Date: Sat, 18 Feb 2023 18:44:37 -0800
Reply-To: Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Subject: Re: LED backup lights update
In-Reply-To: <CA+9-MNsGk04RUr1s=jYS_qaBi6acA5Rjxpx=zUcfAo2N6poARQ@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
I’m late to this…
Cleaning the entire assembly … hot soapy water , Bottle brushes to get in there ( gentle), rinse and rinse.
If you see haze and or deposits, then 70% isopropanol , rag on a stick, wipe down the inners.
Any Factory Applied Silver reflective on the plastic is very delicate, so take care.
Ab
> On Feb 18, 2023, at 6:28 PM, Pete Sicilia <pete@coffeepot.org> wrote:
>
> I've never tried to clean them... but I might dunk the lens assembly in a
> bucket of warm soapy water and swish it around and then rinse it out. Come
> to think of it, I should have tried that earlier today...
>
>> On Sat, Feb 18, 2023 at 6:20 PM Dan N <dn92610@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Yes Pete... thank you...
>>
>> Then how do you access the reflectors in order to clean them?
>>
>>> On Sat, Feb 18, 2023 at 6:12 PM Pete Sicilia <pete@coffeepot.org> wrote:
>>>
>>> The parts that diagram references don't seem to match the diagram.
>>>
>>> The 251-945-112-A looks like the lens assembly... I could be wrong, but
>>> I'm not sure that the colored front comes off from the black backing.
>>>
>>> https://carparts4sale.com/media/rh-tail-light-lamp-genuine-hella-vw-vanagon-t3-80-91-taillight-251-945-112-cp028599/
>>>
>>> The 251-945-258-A part looks like the bulb holder...
>>>
>>> https://carparts4sale.com/media/rh-tail-light-lamp-bulb-tray-holder-vw-vanagon-t3-80-91-taillight-251-945-258-cp028601/
>>>
>>>> On Sat, Feb 18, 2023 at 5:32 PM Dan N <dn92610@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> my problem is to remove the #1 from the #2 on this diagram... uhhh...
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> https://www.vwpartsvortex.com/v-1989-volkswagen-vanagon--syncro--2-1l-h4-gas/electrical--tail-lamps
>>>>
>>>> On Sat, Feb 18, 2023 at 5:19 PM Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@sbcglobal.net>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Ahhh, previous owner....now that makes sense....well intentioned of
>>>>> course! But lens is on the outside, the reflector and bulbs are on the
>>>>> inside. Heck....I haven't disassembled mine in 3 years or more, so
>>>> kind of
>>>>> foggy on the details, others will chime in. If original, a
>>>> no-brainer. So
>>>>> there is something funny going on in your situation.
>>>>>
>>>>> On Saturday, February 18, 2023 at 05:08:09 PM PST, Dan N <
>>>>> dn92610@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Yes... the taillight assembly. There are 2 parts - the black plastic
>>>> bulb
>>>>> holder, the colored plastic assembly with the reflector glued to it. I
>>>>> can't remove the reflector to clean or improve it. It seems to me it's
>>>>> glued together either by the factory or the previous owner.
>>>>>
>>>>> thanks
>>>>>
>>>>> On Sat, Feb 18, 2023 at 4:53 PM Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@sbcglobal.net
>>>>>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> You mean....on the taillight assembly? These just come apart....like
>>>> when
>>>>> replacing bulbs. I must not be understanding the question. Helpful
>>>> hint:
>>>>> do a thorough job of cleaning light bulb sockets with steel wool; next,
>>>>> apply a thin coating of Vaseline on both light bulb and socket, this
>>>> will
>>>>> prevent corrosion for years to come. Works every time.
>>>>>
>>>>> On Saturday, February 18, 2023 at 04:44:08 PM PST, Dan N <
>>>>> dn92610@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> sooo I have a question... How do you separate the silver reflector
>>>> from the
>>>>> colored lens?
>>>>>
>>>>> thanks
>>>>>
>>>>> On Sat, Feb 18, 2023 at 4:26 PM Pete Sicilia <pete@coffeepot.org>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Sounds like a great idea. I'll just have to clean off the krazy glue
>>>> and
>>>>>> duck tape first 🤣
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Sat, Feb 18, 2023, 4:09 PM Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@sbcglobal.net
>>>>>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> For repair, you can go a long way with 2 part Epoxy Putty. Slice
>>>> off
>>>>> a
>>>>>>> hunk, knead it, apply it, form it. All surfaces super clean with
>>>>> Rubbing
>>>>>>> Alcohol before you attempt of course, but you will be surprised by
>>>> your
>>>>>>> cleverness and workmanship. This stuff has abundant uses around
>>>>> Vanagon.
>>>>>>> Especially old brittle plastic parts.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Saturday, February 18, 2023 at 03:59:16 PM PST, Jim Felder <
>>>>>>> jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I don't remember where, I guess busdepot.com, but I bought brand
>>>> new
>>>>>>> replacement lenses a few years back for a reasonable price. If you
>>>> are
>>>>>>> trying to replace the molded plastic tray with bulb holders, that
>>>> might
>>>>>> be
>>>>>>> more difficult.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Jim
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Sat, Feb 18, 2023 at 5:42 PM Pete Sicilia <pete@coffeepot.org>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Well I finally finished the aluminum tape around my led backup
>>>>> bulbs. I
>>>>>>> had
>>>>>>>> done one side a few weeks ago and did the other side today.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Everything was easy until the very end today. As it turns out, my
>>>>> fears
>>>>>>>> about cracking old plastic were well founded.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I meticulously cleaned and taped all around the lens housing and
>>>>> behind
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>> bulb and as I was giving the entire housing one last cleaning
>>>> with
>>>>>> simple
>>>>>>>> green, the whole thing slipped/shot out of my hands and cracked
>>>> on
>>>>> the
>>>>>>>> pavement... snapping off the retaining tabs.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I got down on my hands and knees and fished the housing and the
>>>>> broken
>>>>>>>> parts out from under my wife's Touareg, cleaned them again and
>>>>> applied
>>>>>>>> first krazy glue, then some strategic strips of duck tape for
>>>>>>>> reinforcement. I waited a few mins, then carefully clipped the
>>>> light
>>>>>>>> assembly into the housing and reinstalled everything.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Everything is working for now... but man I sure have a way of
>>>>> snatching
>>>>>>>> defeat from the jaws of victory sometimes
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> In related news, does anyone have an extra right tail light lens
>>>>>> assembly
>>>>>>>> that they'd be willing to part with?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On Mon, Jan 30, 2023, 8:48 AM Pete Sicilia <pete@coffeepot.org>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Do you have any particular brand of tape you recommend? Or is
>>>>> Amazon
>>>>>>>>> cheapo sufficient?
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> 1PCS Premium Silver Aluminum Tapes (3.9Mils), 2'*65 Feet Foil
>>>> Tape,
>>>>>>> Metal
>>>>>>>>> Insulation Tape, Heavy Duty Duct Tape with Adhesive Backing
>>>> for Hot
>>>>>>> Cold
>>>>>>>>> Air HVAC Ductwork, Dryer Vent, Heat Resistant, Repair
>>>>>>>>> https://a.co/d/hILxB3m
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I've never opened up the light casing. Are there any things to
>>>> look
>>>>>> out
>>>>>>>>> for? I'm a little leery of cracking old plastic.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Thanks!
>>>>>>>>> Pete
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On Thu, Jan 26, 2023, 12:19 PM Jim Arnott <jrasite@eoni.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Someone asked for pictures so I opened up a tail light.
>>>> Delete
>>>>> the
>>>>>>> pop
>>>>>>>>>> bottle. Line the backup light window with alunim air
>>>> conditioning
>>>>>>> tape.
>>>>>>>>>> Install big, bright LED. Put it back together. Might take you
>>>> an
>>>>>> hour
>>>>>>>>>> including the time in the hardware store buying the tape.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Ranks right up there with changing the engine to an I4 as far
>>>> as
>>>>>>>>>> improvements go. BIG improvement.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Jim
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Years ago, I bought a couple 6 LED external light to use as
>>>>> backup
>>>>>>>>>> lights. Then I read a post about fixing the existing lights.
>>>> It
>>>>> was
>>>>>>>> fairly
>>>>>>>>>> simple. I used the below mentioned LEDs and then created a
>>>>> reflector
>>>>>>>> using
>>>>>>>>>> a 16 oz plastic soda bottle lined with aluminum air
>>>> conditioning
>>>>>> tape
>>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>>>>> fit it into the stock tail light assy. NOW I can see backing
>>>> up.
>>>>>> Took
>>>>>>>> about
>>>>>>>>>> an hour and worth every second of time invested.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Jim
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> On Jan 21, 2023, at 9:18 AM, Pete Sicilia <
>>>> pete@COFFEEPOT.ORG>
>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> In related news, I just upgraded my back up lights (1156)
>>>> to
>>>>>>> these...
>>>>>>>>>>>> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H54SP6O
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> So far so good... although I'm always on the lookout for
>>>>> brighter
>>>>>>>>>> options.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
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