Cleaning Plastic Headlamps of Corrosion

[CourierDriver]

Ok, so I'm mixing mmo and stabil into one bottle and adding it to my gas. Stay with me> Walk around to the front of the van and see that my headlamp plastic covers are crudded over still. So I pour some of the mmo and stabil on a rag and start rubbing the lens, would u believe that junk started coming off. Go try it, u might not have to buy that 6 dollar wax stuff again. Well my mix worked for me, it might work for u............. its another mmo story/stabil.

 

[SLCraig]

Plastic lights that are yellowing, there's only 2 words. Wet Sand.

 

[dgee]

PlastX from Meguiar's also works well

 

[roushstage2]

Originally Posted By: CourierDriver
Ok, so I'm mixing mmo and stabil into one bottle and adding it to my gas. Stay with me> Walk around to the front of the van and see that my headlamp plastic covers are crudded over still. So I pour some of the mmo and stabil on a rag and start rubbing the lens, would u believe that junk started coming off. Go try it, u might not have to buy that 6 dollar wax stuff again. Well my mix worked for me, it might work for u............. its another mmo story/stabil.
The chemicals probably ate some of the plastic is why. Try brake cleaner next time, that will take stuff off of them too...(joke, don't). Besides, wouldn't a bottle of MMO and Stabil cost more than "that 6 dollar wax stuff?"

 

[CourierDriver]

Yes the stabil and mmo would, I buy mmo buy the gallon. 99 percent of the time it all goes in the gas, yesterday was the first time i did that, was an off the cuff thing, i experimented, its a man thing,,,,,,,,,lol, tomorrow my coffee, omy, not.

 

[jcwit]

Hey if it works and you already have the stuff you've got nothing to loose.


Just remember "its not made for that", but who cares. I use Future floor wax on my lenses and folks claim it turns yellow, been on the lenses for 4 to 5 months, when is this yellowing going to happen? And again "it not made for that".

 

[CourierDriver]

its gotta be a mystery to me lol

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: jcwit
Hey if it works and you already have the stuff you've got nothing to loose.



Actually you do, many plastics are damaged by solvents and the damage (crazing and small cracks) often doesn't show up until later. Lexan in particular has a lot of good properties, one of it's not good properties is that it is sensitive to many solvents and the damage often doesn't show up until hours to months after exposure to the solvents.

For headlights you are better off sticking to sanding/polishing. Check the price on replacement headlight units before using random chemicals on the plastic lenses. They can be expensive.

 

[roushstage2]

Originally Posted By: jcwit

Just remember "its not made for that", but who cares.
People say the same thing about washing their cars with dish soap and then wonder why the paint looks horrible and then begins to fail, but who cares?

 

[Mr Nice]

I use Meguiar's PlastX and for $5 it works GREAT

 

[jcwit]

Originally Posted By: XS650
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Hey if it works and you already have the stuff you've got nothing to loose.



Actually you do, many plastics are damaged by solvents and the damage (crazing and small cracks) often doesn't show up until later. Lexan in particular has a lot of good properties, one of it's not good properties is that it is sensitive to many solvents and the damage often doesn't show up until hours to months after exposure to the solvents.

For headlights you are better off sticking to sanding/polishing. Check the price on replacement headlight units before using random chemicals on the plastic lenses. They can be expensive.


Future floor wax is water based as in acrylic, rain doesn't hurt the lenses neither will the future wax.

 

[jcwit]

Originally Posted By: roushstage2
Originally Posted By: jcwit

Just remember "its not made for that", but who cares.
People say the same thing about washing their cars with dish soap and then wonder why the paint looks horrible and then begins to fail, but who cares?


Might it not be wise to do a little research before jumping in. Brains+Common sense+research=knowledge.

 

[Xman77]

Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
I use Meguiar's PlastX and for $5 it works GREAT


+1...bought the whole kit and impressed so far.

 

[jcwit]

Originally Posted By: XS650
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Hey if it works and you already have the stuff you've got nothing to loose.



Actually you do, many plastics are damaged by solvents and the damage (crazing and small cracks) often doesn't show up until later. Lexan in particular has a lot of good properties, one of it's not good properties is that it is sensitive to many solvents and the damage often doesn't show up until hours to months after exposure to the solvents.

For headlights you are better off sticking to sanding/polishing. Check the price on replacement headlight units before using random chemicals on the plastic lenses. They can be expensive.


Not much to loose, by the time the lenses were shot in the cars I've owned the cars not really worth spending much on either.

 

[roushstage2]

Originally Posted By: jcwit
Originally Posted By: roushstage2
Originally Posted By: jcwit

Just remember "its not made for that", but who cares.
People say the same thing about washing their cars with dish soap and then wonder why the paint looks horrible and then begins to fail, but who cares?


Might it not be wise to do a little research before jumping in. Brains+Common sense+research=knowledge.
I have plenty of knowledge about it, thanks.

 

[jcwit]

Originally Posted By: roushstage2
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Originally Posted By: roushstage2
Originally Posted By: jcwit

Just remember "its not made for that", but who cares.
People say the same thing about washing their cars with dish soap and then wonder why the paint looks horrible and then begins to fail, but who cares?


Might it not be wise to do a little research before jumping in. Brains+Common sense+research=knowledge.
I have plenty of knowledge about it, thanks.


Then don't discount what someone else comes up with.

Lizard spit wasn't made as a cancer cure, but it works for some types.

I always wondered why anyone would even think about trying it.

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: Xman77
Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
I use Meguiar's PlastX and for $5 it works GREAT


+1...bought the whole kit and impressed so far.


The PlastX did not even put a dent in the garbage on my brother's clouded, coated, hazed, 11 year old lenses (by hand at least

).

I guess I will have to get a foam (or the Mothers) wheel and try again.

 

[roushstage2]

Originally Posted By: jcwit
Originally Posted By: roushstage2
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Originally Posted By: roushstage2

Just remember "its not made for that", but who cares.
People say the same thing about washing their cars with dish soap and then wonder why the paint looks horrible and then begins to fail, but who cares?


Might it not be wise to do a little research before jumping in. Brains+Common sense+research=knowledge.
I have plenty of knowledge about it, thanks.


Quote:
Then don't discount what someone else comes up with.

Lizard spit wasn't made as a cancer cure, but it works for some types.

I always wondered why anyone would even think about trying it.
I don't know how the quoting got screwed up like that, but anyways...don't discount something that can ruin the lenses? I thought you mentioned common sense in your previous post?

 

[widman]

Wet sand and finish off with PlastX
I did my son's PT Cruiser, then this for my Corvair

 

[roushstage2]

That before and after of the gauge cluster is GREAT! Nice work!