head lights caution !

BX Tech talk
Post Reply
User avatar
tzd
BXpert
Posts: 124
Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2010 4:29 pm
Location: merseyside

head lights caution !

Post by tzd »

Hi all,
I saw my headlight on the drivers side had misting up and was becoming dirty on the inside. I investigated and found that during the bad weather, water has gotten into the seals at the front and frozen, pushing the glass lens away from the reflector body. I took the head light out and found that the lens was holding on by a wing and a prayer.
I removed the old sealing glue and have remounted the lens with white sanitary silicone. All seems well at the moment, but I would like to know if anybody has experienced the same and what you did to resolve the problem?

cheers Kev
It isn't just a car it is a BX and it's my BX. Long live the BX.
Nat
Confirmed BX'er
Posts: 85
Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 10:58 am
Location: Brumy land

Post by Nat »

I had to do that on my last BX, got shunted in the back which sent the lens flying out the front. on checking the other lens I found that was only just holding on.

pulled the remaining one apart and glued back together with silicon and found a replacement for the smashed one. was fine for severla years after that until it was scrapped. I think I used exterior silicon rather than bathroom though, not sure what the difference is.
1991 BX 4X4 GTI back on the road :)
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7326
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 19

Post by mat_fenwick »

Not had this with the BX but come across it on other vehicles. Silicone sealants are designed to seal rather than be adhesives, so might be an idea to keep checking it - I haven't found one that bonds very well to glass yet.

A polyurethane adhesive sealant works a lot better, something like Sikaflex 296 is probably the best for the job although maybe overkill!
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
Gibbo2286
BXpert
Posts: 430
Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2010 4:58 pm

Post by Gibbo2286 »

There are stainless steel clips on some cars that can be used on the BX if you can find them, sorry can't think which cars at the mo though
User avatar
Philip Chidlow
Over 2k
Posts: 11594
Joined: Fri Oct 07, 2005 1:08 pm
Location: Chelmsford, Essex
x 25

Post by Philip Chidlow »

The XM has 'em
• 1992 Citroen BX TZD Turbo Hurricane
• 2006 Xsara Picasso 1.6 16v
User avatar
tzd
BXpert
Posts: 124
Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2010 4:29 pm
Location: merseyside

head lights caution !

Post by tzd »

Cheers for those replies guys it makes me feel a lot better about putting the light back in tomorrow and driving to Manchester knowing that it won't fall off and smash at 60 mph.

kev
It isn't just a car it is a BX and it's my BX. Long live the BX.
Defender110
Over 2k
Posts: 5917
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:02 pm
Location: Harwood, Bolton
My Cars: Land Rover Discovery Series 1 200tdi 3 door
Land Rover Discovery Series 2 Facelift TD5
2020 Fiat Panda cross 4x4 twin air.
x 27

Post by Defender110 »

mat_fenwick wrote:A polyurethane adhesive sealant works a lot better, something like Sikaflex 296 is probably the best for the job although maybe overkill!
..that_ seconded, the one pack polyurethane adhesive selants are far superior for sticking jobs and are better as permanent sealers. I wouldn't recommend them for sealing parts that may need to come apart again though.
Kevan
1997 Mercedes C230 W202
2003 Land Rover Discovery Series 2 Facelift TD5 - Daily driver / hobby days and camping.
1993 Land Rover Discovery 200tdi Series 1 3 door - in need of TLC
2020 Fiat Panda 4x4 Cross Twin Air.
User avatar
electrokid
1K Away
Posts: 1764
Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 2:14 pm
Location: Woking

Post by electrokid »

There are a number of different chemistries used in silicone rubber - you'd have to be unlucky to find one that doesn't bond glass well - they make fishtanks with it by just sticking the glass sheets together.

The glass and any other surfaces do have to be clean and dry - washed with alcohol / IPA is essential - otherwise yes - it won't stick.

The normal 'sanitary' sealer uses 'acetoxy' chemistry because it's the cheapest - that's ok if there's nothing around for the acetic acid (which is what is 'outgassed' from the setting rubber and is what causes the stink) to attack but I suggest not ok around headlamp seals and certainly not around any electronics.

For those applications you need 'neutral cure' silicone rubber of which some types are fine but others take an age to cure - like weeks. I've used (for glazing) and recommend the following...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WHITE-LOW-MOD ... 3ee1771590
1992 BX19 TGD estate 228K Rusty - SORNed
2002 C5 HDi SX estate
User avatar
Tim Leech
Over 2k
Posts: 15565
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 11:12 am
Location: Derbyshire
My Cars: Various
x 141

Post by Tim Leech »

Ive had a few lenses come adrift, for what a new lamp costs (£10 normally) I replace them as they are always a lot brighter than the old ones and give a better light.
Lots of Motors, mostly semi broken....
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7326
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 19

Post by mat_fenwick »

electrokid wrote:they make fishtanks with it by just sticking the glass sheets together.
Yeah, I remember my dad used to keep fish. But I've just found that it peels off very easily - it might withstand direct pulling better but seems very 'peelable'. Or maybe polyurethane adhesives cope better with less than ideal surface conditions? Or I've just been unlucky?
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
User avatar
MULLEY
Over 2k
Posts: 8406
Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2006 11:10 pm
Location: Derbyshire
My Cars: 1999 Xsara LX 2.0HDI (90) Hatch - Fern
2002 C5 2.0 HDI (110) Estate - Jasmine - SORN
2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - SORN
1992 TZD Turbo Estate - SORN
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired - SORN
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN
x 8

Post by MULLEY »

I had that on the Gti, i cleaned the lenses & one was so loose it came away with hardly any force & the other needed only a little more persuasion. I cleaned them both inside & re-stuck the lenses back on with buliders caulk. 5 years later they were still attached & fine :D
2002 C5 2.0 HDI Estate - Jasmine - Now SORN
2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - My daily
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired.
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN

I'm not just a username, i'm also called Matthew.
User avatar
electrokid
1K Away
Posts: 1764
Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 2:14 pm
Location: Woking

Post by electrokid »

I think 'peelable' points to surfaces not being clean enough or slightly damp. Thinking about how I've used it over the years I guess I do the cleaning immediately before application and always use IPA. I'm sure there's also a potential problem with that on a cold day because the IPA evaporates quickly cooling the surface which may encourage condensation. I can't remember anything falling apart though - I have an etch tank made of glass bonded with silicone rubber that must be close to 20 years old - about the specified life of the stuff.

I have been unlucky with some 'nearly out of date' RS neutral cure - used that on a window frame for double glazing and it took 3 months of summer sun to cure :shock: I'm not aware of much variation in the acetoxy cure stuff but there are several different chemistries to effect the neutral cure - which is why I recommended the one on eBay which has good application characteristics - it flows ok but not too much - and its setting time is the normal 24 hours - comparable in use to the 'bog' standard stuff :lol:

See what I did there :lol: :oops:

Is there a 'gets coat..' icon ?
1992 BX19 TGD estate 228K Rusty - SORNed
2002 C5 HDi SX estate
Defender110
Over 2k
Posts: 5917
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:02 pm
Location: Harwood, Bolton
My Cars: Land Rover Discovery Series 1 200tdi 3 door
Land Rover Discovery Series 2 Facelift TD5
2020 Fiat Panda cross 4x4 twin air.
x 27

Post by Defender110 »

electrokid wrote: I do the cleaning immediately before application and always use IPA.
Would a good stout or Lager be suitable too :?: :lol:
Kevan
1997 Mercedes C230 W202
2003 Land Rover Discovery Series 2 Facelift TD5 - Daily driver / hobby days and camping.
1993 Land Rover Discovery 200tdi Series 1 3 door - in need of TLC
2020 Fiat Panda 4x4 Cross Twin Air.
User avatar
Stinkwheel
1K Away
Posts: 1516
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2006 9:38 pm
Location: In front of this flamin' PC

Post by Stinkwheel »

mat_fenwick wrote:something like Sikaflex 296 is probably the best for the job although maybe overkill!

Have to agree with this Mat. Although sikaflex does the job very well, it will also, by way of warning to people not familiar with the evil black goop that is sikaflex...... it will (and does) stick to anything and everything it touches, you have been warned :) :)
Doctor Of Gonzo Journalism!!!
93 BX TZD Estate
90 BX 14TE St Tropez
93 BX 19 TXD Estate
92 BX 16TXi
77 Ami 8 Break
79 Acadiane
81 Dyane6
84 2CV6
85 GSA saloon rally car
To slightly mis-quote Kitch ... "BX 14. They're just brilliant!"
Mickey taker
Over 2k
Posts: 3209
Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:38 pm
Location: M K
x 1

Post by Mickey taker »

Defender110 wrote:
Would a good stout or Lager be suitable too :?: :lol:

lager , kevan wash your mouth out immediately
1991 BX Meteor 1.6

light travels faster than sound, thats why you look intelligent and then you spoil it all by opening your mouth !!!!!
Post Reply