Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Nick W on 10 February 2015, 12:20:33

Title: Facelift zenon headlights
Post by: Nick W on 10 February 2015, 12:20:33
My car has just failed the MOT on beam pattern, and I remember someone mentioning a supplier of affordable new light units. But I don't remember who it was, or the supplier.


I might have another go at polishing them inside and out, once I've had a proper look at them
Can anyone help?


Thanks
Title: Re: Facelift zenon headlights
Post by: amba on 10 February 2015, 12:30:19
Sorry to hear that ,Nick.

I found quickest solution given new lights are pricey being Hids,was to find a cheap set of Delso from place,I think in Sittingbourne.Pull them apart and just replace the entire lense and silkaflex back on .Worked out around £65/£70 from memory.

Will try and find supplier but think it might of been Sandpipers on the Iwade road. 
Title: Re: Facelift zenon headlights
Post by: amba on 10 February 2015, 12:32:25
N/S cheap enough..191495181128..fleabay :y
Title: Re: Facelift zenon headlights
Post by: amba on 10 February 2015, 12:33:56
O/S ..111561519250. :y
Title: Re: Facelift zenon headlights
Post by: tigers_gonads on 10 February 2015, 14:04:10
The internal chrome tends to come off with the slightest touch so i'd just stick to rubbing down the external lenses with wet & dry / cutting compound / polish  :y

Either that or a decent pair of 2nd hand ones off one of the breakers on here  :y 
Title: Re: Facelift zenon headlights
Post by: omega2018 on 10 February 2015, 14:07:14
both those ebay headlights look like pre facelift to me
Title: Re: Facelift zenon headlights
Post by: amba on 10 February 2015, 14:39:46
Just had a closer look migmog and think you are correct ,I just went by the 2000...dodgy old eyes  8) ah !!
Title: Re: Facelift zenon headlights
Post by: steve6367 on 10 February 2015, 15:43:50
I guess 2000 is the end of the MFL?
Title: Re: Facelift zenon headlights
Post by: Nick W on 10 February 2015, 15:48:06
The internal chrome tends to come off with the slightest touch so i'd just stick to rubbing down the external lenses with wet & dry / cutting compound / polish  :y

Either that or a decent pair of 2nd hand ones off one of the breakers on here  :y

The reflectors aren't an issue, just the lenses. I've had them apart before, when I replaced the adjusters. Doing that to polish both sides of the lens is something I can do tonight.

As for used, I don't think mine are much worse than any others I've seen recently, plus there is the transport/ adjuster issue to deal with. If I replace them, I would rather spend a bit extra and have new, rather than have this problem again in a couple of years.

Grotty plastic lenses are common; mum's Focus lights are in a terrible state, and I spent half an hour yesterday compounding the lights on the company Connect. This was never a problem with glass lenses.
Title: Re: Facelift zenon headlights
Post by: steve6367 on 10 February 2015, 15:50:53
My car has just failed the MOT on beam pattern, and I remember someone mentioning a supplier of affordable new light units. But I don't remember who it was, or the supplier.


I might have another go at polishing them inside and out, once I've had a proper look at them
Can anyone help?


Thanks

What are they measuring? Are they saying the plastic being cloudy is scattering the beam?
Title: Re: Facelift zenon headlights
Post by: Nick W on 10 February 2015, 23:19:01
I spent an hour this evening on the lights, and am surprised at just how bad they were.

I used in order: 1000grit wet & dry with plenty of soapy water; then 1200 grit; then a couple of applications of G3 compound; followed by all 10 grades of a micro-mesh polishing set that I'd forgotten I had; and finished with another buff with G3 as I still can't find the G10.

They look like new, crystal clear and shiny. And that was just the exterior, I didn't remove them from the car. Even in the dark I can now look out the window and see the bulbs through the lenses which wasn't possible before.
Title: Re: Facelift zenon headlights
Post by: TheBoy on 11 February 2015, 18:36:11
I spent an hour this evening on the lights, and am surprised at just how bad they were.

I used in order: 1000grit wet & dry with plenty of soapy water; then 1200 grit; then a couple of applications of G3 compound; followed by all 10 grades of a micro-mesh polishing set that I'd forgotten I had; and finished with another buff with G3 as I still can't find the G10.

They look like new, crystal clear and shiny. And that was just the exterior, I didn't remove them from the car. Even in the dark I can now look out the window and see the bulbs through the lenses which wasn't possible before.
I must do that  :-[

Summer job :P
Title: Re: Facelift zenon headlights
Post by: Nick W on 11 February 2015, 18:49:48
Wimp.
On the street, in the dark, without even a beer.
Job  done.
Title: Re: Facelift zenon headlights
Post by: Keith ABS on 12 February 2015, 07:56:12
Got a s/h pair here in quite good nick

Keith B
Title: Re: Facelift zenon headlights
Post by: Diamond Black Geezer on 12 February 2015, 10:46:56
Wimp.
On the street, in the dark, without even a beer.
Job  done.

 :y
Title: Re: Facelift zenon headlights
Post by: Nick W on 18 February 2015, 14:09:17
And now it's done. Failed the re-test due to the huge tester setting the SRS light off again, and the newly adjusted and working handbrake pulling the cable apart.


So, one new cable and a sensibly sized tester it's legal again and I don't  need to worry about taking Mum's Focus on holiday in a couple of weeks.
Title: Re: Facelift zenon headlights
Post by: amba on 18 February 2015, 14:44:12
Has Hazel,s employed "The Incredible Hulk" as a MOT tester ,Nick.

Think you have a case of car abuse there  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Facelift zenon headlights
Post by: tigers_gonads on 18 February 2015, 14:53:37
And now it's done. Failed the re-test due to the huge tester setting the SRS light off again, and the newly adjusted and working handbrake pulling the cable apart.


So, one new cable and a sensibly sized tester it's legal again and I don't  need to worry about taking Mum's Focus on holiday in a couple of weeks.


I'd be looking for a new test station if it was me
Title: Re: Facelift zenon headlights
Post by: Nick W on 18 February 2015, 15:05:50
Why?
Having sorted the actual problems, they suggested that the other tester check my work and that was it done.
It was annoying, but that limited amount of hassle is worth the lack of grief in other respects; they're 100m down the road, I pay £35 for the test and nothing for re-tests, they know they won't be getting any work out failures, and are generally accomodating. I see no reason to change.
Title: Re: Facelift zenon headlights
Post by: tigers_gonads on 18 February 2015, 15:10:34
Why?
Having sorted the actual problems, they suggested that the other tester check my work and that was it done.
It was annoying, but that limited amount of hassle is worth the lack of grief in other respects; they're 100m down the road, I pay £35 for the test and nothing for re-tests, they know they won't be getting any work out failures, and are generally accomodating. I see no reason to change.


Retest or retests ?
Up here, you only get 1 freebee.
Either way, if some w@nker had pulled on my handbrake hard enough to snap / damage the cable then I would be spitting blood or he would be

Your car, your choice  :)
Title: Re: Facelift zenon headlights
Post by: Nick W on 18 February 2015, 15:21:44



Retest or retests ?
Up here, you only get 1 freebee.
Either way, if some w@nker had pulled on my handbrake hard enough to snap / damage the cable then I would be spitting blood or he would be

Your car, your choice  :)


If you'd actually seen the state of the old one(which I knew was poor, but was hoping to get away with), you'd know that would be overreacting. The steel, locating plug on the end of the cable outer was so rusty the flange was non-existent and it pulled back through the mount. The only reason it hadn't happened earlier was that the h/brake was both ineffective and rarely used. This sort of thing is a good example of why the MOT is necessary; I would probably have left the job until it failed in use, and I have no excuse for not fitting a £20 part aside from not wanting to grovel about under the car to do it.
Title: Re: Facelift zenon headlights
Post by: tigers_gonads on 20 February 2015, 13:02:49



Retest or retests ?
Up here, you only get 1 freebee.
Either way, if some w@nker had pulled on my handbrake hard enough to snap / damage the cable then I would be spitting blood or he would be

Your car, your choice  :)


If you'd actually seen the state of the old one(which I knew was poor, but was hoping to get away with), you'd know that would be overreacting. The steel, locating plug on the end of the cable outer was so rusty the flange was non-existent and it pulled back through the mount. The only reason it hadn't happened earlier was that the h/brake was both ineffective and rarely used. This sort of thing is a good example of why the MOT is necessary; I would probably have left the job until it failed in use, and I have no excuse for not fitting a £20 part aside from not wanting to grovel about under the car to do it.



Oh dear, now I understand  ;D ;D

I can't say much if i'm honest  ;D
I'm the bloke who stopped his car around the corner from the MOT station, 2 years in a row to empty half a can of brake cleaner on the rear shocks chrome bits because of a "slight misting" of oil which kept getting pulled up as a advisory when the MOT was done  ::)
The things you do to keep your car on the road when your skint  :-X :-[ :-[