[Mortis]

Originally Posted by atulanand13

Guys I need some suggestions as well for the headlight cleaning/repairing

I have a Jetta whose right side headlight has a small crack via which dust and sand is getting inside. A new light costs 12k and I don't want to go for it and neither for the insurance as I will lose the NCB.

Could a crack be sealed? I know it can be cleaned but not sure whether the Araldite etc. would hold on the crack.

Any suggestions? Thank you.

Since it's not in the area that the beam passes through, you can cover it up with a patch of PPF. I've done it several years ago on a clear area of my tail light that a miscreant made a hole in. It has held up well through several monsoons and also prevented the cracks at the edges of the hole from spreading

[dadu]

Originally Posted by atulanand13

Guys I need some suggestions as well for the headlight cleaning/repairing

Could a crack be sealed? I know it can be cleaned but not sure whether the Araldite etc. would hold on the crack.

Any suggestions? Thank you.

Araldite will turn pale but has a good flex to temperatures. You can use feviKwik(or any superglue) to close the gap and join it. But be careful, its super liquidy and corrodes paint if spilt, so take precautions.

Check and repeat after every 5-6 months, if required.

[Reinhard]

Originally Posted by atulanand13

Could a crack be sealed? I know it can be cleaned but not sure whether the Araldite etc. would hold on the crack.

Originally Posted by Mortis

Since it's not in the area that the beam passes through, you can cover it up with a patch of PPF.

A simple and clean approach would be to simply apply a thin layer of silicone sealant (clear, no colour) by fingers on it. It handles heat well and lasts really long in outdoor conditions as well.

Here's a sample -

LINK : Amazon.in silicone seslant tube

You can find it cheaper at a nearby hardware store. You can use the remaining for other crack/gap filling and small waterproofing work elsewhere in the home too .

Originally Posted by dadu

Araldite will turn pale but has a good flex to temperatures. You can use feviKwik(or any superglue) to close the gap and join it. But be careful, its super liquidy and corrodes paint if spilt, so take precautions.Check and repeat after every 5-6 months, if required.

Feviquick and similar adhesives turn white and turn the plastic a bit opaque/brittle too. Probably not the best when it comes to extensive outdoor use - when car stands under the sun and in rains for extensive hours.

[Mortis]

Silicone won't stay clear for long and is shrinks over time. Also it's bonding to plastic/acrylic is not the strongest

[atulanand13]

Originally Posted by Reinhard

A simple and clean approach would be to simply apply a thin layer of silicone sealant (clear, no colour) by fingers on it. It handles heat well and lasts really long in outdoor conditions as well.

.

Thanks for sharing this..!
Have you used this on your lights anytime?

[Reinhard]

Originally Posted by Mortis

Silicone won't stay clear for long and is shrinks over time. Also it's bonding to plastic/acrylic is not the strongest

A thin film like layer applied by hand should work okay I think. I have used it on plastic, worked okay. So not sure, maybe you are right too.

Originally Posted by atulanand13

Thanks for sharing this..!
Have you used this on your lights anytime?

I have used it behind lights. To seal and secure the hot HID bulb bases with projectors, to secure ballasts in place as extra measure etc. Its holding absolutely fine with the heat. I use it outdoors for waterproofing a lot, on metal surfaces also, that heat up in summers.

But no - i have not used it on the front of a headlamp lens.

[audioholic]

Silicon would be a bad idea on the clear lens. The sealant is acidic in nature and will just damage the clear lens instead of bonding to it. Even to the rear of the headlight, it will only have a sealing effect and no bonding effect since it hardly sticks to plastic surfaces.

Originally Posted by atulanand13

Guys I need some suggestions as well for the headlight cleaning/repairing

Could a crack be sealed? I know it can be cleaned but not sure whether the Araldite etc. would hold on the crack.

Clean the crack and then use any acrylic glue to fill up the cracked portion. Since the crack is very narrow you can also consider grinding the crack slightly so that the adhesive can penetrate and seal better. The advantage of acrylic glue is it bonds well, and is soft initially after setting which will let you scrape of the excess and once it completely cures, it will be transparent. A well executed job will make the scratch almost unnoticeable. It will take a few days to become completely hard and water proof, so that will require a patch of plastic paper above the glued area in case you want to use the car during this time. if you dont find acrylic glue, then araldite clear will also be fine, but its not so easy to work with compared to acrylic glue and hardens quickly, which might make the job messy.

[dadu]

Originally Posted by Reinhard

Feviquick and similar adhesives turn white and turn the plastic a bit opaque/brittle too. Probably not the best when it comes to extensive outdoor use - when car stands under the sun and in rains for extensive hours.

Then the best bet is Araldite since it has good heat and expansion properties.

Otherwise you have to get this from US apprx $6. But only after the current situation subsides.

Thats what I do if you cant find it here, get it from US.