go over two fingers and wrap around like you would when you polish shoes.

5.) Take up some of the polish and apply liberally onto the clear outside part of headlight. You will see the towel/rag get a little black but it is o.k. DO NOT LET THE PASTE DRY.

7.) Wipe the paste all off with the same rag.

8.) Wipe the residue with a paper towel or another clean towel/rag.

9.) Wax over to add protection so it won't happen for a while.

10.) Put back on the light.

11.) Stand back and fall in love again with the S14 lights.

This process can be done with any plastic lights that are crusted over including but not limited to... BMW plastic headlights, Maxima plastic headlights, and even Z24 headlights. I even used this process for the rear lights and they came out great.:cool: Unfortunately I do not have before and after pics because I didn't have my digital camera yet but try it out and see what it can do for you. :pface


User avatar
GrubyFngaz
Posts: 459
Joined: Wed Jul 24, 2002 2:31 am
Car: 2001 Infiniti QX4

Post

Do you just have after pics?Josh

User avatar
S14 Wannabe
Posts: 505
Joined: Fri Feb 14, 2003 7:36 am
Car: Zeni S14
Contact:

Post

Before (I think)

http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/dor...iew=t

After (although it does the process no justice)

http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/dor...iew=t

another after:

http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/dor...iew=t

astron
Posts: 194
Joined: Thu Dec 05, 2002 5:46 pm

Post

i'll definately try that. I've done the nail polish remover technique, that just made it worse....Sorry whoever told me to do this, but that technique just flat out stinks.ast

User avatar
S14 Wannabe
Posts: 505
Joined: Fri Feb 14, 2003 7:36 am
Car: Zeni S14
Contact:

Post

Tell me how it works out for you on this same thread when you get a chance to do it.

astron
Posts: 194
Joined: Thu Dec 05, 2002 5:46 pm

Post

will-do.

Silvia007
Posts: 1587
Joined: Thu Jul 25, 2002 6:04 am
Car: 93 Nissan 240SX SE Fastback

Post

Trying that as soon as I get home!! I'll post also!

Silvia007
Posts: 1587
Joined: Thu Jul 25, 2002 6:04 am
Car: 93 Nissan 240SX SE Fastback

Post

On my brothers S14 that is hahaha!

Silvia007
Posts: 1587
Joined: Thu Jul 25, 2002 6:04 am
Car: 93 Nissan 240SX SE Fastback

Post

Sorry guys, but my digi cam is a POS! Here's the first pix.

You guys are gonna have to cut and paste the address below to a new browser window.

http://www.angelfire.com/mn/Is...e.JPG

and the after

http://www.angelfire.com/mn/Is...r.JPG

I know there don't seem to be much of a difference but in person, it does seem to get clearer and clearer every time I repeat the process. I did buffed the lens twice and I also used Mothers instead since I had it lay'n around. I think it's work a few minutes of your time. I'm gonna keep at it till it's totally clear!

User avatar
S14 Wannabe
Posts: 505
Joined: Fri Feb 14, 2003 7:36 am
Car: Zeni S14
Contact:

Post

The addresses work fine. You can never tell on a camera. Try going out and buying the Eagle One kind when you are done with the Mother's and see the difference.

ESPER
Posts: 525
Joined: Fri Aug 16, 2002 3:14 pm

Post

how much is this eagle one stuff??

Silvia007
Posts: 1587
Joined: Thu Jul 25, 2002 6:04 am
Car: 93 Nissan 240SX SE Fastback

Post

I'll definately try the Eagle One.

S14Zilvia
Posts: 300
Joined: Thu Nov 07, 2002 11:23 am
Car: '90 300ZXTT, '92 S13 coupe, '06 Ram 3500 Mega, '93 del Sol Si
Location: Virginia Beach

Post

There is some type of plastic polish that is supposed to work really well.

I'll try to find the link when I get home.

I believe it's a bit more expensive though.

User avatar
S14 Wannabe
Posts: 505
Joined: Fri Feb 14, 2003 7:36 am
Car: Zeni S14
Contact:

Post

The Eagle One Polish cost me about $ 1.78 or so. It shouldn't be more than $ 3.00.

User avatar
Holisticbeatz
Posts: 1221
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2003 6:09 pm
Location: Los Angeles, CA

Post

S14 Wannabe, you polished your headlights and painted your rims. You're a real do-it yourselfer I see. Is it illegal in your state to drive without a front plate? Beacuse it looks like it wants to fall off.

Silivia007, your headlights still look fuzzy. Perhaps it's your diggy camera.

User avatar
S14 Wannabe
Posts: 505
Joined: Fri Feb 14, 2003 7:36 am
Car: Zeni S14
Contact:

Post

Well I will be dropping in the RB or SR myself so I guess you could say I am a do-it yourself type of person. I feel since it's my car I should be the only one working on it. I have a friend who used to work for Nissan for 15 years so he helps me and points me in the right direction. (I need to get a repair book though)

I don't think it's illegal because I used to have the license plate off and in my front windshield. I attached it to my front bumper, with some zip ties LOL, because there was a major glare when the sun was up.

FadeToBlack
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon Feb 10, 2003 10:47 am

Post

I went ahead and tried the Eagle One polish. Cost me 3.99 from Autozone. Expensive fvckers. Anyways, they work nicely. Not nicely like "WHOAAAA" but more like "yeaaaa". Maybe I should try the nail polish remover on top of that.

User avatar
Holisticbeatz
Posts: 1221
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2003 6:09 pm
Location: Los Angeles, CA

Post

Did you use rubbing compound?

FadeToBlack
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon Feb 10, 2003 10:47 am

Post

Holisticbeatz wrote:Did you use rubbing compound?
what do you mean rubbing compound?

User avatar
djtodd
Posts: 150
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2003 9:41 am
Contact:

Post

I've used this for a while, except I have used Mother's aluminum polish. Red can. Anyway, any polish, or rubbing compound with any type of "cut" to it will do the job, just take your time and they turn out great.

Bbill528
Posts: 412
Joined: Wed Jul 24, 2002 4:46 am
Car: 95 Nissan 240SX

Post

is this on the outside of the light or the inside?

User avatar
djtodd
Posts: 150
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2003 9:41 am
Contact:

Post

the outside

User avatar
S14 Wannabe
Posts: 505
Joined: Fri Feb 14, 2003 7:36 am
Car: Zeni S14
Contact:

Post

FadeToBlack wrote:I went ahead and tried the Eagle One polish. Cost me 3.99 from Autozone. Expensive fvckers. Anyways, they work nicely. Not nicely like "WHOAAAA" but more like "yeaaaa". Maybe I should try the nail polish remover on top of that.
Try rubbing more.... they will eventually get clear if they are exceptionally dirty.

User avatar
Holisticbeatz
Posts: 1221
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2003 6:09 pm
Location: Los Angeles, CA

Post

First remove the headlights from the car. It'll be a lot easier, trust me. Next, wash down the headlights with some warm water and soap to get the larger dirt particles off. Wipe them dry, then use Clay magic to remove any embedded particles. Then using the finest sandpaper you can find or Turtle's rubbing compound, slowly and evenly rub down the top of the headlights. This will take a while to get just right. Be sure not to apply too much force, this might cause deeper scratching. Then use Meguiar's plastic polish with a oribtal buffer at slow to medium speed. Apply liberally on the lens. Then use any wax of your choice to protect the polished finish. Moreover, you can also take the headlights to your local body shop and have them clear coat them.

daniel240
Posts: 1516
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2003 7:37 pm
Car: cars/motocross
Contact:

Post

just use your hands to apply and take off the wax. you dont need to use an orbital buffer. hands work better.

User avatar
S14 Wannabe
Posts: 505
Joined: Fri Feb 14, 2003 7:36 am
Car: Zeni S14
Contact:

Post

Bump for the newbies...

Nismo_Freak
Posts: 10314
Joined: Wed Jul 24, 2002 10:42 pm
Car: 89 Nissan 240SX

Post

Hey wannabe, I've submitted this to our Article Slave err... I mean "Manager" :D

JuJuBeeee
Posts: 16
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2003 9:08 pm

Post

i juss used the mothers aluminum polish today, and it didnt do anything

probably because i was lazy already (juss washed my car and did some clay bar) but i only polish like 1-2 minutes each light if that

ill do it again tomorrow a little more extensively and i will also try naptha (zippo lighter fluid) too

gotta get the yellow out! my s14 looks like a damn bumblebee BZZZZZZZ!!!!

Sliding_S14
Posts: 224
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2003 7:48 pm
Car: Sliding from the Side

Post

I used toothpaste and my roomates toothbrush worked good, also used meguires wax, and a few other house hold items to be sure i got the shine.

User avatar
S14 Wannabe
Posts: 505
Joined: Fri Feb 14, 2003 7:36 am
Car: Zeni S14
Contact:

Post

Nismo_Freak wrote:Hey wannabe, I've submitted this to our Article Slave err... I mean "Manager" :D
Thank you sir!:thinker


Return to “240SX Technical Forum”