Can't get milky haze off headlights

[Mikecivic78]

My car has been plagued by this since I bought it early this year. It's a bug eye WRX Impreza, but like any make/model that uses plastic headlights, they have suffered oxidation due to exposure to the elements.

When I bought it, The previous owner had gotten Subaru to recondition the lights (seemingly a hurried job to prep for sale), and the lenses still appeared slightly milky with scratches/some pitting on them.

Anyway, I have wet-sanded them and polished them up as best I could but all I've managed to do is get the scratches out. The milkiness still remains, maybe a little fainter, but not much better at all. The pitting is more noticeable now and looks deep in the plastic.

Can anyone shed some light on how to get these clear? I have posted on the Subaru forums and haven't gotten any good advice.

[aaronng]

You have to finish up with an aggressive compound on a machine pad. These headlights are polycarbonate and not UV stable. Hence you need to spray on a UV protection coating after sanding and polishing. These coatings also fill the gaps which turn the milkiness clear.

[Mikecivic78]

You have to finish up with an aggressive compound on a machine pad. These headlights are polycarbonate and not UV stable. Hence you need to spray on a UV protection coating after sanding and polishing. These coatings also fill the gaps which turn the milkiness clear.

Thanks for the reply mate. Yes, I did finish with an aggressive compound and a thorough machine padding. I just couldn't get them looking fully clear. I don't think the coating would do much more in terms of clearing them up. I dunno, maybe I could go heavier and remove about half a mm, but it almost seems like the milkiness in all the way through the plastic. I've never experienced anything like it, frustrating as hell.

[aaronng]

Thanks for the reply mate. Yes, I did finish with an aggressive compound and a thorough machine padding. I just couldn't get them looking fully clear. I don't think the coating would do much more in terms of clearing them up. I dunno, maybe I could go heavier and remove about half a mm, but it almost seems like the milkiness in all the way through the plastic. I've never experienced anything like it, frustrating as hell.
What compound are you using? When I say aggressive compound, it should be able to abrade the polycarbonate down, but not remove half an mm (which is heaps!). If you are abrading that much and the milkiness is still there, then the UV damage might have gone through the entire depth.

[butterfingers]

dont cum on your headlights.

[Mikecivic78]

dont cum on your headlights.

My dearest thanks for these pearls of wisdom




Come on, I need some actual advice here people!

[butterfingers]

it could also be on the inside of your headlights.

the heat from your headlight bulbs can also cause oxidation, not just the elements.

[Mikecivic78]

What compound are you using? When I say aggressive compound, it should be able to abrade the polycarbonate down, but not remove half an mm (which is heaps!). If you are abrading that much and the milkiness is still there, then the UV damage might have gone through the entire depth.

I think this might actually be the case.

I'm using a compound I got from my old man, it's in an unnamed container. It's of the milky kind like scratch x, but more aggressive. I forgot the name of it, but Ive used it on other cars and have had excellent results.

[RenzokukenJ]

Is it condensation from inside of the headlight which has oxidised inside?

You might need to open them and clean them inside as well

Mine has extremely small cracks, and water sometimes gets inside and has feked them up majorly, no matter how much i clean mine they stay milky

[eren]

here is something that might work maybe 20% chance lol if all goes wrong dont blame me
here's some shieet you need.
1. stainless steel sponge
2. Jiff lol
3. boil hot water from kettle
--------------------
first wash headlight's , then apply jiff and just use alot of elbow grease then apply hot water , then repeat the process
- goodluck y0 i hate freakin headlight Haze :s

[Mikecivic78]

it could also be on the inside of your headlights.

the heat from your headlight bulbs can also cause oxidation, not just the elements.

It doesn't seem to be this, it's over all the surface of the plastic

[Mikecivic78]

Here are some pictures:

In the daytime it's OK, but you can notice the difference between the headlights and the fog lights. They are fairly clear but still have a milkiness about them.
http://i50.tinypic.com/30a9ycg.jpg


At night you can see that the milkiness is very visible
http://i49.tinypic.com/6ocy03.jpg

[aaronng]

That photo looks like the bottom half of this one. What happens when you wet the headlights with water? Does the milkiness disappear? If it does, then a UV coating spray might help.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7222/7185914485_20fe6a67cc_c.jpg

[eren]

Any luck with the method ? i told you to try? , can't you like buff it out?

[Mikecivic78]

That photo looks like the bottom half of this one. What happens when you wet the headlights with water? Does the milkiness disappear? If it does, then a UV coating spray might help.

Thanks. I will wet them next time I get the chance and check it out, but my haze seems different on mine as it's evenly all the way through the plastic and not in a particular spot.

[aaronng]

Thanks. I will wet them next time I get the chance and check it out, but my haze seems different on mine as it's evenly all the way through the plastic and not in a particular spot.

In the photo I posted, the top half of the headlights was sprayed with the coating, while the bottom half was not yet sprayed. So the bottom half looks a bit milky but the top is clear.

[mocchi]

In the photo I posted, the top half of the headlights was sprayed with the coating, while the bottom half was not yet sprayed. So the bottom half looks a bit milky but the top is clear.

any particular brand to look out for?

[GU357]

is that a k20 ek???

also i used a sachet packet that i found at a car shope like supercheap, it comes with some sand paper and and polish but the last coat is a filling thing, some nanotec headlight protection and layering, even though mine were milky this stuff rubbed on and made it look clear again.

as if the headlights were wet.

[aaronng]

any particular brand to look out for?
That one was the Repco branded one. The box says "Headlight Lens Restoration Kit"

[EKVTIR-T]

Looks like aaron is right,uv damage seems to have made the plastic go off thats why its right through the layer not only the surface

probably need to source some replacement headlights Mike

[newpaddy3]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy_WF5Iei_I

[GU357]

funny how there is no deffinate answer despite so many ppl

[Jasemas]

According to MCM Avocados work lol

[GU357]

lol thats all for top layer corrosion though. woot MCM!!
their new magazine has 69 wways to make you car faster!

[Mikecivic78]

Looks like aaron is right,uv damage seems to have made the plastic go off thats why its right through the layer not only the surface

probably need to source some replacement headlights Mike

Yea Boris, looks to be the case.

I visited subaru yesterday and the guy there said they were too far gone.

Maybe the plastic from the factory was crap quality to start with.

Aarong -
I wet them and they look kinda the same. I didnt do it with lights on, and couldn't tell if they looked clearer. What's the brand of the UV spray anyway? I may as well try it.

[aaronng]

Yea Boris, looks to be the case.

I visited subaru yesterday and the guy there said they were too far gone.

Maybe the plastic from the factory was crap quality to start with.

Aarong -
I wet them and they look kinda the same. I didnt do it with lights on, and couldn't tell if they looked clearer. What's the brand of the UV spray anyway? I may as well try it.

If it is still milky when wet, not much point wasting money on the spray. The one I have is the Repco branded kit.