How do i dismantle the rear brake-light (Civic EK)

[c00lman]

Is it easy to remove the red brake light COVER (not bulb)?
(not the one above the boot)

i dropped the bulb in their while replacing it & now it rattles in there, i want to remove the rear (left) brake light but i dunno where to start.

[johnn]

Dude.. I did the same thing.. It was a bugger to get out.. But I eventually did it..

Dude.. dont worry about it.. because if you remove that COVER.. and put that back on.. It wont be the same sealant strength as it was before.

Recommend you get your little brother/cus/newphew/neighbour or someone with smaller hands than you to get it out.. I got my cus to get it out for me!

[TheGoodDeal]

Use telescopic magnet (Similar to radio antena with magnet at the end) to take bulb out through the hole. So don't need to dismantle the brake-light
http://www.lodestoneindustries.com.au/images/core/bigprod3.jpg

[nd55]

> Is it easy to remove the red brake light COVER (not bulb)?

The entire light assembly, comes out by undoing four hex nuts.

You should be able to shake the unit to get the light to fall out.

Replace the "tail light gasket" while you're at it, stops the water that accumulates at the bottom of the spare tyre well after a bit of rain.

Approx $35.

Beware when tightening nuts as they will break/strip the shaft quite easily.
That's two weekends of hard work to fix!!!

Get a Helms to help locate the interior trim fixing clips which have to be released to get at the four nuts.

Also tighten the four nuts slowly, doing each a bit in turn, otherwise you might a have a slight skew when you fit the lamp back.

Nothing visible to the naked eye, but on close inspection it's there and you'll kick yousrself each time you look at it.

Nick.

[c00lman]

hmm nd55, i have found alot of water recently in the spare tyre unit. but im not prepared to waste 2 weekends.
also.. where are the 4 HEX nuts?

i have attached 2 pics...because under the black plastic trim around the light there are some "hard-to-get" bolts,
and also if you open the inside cap (where u change the bulb) are also some hex-screws.. so which ones?


TheGoodDeal stated sumtin interesting, where do i get those magnets??

p.s whats helms? and can you provide info on tail light gasket?

Thanks

[TheGoodDeal]

U can get telescopic magnet from supper cheap or hardware store. It's very handy tool for recovering metal items, tools lost in difficult to access places. I even used to get tools I forgot under the car when I lazy craw under the car or to move it.

[shadou]

those are the ones you've arrowed should be either an 8mm or 10mm nut, undo them, unplug the sockets and with a bit of jiggling should come straight out with little to no effort.

[c00lman]

U can get telescopic magnet from supper cheap or hardware store.

ok ill try that if all else fails with removing the brake light cover..however as you already know GoodDeal, that those magnet thingies need to bend to form an L-Shape as the bulb is sitting at the bottom of the cover... i hope the magnet is strong enough to pick it.

Shadou...your referring to the 2nd pic... so all i need to do is remove those 4 sockets from the screws & jiggle it out yep?

what do i do with that seal you were talkn about the rain water in spare tyre compartment, i had a pond with fish in there...

thanks 4 the help fellaz :thumbsup:

P.S Johnn mentioned that when removing that cover, the seal wont be as good as before...so its supposedly sealed aswel, any ideas? or should i got with that magnet? last thing i need it bloody mist in those covers from a crappy seal

[shadou]

if you have the appropriate tools it will be faster + cheaper to remove the brake light housing instead of purchasing a magnet which may/may not be able to pick up the bulb due to the location.

[c00lman]

ok sweet... now im referring to the 2nd pic on the right, not the 1st correct?
what about the seal stuff that John spoke about?

[TheGoodDeal]

Telescopic magnet is abit flexible at the end. It shouldn't cost much around $2-$5. If you don't mind u can bend it into L shape. There is another way, find a small piece strong Magnet tide it with fishing string and make sure it not slip, then throw it in through the hole, if u lucky it stick to the bulb (like fishing) or leave it in there run the car a few hours, days until the bulb & magnet stick together and pull them out by the fishing string.

[nd55]

Sorry, This thread is getting a bit hard to follow. Forgive me.

> i have found alot of water recently in the spare tyre unit. but im not prepared to waste 2
> weekends. also.. where are the 4 HEX nuts?

the weekeneds comment is if you break the bolts by over-tightening when putting the light back on.
Take it easy and it'll be peachy.

I don't have any advice as how to judge whether the bolts are tight enough. It's an awkward position to start with and you have to cinch it up against a foam gasket.

> i have attached 2 pics..

The rear of the tail light assembly with the four bolts. That's all you need to touch.

> p.s whats helms?

A workshop manual, available for many cars, published by "Helms". Like the "Gregories" workshop manuals published locally, but more & better information.

There's a freebie download floating around somewhere, but I don't have the link.
Anyone?
It's a massive download.

> nd can you provide info on tail light gasket?

It's a an oval/circular shaped sheet of 5mm foam which has internal cutouts to clear the
bolts, lights etc.

Just go to a Honda service centre, ask for an "EK tail light gasket".
They should know straight away .... otherwise try another dealer.

It's quite a simple thing. certainly DIY'able, but it's not the think you do often and for the price
it's probably worth getting OEM quality.

> what do i do with that seal you were talkn about the rain water in spare tyre compartment, i had a pond with fish in there...

Buy some goldfish. he he.

Just slap it on. It's obvious when you see all the parts dis-assembled on your garage floor.

I opted to use a light coat of Permatex non-hardening sealant on the gasket faces.

In hindsight it was messy and probably not necessary.

I'm absolutley certain the sealant isn't necessary.
It was my own decision. .... but I've been wrong before.....

> P.S Johnn mentioned that when removing that cover, the seal wont be as good as before...

Another good reason to replace the tail light gasket.

or use Permatex sealant.

or both.

One last bit of advice is to clean AND WAX the area you uncover when you remove the tail light.
It'll improve the seal when you reinstall everything.

Nick.

[shadou]

... they're just four little nuts, you do not need to use that much torque to make it tight. Don't tighten it like you would the sump just a light amount of torque is required

[c00lman]

thanks... that makes sense. ;)

[c00lman]

> Is it easy to remove the red brake light COVER (not bulb)?

The entire light assembly, comes out by undoing four hex nuts.

You should be able to shake the unit to get the light to fall out.

Replace the "tail light gasket" while you're at it, stops the water that accumulates at the bottom of the spare tyre well after a bit of rain.

Approx $35.

Nick.

WOW i got it done today. took 30min... i took the stupid loose bulb out...but as you said ND55 the foam shit was dry & cracked... but i couldnt geta replacement because the Honda dealer was closed
looks like ill have to do this all over again on weekend.

so you sure if i remove the greyish foam "tail light gasket" and replace it, it will stop the water from accumulating? i just found more water in the spare tyre section.
Just called Honda, they dont stock those gasket foams..any other home-made alternatives??

[TheGoodDeal]

U can try find those foam at Clake Rubber. But you have or ask them to cut it into gasket shape.

[c00lman]

how is it a foam & stops water? wouldnt it soak it?

[nd55]

> any other home-made alternatives??

IMHO for the price, go with the OEM product.

> Just called Honda, they dont stock those gasket foams..

What? Try another Honda.

Wayne (parts manager) at Collins Honda Rockdale has always been helpful to me and supplied me with mine a few months ago.

> so you sure if i remove the greyish foam "tail light gasket" and replace it, it will stop the water from accumulating?

Did for me. Will need to do both, though.

> U can try find those foam at Clake Rubber. But you have or ask them to cut it into gasket shape.
Didn't know they did that. I thought they cut to a rectangular size and charged by the area.

> how is it a foam & stops water? wouldnt it soak it?
closed cell rubber. Like a wetsuit.

Nick.

[c00lman]

> any other home-made alternatives??

IMHO for the price, go with the OEM product.

> Just called Honda, they dont stock those gasket foams..

What? Try another Honda.

Wayne (parts manager) at Collins Honda Rockdale has always been helpful to me and supplied me with mine a few months ago.

> so you sure if i remove the greyish foam "tail light gasket" and replace it, it will stop the water from accumulating?

Did for me. Will need to do both, though.

> U can try find those foam at Clake Rubber. But you have or ask them to cut it into gasket shape.
Didn't know they did that. I thought they cut to a rectangular size and charged by the area.

> how is it a foam & stops water? wouldnt it soak it?
closed cell rubber. Like a wetsuit.

Nick.

thanks Nick, that was great

[c00lman]

I opted to use a light coat of Permatex non-hardening sealant on the gasket faces.

In hindsight it was messy and probably not necessary.

I'm absolutley certain the sealant isn't necessary.
It was my own decision. .... but I've been wrong before.....

> P.S Johnn mentioned that when removing that cover, the seal wont be as good as before...

Another good reason to replace the tail light gasket.

or use Permatex sealant.

or both.

One last bit of advice is to clean AND WAX the area you uncover when you remove the tail light.
It'll improve the seal when you reinstall everything.

Nick.

Hey nick,

I buzzed Wayne Honda Rockdale, he said he's got non in stock at the moment, he'll have to re-order for me from melbourne or some crap, anyway the foam is $36 EACH! so for 2 ill be paying $72. stuff thati told him, he agreed.

i was thinking about the permatex seal you were talking about but 2 things here

1.) You said from hindsight it'll look messy
2.) Once thats sealed, it'll be hard to remove the tail-light again (if drop another bulb in there, which is somewhat likely to happen)

Should i check out clarks rubber for a foam that i can cut out a template for?

[nd55]

> so for 2 ill be paying $72.

Heh. Yes, it's a Honda.

I figured I'll be holding the vehicle for a few years and wanted to do it once, do it right.

Each to their own.

My favourite Honda rip-off is $300 for the weatherstrips between the the doors and the windows. Ouch!

> 1.) You said from hindsight it'll look messy

A bit of metho to clean up and you'll be right.

> 2.) Once thats sealed, it'll be hard to remove the tail-light again

The Permatex I chose is rosin based and non-hardening.

I don't expect to have to remove the tail-light again for a while. There's a jinx if ever there was one.

> Should i check out Clarks rubber for a foam that i can cut out a template for?

Can't think of any one else who do foam rubber.

Use your old gasket as a template, sharp scissors and cut slowly.

Take some photos and write a DIY for Ozhonda.com.

Come to think of it, there exists a previous DIY for this exact same thing.... somewhere.

Nick.

[c00lman]

so for 2 ill be paying $72.


Heh. Yes, it's a Honda.


lol shoulda got myself a camry, i had an E36 beama and parts wernt that much



My favourite Honda rip-off is $300 for the weatherstrips between the the doors and the windows. Ouch!


geeeezus



Can't think of any one else who do foam rubber.


ill givem a quick visit on sat for foam rubber

[CamRock]

Hey I know this is an old post, but I am currently replacing the tail light cover on my 1997 hatchback and I am having trouble getting the bulbs out of the old taillight cover. I can get the bulbs out of their socket no problem but I am unable to get the grey connector that connects them all out, anyone have any tricks or tips? I havent foung anything online about it yet.

Thanks