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For the fix, I'm not sure that Cerakote will fill the cracks to the extent that you might need. It's a pretty thin, conformal material. I think that if you can figure out how to fix the cloudiness it would be a great sealant, but I'm less sure that it will gap fill to the extent that you're looking for. I've only really seen it used in spray applications, like for cam and intake coating, so it's not so clear to me how well it would react if it can't self level on a surface and it being used to gap fill. It's probably OK, through, and not a bad idea at all.
A product that I haven't tried but which looks promising to me for other applications is Capt. Tolley's creeping crack cure (no affiliation, just keeping it in mind for the "toolbox"), which might also be useful for this problem.
Good luck
I think I can bake them open and then polish the inside surface with a fine cutting compound. Once they are clear again I will coat them.
what I don't know is if the inside surface is flat or ribbed as can be seen from the front of the lens. If flat, it will be easy. If ribbed, I will have to use a powerball in the drillpress to polish the inside.
If you are able to remove the lenses you might try a cream specifically designed to clean gas fireplace glass. I recently tried various glass cleaners to clean a white fogged glass insert on my fireplace and they didn't work. Went to hardware store and found the cream and it came out looking like new after one pass.
I’ve never had this issue but I have read about it. There are some pretty strange solutions out there but one of the simplest is a Brillo Pad, dishwasher soap, and water. Gently scrub it all off, carefully so you don’t break off the silver ring.
I don’t think that it’s a failed coating. It seems to me to be junk getting in there, through failed seals, then evaporating up and hardening on the lense.
As posted above, but here is the thread that I read. Good luck. Scroll down to the bottom:
Hmmm...lacquer thinner seems a little harsh for these lenses. They seem to be some form of polycarbonate. Ammonia was totally ineffective, maybe they are stronger than I think and lacquer thinner would be more effective. Worth a shot, though. I think the cutting compound would work out any blemishes if I get too aggressive with it. Otherwise, a new set will have to be plan B.
Thanks for the tip!
I agree, they should be glass, but unfortunately Porsche cheaped out on these. Somewhere along the line, when they recommissioned new replacements from "Automotive Lighting" they switched to plastic. Glass wouldn't have fogged like this and any deposit from the manufacturing process that migrated to the lens would be able to be washed or scrubbed off. This haze seems to be etched into the back of the lens and doesn't come off. Why the front of the lens isn't affected is still a mystery. When I get my butyl sealant and pop off the lenses, I should know more.
I can't rule out the possibility these are fake but I don't think the dealer I bought them from would ever go outside the Porsche parts system to sell fakes. Here are the markings I can see (sorry about the fuzzy photos):
It looks like hydrofluric acid damage to me. I saw a lot glass damage at phosphoric acid plants near Houston making fertilizer by acidifying Florida phosphate rock with sulfuric acid. The phosphate rock contains small amounts of fluorite (CaF2) that forms HF. HF etches glass and leaves a hazy surface. Factory windows and service vehicles all had hazy windshields and windows. Not sure if you live near a phosphoric acid plant but the damage is very similar. A bit of a long shot but could be. Nothing short of polishing with cerium oxide will remove the etching.
After 2 hours of effort to separate the lens from the glass reflector, I can report a total lack of progress. I stripped the aiming ring and associated plastic bits off one light and put it in the oven to bake the sealant soft enough to take off the lens. I started out with the oven set to 300 degrees F for 15 minutes with no joy. I worked my way up to 325 degrees F for 30 minutes and never got close to softening the sealant. I'm stumped.
The back end of the housing where the bulb sits is also sealed to the reflector with the same sealant I think and it never got even close to being soft enough to strip it off the reflector either.
I don't think 325 is hot enough to melt that sealant no matter how long it sits in the oven. What do you suppose is the upper limit that the lens can take without melting? 400F?
I may have to follow Jerry's suggestion in another thread and try localized heat using a heat gun. I'm concerned I'll crack the reflector with uneven heating using the heat gun but I'll just have to try it and see.
If that fails, I'll just get new ones and set these aside until someone comes up with a better solution. Anyone need $1500 worth of lights for cheap?
Hmmm...lacquer thinner seems a little harsh for these lenses. They seem to be some form of polycarbonate. Ammonia was totally ineffective, maybe they are stronger than I think and lacquer thinner would be more effective. Worth a shot, though. I think the cutting compound would work out any blemishes if I get too aggressive with it. Otherwise, a new set will have to be plan B.
Thanks for the tip!
I never said anything about lacquer thinner. You skipped over the posts by the OP himself.
08-04-2021 | 12:31 PM
