Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: toller on 25 November 2009, 18:19:43
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Took it for it's MOT today and it failed on two fairly piddly items. First being the handbrake is binding slightly on one wheel (at least thats a free and easy fix) and second they said the O/S headlight lens is degraded to a point it's affecting the beam image, also got an advisory for the same thing on the N/S lens. Not too bad but I really was hoping to have it back on the road today, all this motorcycling everywhere in hurricane force winds and torrential rain is starting to wear me down.
I now need to source an O/S headlight as i'm presuming it's a sealed unit and you can't just replace the lens. Only planning on changing the failed light at the mo as funds are a bit tight and it's crimbo a month from today :'(
At least it's not as piddly a fail as last year when they rejected it because a clip was missing from one of the brake flexi hoses - I was rather furious then :)
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bad luck mate, but as you say, at least they're not too serious or expensive to fix
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So, service the handbrake properly (as per the guide) and strip the headlights and clean them up.
Zero cost
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Handbrake is easy enough but what would you recommend for the headlights? Am I looking at a tube of rubbing compound and lots of elbow grease or this there an easier way.
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Maybe i`m being a bit of an old woman or prudish but... i know it must be frustrating to say the least but is the f ...ing etc really needed on here ?
I can swear with the best of them but everything has its place.. sorry if people think i`m being too prudish its just my feelings
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Handbrake is easy enough but what would you recommend for the headlights? Am I looking at a tube of rubbing compound and lots of elbow grease or this there an easier way.
1200 wet and dry (wet) followed by a good cutting compound to finish.
I assume they looked clouded
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The one he failed it on definately looks clouded and is ever so slightly yellow, the other looks a little hazy but is still fairly clear and not yellow.
Looks like i'll be giving my arms a workout this weekend.
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Handbrake is easy enough but what would you recommend for the headlights? Am I looking at a tube of rubbing compound and lots of elbow grease or this there an easier way.
1200 wet and dry (wet) followed by a good cutting compound to finish.
I assume they looked clouded
What he said! :y I used to do these on fiat coupe headlights. What's faded in usually a laquer. I went for 1200 grit to 1500 grit, coarse compound and then fine compound (Like G3 and G6) they'll come out like new.
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Guess you cant get the car to York? Would offer to buff them up for you! Would be like new in 20/30 mins!
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Guess you cant get the car to York? Would offer to buff them up for you! Would be like new in 20/30 mins!
Unfortunatley not, it's out of MOT so sods law says i'd go past about 50 ANPR's if I as much as took it to the end of my road.
Out of interest, would it be feasible for me to remove the lights in order to polish them on a very soft buffing wheel stuck on a lathe at work, only ever polished metal before, not plastic and don't want to make them any worse than they already are.
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Guess you cant get the car to York? Would offer to buff them up for you! Would be like new in 20/30 mins!
I might take you up on that offer if we manage to swing by... Mine are a little cloudy ::) ::)
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Out of interest, would it be feasible for me to remove the lights in order to polish them on a very soft buffing wheel stuck on a lathe at work, only ever polished metal before, not plastic and don't want to make them any worse than they already are.
Has anyone tried doing this?
I would be worried about overheating the plastic. Presumably if you keep it moving it shouldn't be a problem?
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Out of interest, would it be feasible for me to remove the lights in order to polish them on a very soft buffing wheel stuck on a lathe at work, only ever polished metal before, not plastic and don't want to make them any worse than they already are.
Has anyone tried doing this?
I would be worried about overheating the plastic. Presumably if you keep it moving it shouldn't be a problem?
I've had a go on some bits of scrap plastic today and the results look promising. You have to keep moving it around and use a very very soft mop on a fairly low speed but it did take out the scratches i put in with some 80 grit sandpaper.
I reckon with the addition of some fine wet and dry they should come up quite good, i'll be bringing my headlights into work tomorrow to have a proper go.
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There are a few threads about this. My lenses which are plastic were very yellowed and scratched, MOT was due so I used "Greygate plastic polish" and 1 hour of elbow grease, worked a treat, MOT = sailed through.
Buy on FleaBay or probably the suggested rubbing compound will do the same job. I did not remove the units only masked off the nearby paintwork.
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Try T-cut. It is excellent as a plastic polish although you do need a bit of elbow grease.
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Mine were like that and I used an old army trick of brasso liquid and cardboard from a cereal box instead of wet and dry.
Took a bit of time but eventually I had the bright idea of using an electric drill on slow speed, slow because of heat generation and a buffing mop from halfords. I gave the mop a soaking in the brasso liquid, be careful to keep the mop wetted and ten minutes later, after a hot soapy wash the difference was remarkable.
Its worth a try.
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Just finished buffing up one of my headlights on the lathe and I must say i'm quite impressed. I started off with some 1200 grit wet and dry to get the coat of laquer from the front of the lens, then went at it with some brasso wadding for about 15 minutes and even just with the brasso the difference from when i started was very very noticable.
I've finally buffed it up on a lathe with a very soft mop doiing about 800 revs and it looks almost like new, there are a few deeper scratches that are still visible but they're over the indicators rather than the headlight and only noticebale if you really really look.
I'll have to whip the other light off and give it the same treatment :y
Just need some brighter bulbs now.