Well I must be missing a trick here.

How the hell are you supposed to remove the passenger headlight without taking the whole car apart??

Driving me mad!!

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

As it stands at the moment, I can't see anyway around dropping the recirculation valve just to get access to the last bolt.

Is there an easier way?

Talk about frustrating or what.

As for the seals mate, Nissan sell it on a roll IIRC,horrid stuff!-I have always reassembled my Headlights with silicone.

Totally waterproof and far easier if you need to strip the glass off again!

:wink:

As for the seals mate, Nissan sell it on a roll IIRC,horrid stuff!-I have always reassembled my Headlights with silicone.

Totally waterproof and far easier if you need to strip the glass off again!

:wink:

 

Sorry Mantav8, I meant the seals that surround the headlight itself.

The one that fills the gap between the light unit and the bodywork.

 

One thing that I have forgotten to ask though is, are the original moisture absorbing tablets past their sell-by date or can I re use them?

If not, what should I consider putting back in their place?

I should not have left it this late really, as now if they are no re usable, I will be held up. damn.

Still, I do have the metal work to refurb to be getting on with.

One thing that I have forgotten to ask though is, are the original moisture absorbing tablets past their sell-by date or can I re use them?

If not, what should I consider putting back in their place?

 

The answer to the first part is who knows after all this time if they're effective or not, the black foam that surrounds them is usually perished or perishing, I have discarded mine and always encourage dropping 2 or 3 silica gel sachets in there to slop around, the ones you get when you unwrap an electrical appliance, you can buy a bag full on ebay :yes:.

The answer to the first part is who knows after all this time if they're effective or not, the black foam that surrounds them is usually perished or perishing, I have discarded mine and always encourage dropping 2 or 3 silica gel sachets in there to slop around, the ones you get when you unwrap an electrical appliance, you can buy a bag full on ebay :yes:.

 

Cheers Phutumsch, I think I will probably discard the original tablets and replace them as you say with silica gel.

Hopefully I can get some in the next couple of days. Would of thought so.

Hit a bit of a problem.

I was hoping to source new grey sealant for attaching the lens's back on.

Can anyone help me get hold of any please?

 

As a backup, I did keep the old rubber just in case.

It would be nice if I could use new though.

 

Any help would be much appreciated.

This is the sort of stuff we used to use at work nearest i can find to the original......

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CAR-VAN-SUNROOF-SEAL-WATER-LEAK-SEAM-SEALER-STRIP-ROLL-/220542576243?pt=UK_Body_Shop_Supplies_Paint&hash=item33595ca673

 

HTH.....

Slightly smaller bead at 6mm but in grey,

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BOLT-ON-PANEL-SEALER-BUTYL-ROLL-STRIP-SEALANT-BONDING-6mm-/331100969397

 

Remeber you can double this stuff up if needed.

Slightly smaller bead at 6mm but in grey,

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BOLT-ON-PANEL-SEALER-BUTYL-ROLL-STRIP-SEALANT-BONDING-6mm-/331100969397

 

Remember you can double this stuff up if needed.

 

Cheers for this.

I have bought a small roll, but unfortunately it is very soft at room temperature, almost like soft putty.

I fear it might be to soft once out in the mid day sun though.

 

I think that the black maybe nearer the mark, will need grey though ideally.

I will give them a ring tomorrow.

 

Thanks for the links though mate, appreciate it.

A bit of an update.

Here are a couple of pictures of my reflectors after being vacuum metallised.

They are not 100% perfect, but far better than before by a mile.

Time permitting, I will start the re build over the week end.

look good to me.. :)

look good to me.. :)

 

Cheers mate,

It's just that there are a couple of imperfections in the finish that do not pick up well in the pictures.

Massive improvement though, It's just that I am just a bit of a perfectionist I guess.

 

Started to put things together tonight, just hope I have got everything in the right place.

Should be OK as I must have took loads of reference pictures.

Starting to gather a bit of momentum now. Managed to get both sides up to the same stage.

It's amazing how easy it is when you take things apart, but when it comes to putting the things back together it's so fiddly.

Don't touch the glass, mind the shiny bits. bl**dy game and a half.

Still, getting there.

I am dreading putting the glass back on. The last thing I want to do is f**k it up at the last hurdle

They look like they are straight from the factory so far mate. Keep up the amazing work!

uld have thought you would have had the black plastic inserts vacume metalised, but that said still great attention to detail, great work thou.

They look like they are straight from the factory so far mate. Keep up the amazing work!

 

Cheers. :thumbup1:

uld have thought you would have had the black plastic inserts vacume metalised, but that said still great attention to detail, great work thou.

 

I know what you mean mate, MantaV8 suggested it also.

I just could not bring myself to move away from the original layout.

 

Mind you, It's still not to late to consider. Mmmmm. decisions, decisions.

I prefer them with black inserts. I'd say these are a much better product than when they were manufactured judging by the pics and upgrades carried out :)

I prefer them with black inserts. I'd say these are a much better product than when they were manufactured judging by the pics and upgrades carried out :)

 

Thanks Joely P. :thumbup1:

So, with the lights awaiting the re fitting of the glass, I decided to re use the existing grey rubber.

First, I warmed all of the pieces collected from the right hand headlight and formed a ball. (well more of a lump really) lol

I then in stages warmed and teased the rubber into a long circular strip to match a piece of string as a guide.

I still have a little way to go yet, but it did go quite well for a first attempt.

With a bit of luck, I may even get to seal the glass in tomorrow night.

Theres really no need for the Nissan sticky snake sh1t...not long done mine and all the glass needs is a small bead of clear silacone and then held down with the metal clips.Unless you want to go the full 9 yards using OEM stuff from start to finnish:yes:

yeah (even though I agree), you can use silicone but the butyl rubber gives a much better seal and is re-usable and can be taken apart again if you forget something or make a mistake or just need to get back inside..

Particularity going to all that trouble.

it's available on ebay..

 

one example..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BOLT-ON-PANEL-SEALER-BUTYL-ROLL-STRIP-SEALANT-BONDING-6mm-/331100969397?pt=UK_Body_Shop_Supplies_Paint&hash=item4d1727d9b5

 

by the way you are doing a spectacular job. :)

I understand what you are both saying guys, It's just that I am a bit obsessed with originality I guess.

I think I see it as a bit of a challenge.

 

Anyway, as luck would have it, (bad luck that is) it seems like my first attempt of re sealing the glass has not ended well.

The top 2 corners where the clips are seem to have sealed well, also the 2 sides.

But I am a bit concerned about the bit in the middle.

It's when I look at the bottom right hand corner that my fears begin.

I do not know why, but there appears to be no sealant compressed at that point, and I could not close the gap for love nor money.

I am not too sure that there is any seal there at all.

I think I will have to vary the amount of rubber I lay down as I think I had too much down the sides to compress, therefore making it difficult settle the lens all around.

Some additional pictures.

I think I will have to seperate the light and have another attempt.

I will try another tack on the other headlight first mind.

well no matter what they are looking mighty fine!! :)

Brilliant job mate. I wouldn't worry about using clear silicone though. It's a shame after all that cleaning and hard work that the grey putty hasn't behaved itself for you. I can understand why you want to keep it original but that putty was probably laid down by a robot at Nissan ensuring a nice even bead.

 

Good luck though, after all that effort I'm sure they are going to look great.