DIY: Blackened headlight surrounds

[apg39]

ORIGINAL POST

OK, the DIY will appear soon...Im half way through & have accidentally burned the casing on one headlight.....poop. It must have leant on the metal in the oven. Not deformed at all, just discoloured.

Bit angry now....but the spray paint fumes are making me happy...

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DIY STARTS HERE

I got this DIY from the Toyota Nation forum, but im going to add in some little notes that are different for the Aurion. When I say Step 1 c) it refers to Step 1 in the DIY & c) refers to the 3rd picture + instruction in Step 1.

I hope the original author doesn't mind me re-posting the DIY here. Original thread can be found HERE

Step 1 c) - When moving the inner wheel arch, there is a clip inside the top & one about half way down...remove these will give the best access to the bold holding the corner of the bumper on.

Tip: After you undo the above bolt - reach your hand inside and push just below the clips to pop them out, if you just pull the panel out you may break the clip. ALSO - there is a tiny push clip where the front grill slips in....taking that out gives more flexibility in the bumper, especially when taking the headlight unit out.

Step 1 e) The bolts holding on the light are alot different. There are 2 visible bolts on the top of the light, there is one on the inside corner, near the grill, I got in there by using an extension socket & bending the bumper out of the way slightly. The 4th bolt is shown above in d). There are 3 globes to remove + 1 plug.

Step 1 f) There is no insertion pin, disregard. Taking out the light is alot different, it takes alot of moving around & bending & this & that but it will work. There is alot of unseen headlight at the bottom as well as stickyouty bits to hold the light in place. Dont ask me how I got it out, got a little rough at one point but its easier if the bumper is bent out of the way.

Step 2 a) Lots of different methods of warming the glue, taking it apart I put the oven on about 100 deg C, the put it in there for 10 minutes, its trial and error though, you just have to do it until the glue is warm enough to come apart. Other people say put it on 220-250 deg C then turn the oven off & the ambient heat will melt the glue. I dont know how long the light will stay in the oven for then. Some say wrap it in a towel or lay it on a towel / cookie sheet. This wouldn't be a bad idea but I reccomend using the method of high heating & turning the oven off THEN putting the light in - so it doesn't catch fire.

Step 2 b ) Things to remove from the back of the light - 10x small screws from around the edge of the light, 1x small black screw with washer holding down wiring, 3x black caps, bracket & plug (tip: bend the bracket, there is a clip on the back to take off the plug to pull it off), rubber grommet around one light, rubber grommet with 2 wires through it, plastic twist cap (then inside that 3x small screws & brown circle) and metal screw thead in the far bottom corner. I didnt touch the alignment screws, just be careful not to burn yourself on them. Didnt affect alignment when re-installed either.

Step 2 f) There are 4x small screws holding the housing on, one also holds the cover for the indicator - take that off as well.

Paint paint paint away & screw the housing back (with indicator piece) onto the cover.

I then pushed the backing back onto the front....glue will hold a little but it wont sit flush like it does OEM. It needs to be reheated & then push it into place, put the 10x little screws back in then leave it to cool. I didnt use any more sealent, lots of people dont, personal choice.

Re-install all the pieces take off before putting it in the oven.

Re-install light on car.

Put all screws & globes back where they belong.

Re-install grill.

Stand back, grab a beer, admire, check all lights then grab another beer.

Finished result.........(Ill take better pictures on the weekend)

Edited July 14, 2008 by apg39

[J e r e M y]

show pics! :P

[KaZe-]

:o when we did mine we just wrapped it in a towel did u put the light in with nothing around it??

[apg39]

:o when we did mine we just wrapped it in a towel did u put the light in with nothing around it??

That was my mistake, Ive got a VERY small oven & had to gut the internals...wasnt game enough to put in a towel because the light unit is massive & I wa worried that it would catch fire (gas oven). Now its together though its only a little area thats visible, most of the 'burn' is in the section that goes under the bumper.

Reinstalling this morning when I am motivated to get out of bed....

However, stressing less, best mate is at the local Toyota & is checking Monday if he can just order the casing for me.

Edited July 12, 2008 by apg39

[leasaunce]

you dont put the headlight in WITH THE OVEN running!! next time, reheat the oven for 15minutes, switch it off, then put the headlight in for 8 minutes. NO MORE THAN 15mins!

Edited July 12, 2008 by leasaunce

[apg39]

you dont put the headlight in WITH THE OVEN running!! next time, reheat the oven for 15minutes, switch it off, then put the headlight in for 8 minutes. NO MORE THAN 15mins!

Every other DIY I've read said put it on the lowest temp (90) & put in for 10 mins. Some replies mentioned heating at a higher temp then put the light in to melt in the ambient heat, but no one said there was a right & wrong way. Anyway, cant sue them, its all part of DIY'ing it, worked fine for the first one, just need to buy a new casing for the second. Ill do the other method to put them back together this morning.

[leasaunce]

I did that to my camry... :P

[apg39]

Some quick pictures with a crappy camera....more when the missus comes back with the good one. IMO its SEXY!!!!!! Fits in perfectly with the black highlights that come on Sportivo's bodykits. Burn spot is in the second pic.

[leasaunce]

cant see it, really nice though! :D

[J e r e M y]

ohh that looks NINJAH!

[Freddo]

hothothot (was the oven).

can u take a pic standing back?

i woulda left some chrome around the globe so it u can see the light tho

[J e r e M y]

hothothot (was the oven).

can u take a pic standing back?

i woulda left some chrome around the globe so it u can see the light tho

solution : brighter blubs xD :P

[Freddo]

hothothot (was the oven).

can u take a pic standing back?

i woulda left some chrome around the globe so it u can see the light tho

solution : brighter blubs xD :P

i mean u identify the globe when looking at it...

it looks overdone.

[apg39]

Original post edited with DIY, pics of final result will appear tomorrow some time.

can u take a pic standing back?

i woulda left some chrome around the globe so it u can see the light tho

Ill take more pics tomorrow, had crappy camera + enough battery to take 2 pics only.

I originally started taping off a chrome ring around the two main lights, was going good but when I got to the projector one, around the bottom it was so hard to do. So decided not to do it anymore. Does look a little silly having the outer light all black, but I dont mind it.

[Freddo]

yeah i had a look at the other thread about the blackened headlights and realised the angel eyes were providing the contrast that i was looking for.

i still woulda just done the outer light? PS anyone?

[apg39]

Yeah I kinda agree, but I couldnt be bothered spending all day taping it off. I kinda like it with only one 'eye' though...you'll see when I post up the other pics.

If I end up disliking it that much I can get angel eyes if I want.

[Freddo]

would it be easy to tape off the inside of the outer globe so the globe doesnt look black?

[apg39]

would it be easy to tape off the inside of the outer globe so the globe doesnt look black?

As in the convex part of the projector? would work I suppose, Then in a way it would look like the Falcon XR's with 2 chrome circles.

[Freddo]

yeh the convex bits where the globe fits.

[apg39]

That should be easy enough to mask off, I didnt want to though.

First post updated with pics, will take a better one on the weekend when its actually daylight when Im at home.

[holmesie]

Looks cool A B)

[apg39]

Better pics added to first post.

Looks cool A B)

Something just for you..... B)

[Freddo]

them new pics do it more justice.

next mod?

[apg39]

next mod?

Grill.

If the Thai people ever want to return my emails that is..... Ive also got a friend getting a price on TRD grill + whether I need the VIN or not.

[KaZe-]

yo yo GW man looks tops i reckon they should of done somthing like that for the TRD aurion as standard but they didint but looks good a bit dark though around the light but still good i like!!