How to Clean your Yellow Zenki (S14, 95-96 240sx) Headlamps

[motoman399]

this is what happens when you use a high speed buffer and 1500 wet sand...

[S15nS13vert]

here, we wet sanded with 1000 grit and put clear coat, to make them shine, and i had it for 6 months and still look good......i work in a auto body shop

[motoman399]

here, we wet sanded with 1000 grit and put clear coat, to make them shine, and i had it for 6 months and still look good......i work in a auto body shop

imo thats not a good idea cause of rock chips and i have seen lights that were cleared and the slowly oxidize. i was working at a detail shop when i did mine.

[I wana 240sx]

I've used meguiar plexiglass cleaner. Work good but still yellowish. Im going to try your way.

[SketchyRollin564]

bump cuz i wanna do this soon

theres a new kit at advanced auto for getting rid of hazy and yellow headlights, but on the package it also says it comes with somthing to make it permanant (so they dont get yellow again)

i dont remember what it was that made it permanent, or if it actually works, but im just throwing it out there

[brandonDavid]

what also tends to work really well, worked on my buddies mustang and my truck... brake fluid and the wet sanding. and a lot of elbow grease...

[SketchyRollin564]

ok im replacing my headlight bulbs and corner light bulbs and i cant get those fcking corner lights out!

i took the screw off and i sprayed wd40 where you said, but the thing wiggles around and i cant get it out

anyone wanna help me out? lol

[SketchyRollin564]

nvm i finally got that sucker out

now i just gotta replace my headlight bulbs, and im guessing it might just be easyer to take out the whole headlight assembly? owners manual doesnt say i need to but it sure looks a hell of a lot easyer

edit: ok everythings good... that was a pain in the ***
Modified by SketchyRollin564 at 7:06 PM 9/1/2008

[Kckouki]

Yea it is.

[got chub]

this is how mine came out

[E7-S14]

this is how mine came out

do you have those stockpiled in ur garage or something?

isnt supermade like Japanese.. as in you have to import them?

[got chub]

yup sure do! i try to keep the FK headlight lenses and Origin corners in stock. and yes i import them all the time

[SketchyRollin564]

lmao

if i wetsand with 100 and work my way up to 2000 grit, and then use the scratch-x (not the one for plastic), will that still work? or will i need to use a plastic polish

[Mangudai]

Meguiars has a product specifically for this. Another option I guess. Ive seen the before and after and it was awesome. I cant remember where I saw it though.

[MAXIMUS Nismo]

Not to piss all over the parade, But thats WAY to low of a grit. Thats why the lights are still a little cloudy. If done correctly they should come out like this...



then up close looking into the housing.

Thats the OEM plastic that comes on our cars, NOT the glass that many people thought I had. My lights started out the same if not a little worse the the OP.

Man, this thread keeps coming back to life.Don't worry, no offense taken...even though this was way back when.

I have a question for you. What grits and procedure did you use to get your results.Did you use a power tool or just elbow grease?

As for the reason the lenses get yellow again, the coating that is applied from the factory wears off over time and us polishing it does a poor job of replacing the coating.

There are various companies out there that sell restoration kits and the difference between them is the quality and longevity of one coating against another.

There was a kit that was recently featured in Super Street (before they died). I'll go look it up and post it here.

I'll have to get some 1000 and up grit and do this again. It's time.

I polished the lights and then cleaned them using dawn dish soap, I then layed them out and sprayed them with three coats of Rustoleum crystal clear acrylic enamel... The enamel filled in all the imperfection and made the plastic way shinier and a lot smoother to the touch. Its been three months and they haven't yellowed a bit...

Ian, did you wet sand between each coat of acrylic enamel and how are the lights as of today? Can you post some updated pictures please?

Thanks,- Maximus

[E7-S14]

ug. i gotta do it again too.

maximusdid you use a buffer?

[MAXIMUS Nismo]

no, I used my hand and the grit was way way too high.

Next time will be 1000, 1500, 2000 and if there is anything above that.

I'll also try the arylic enamel spray as a sealant and see how long those last.

It's ironic that the corner lights and the indicator lights don't get hazy yellow, only the headlights.

[motoman399]

use a buffer

you will thank yourself with the end product!!

[pete_07]

or just go to wall mart and buy a head light restorer