Tailight Woes
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Race Car
Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Virginia Beach, Va.
Tailight Woes
Okay, besides the fact that I know I have the same problem as a lot of other 964 owners in that my tailight assemblies are cracked, they take on quite a bit of moisture...and look awefully ugly!
...but, how many of you burn out countless bulbs??
Here's my real question, lately, I've noticed that the bulb in my driver's side tailight doesn't always burn out, but seems to have a corroded socket. Besides cleaning out the socket with a wire brush kit...what would you use to treat it??
I'm thinking spray silicone...any suggestions??
I plan on replacing the tailight units later on, maybe in the Spring...but will have to get the sockets cleaned up and preserved as well. Would appreciate any insight from owners that have undertaken this task.
...but, how many of you burn out countless bulbs??
Here's my real question, lately, I've noticed that the bulb in my driver's side tailight doesn't always burn out, but seems to have a corroded socket. Besides cleaning out the socket with a wire brush kit...what would you use to treat it??
I'm thinking spray silicone...any suggestions??
I plan on replacing the tailight units later on, maybe in the Spring...but will have to get the sockets cleaned up and preserved as well. Would appreciate any insight from owners that have undertaken this task.
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From: Parafield Gardens
Dear Jeff,
How are your rear lights sealed. Do you have the solid light seal or the one that looks like a segmented seal.
I have the old moisture problem but have not lost a bulb or had major socket corrosion. My venting system is also intact.
This is a common problem. With the sockets the best thing to do is just to clean them up. I do not recommend spraying anything on them. It actually makes things worse. Once the corrosion is set in you have to replace them long term. Short term a wire brush and some wet and dry cleans them up,
Ciao,
Adrian
911C4
PS: I use a hairdryer set to low heat and blast the air in through the vent tubes. Do not do this whilst it is raining though. Leave that to Mel Gibson.
How are your rear lights sealed. Do you have the solid light seal or the one that looks like a segmented seal.
I have the old moisture problem but have not lost a bulb or had major socket corrosion. My venting system is also intact.
This is a common problem. With the sockets the best thing to do is just to clean them up. I do not recommend spraying anything on them. It actually makes things worse. Once the corrosion is set in you have to replace them long term. Short term a wire brush and some wet and dry cleans them up,
Ciao,
Adrian
911C4
PS: I use a hairdryer set to low heat and blast the air in through the vent tubes. Do not do this whilst it is raining though. Leave that to Mel Gibson.
Thread Starter
Race Car
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 3,706
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From: Virginia Beach, Va.
I can't figure out what you're talking about in regards to how they are sealed. The red (now pink) plastic exterior seems to be one piece, but is cracked at where the plastic bends around the contour of the rear quarter.
I plan to replace the tailight assemblies fairly soon, so I don't think I'll attempt any quick fixes on them.
Tonight I went to replace a bulb on the Driver's side and realized that it wasn't burned out. Once I figured out that corrosion was causing a bad connection...I merely worked the bulb back and forth until it remained lit, this was a parking lot fix.
This weekend I plan on wire brushing the socket, but I know that this will encourage corrosion to set in more rapidly due to the fact that I will likely remove any metal protection...so I was curious as to what people may have used in the past to lesson the frequency of cleaning out the light sockets.
I plan to replace the tailight assemblies fairly soon, so I don't think I'll attempt any quick fixes on them.
Tonight I went to replace a bulb on the Driver's side and realized that it wasn't burned out. Once I figured out that corrosion was causing a bad connection...I merely worked the bulb back and forth until it remained lit, this was a parking lot fix.
This weekend I plan on wire brushing the socket, but I know that this will encourage corrosion to set in more rapidly due to the fact that I will likely remove any metal protection...so I was curious as to what people may have used in the past to lesson the frequency of cleaning out the light sockets.
Racer
Joined: May 2001
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From: Southern Illinois
GM makes an electrical grease that they install their exterior bulbs with. It is white and some of the bulbs bases are covered in this white grease. Sounds like a good fit for your problem. It might be available in a generic form at one of the big auto parts stores. Roy
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From: Parafield Gardens
Dear Jeff,
Around the outside of the whole assembly (when cracked only makes things worse) is a seal. There are two types of seal. Solid and not solid. The sealing was changed on the 1992 models and retrofitted to earlier models, like mine,
Ciao,
Adrian
911C4
Around the outside of the whole assembly (when cracked only makes things worse) is a seal. There are two types of seal. Solid and not solid. The sealing was changed on the 1992 models and retrofitted to earlier models, like mine,
Ciao,
Adrian
911C4
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Joined: Jul 2001
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From: Sunnyvale, CA, USA
Adrian,
Is the segmented seal the later version. I have the same corrosion and moisture problem described by Jeff. As I recall the segmented version does not cover the top of the tailight assembly. I had this version and changed to the solid light seal hoping it will provide a better seal against moisture build up.
Do you think the solid version will work better?
Thanks
Mike
Is the segmented seal the later version. I have the same corrosion and moisture problem described by Jeff. As I recall the segmented version does not cover the top of the tailight assembly. I had this version and changed to the solid light seal hoping it will provide a better seal against moisture build up.
Do you think the solid version will work better?
Thanks
Mike
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From: Virginia Beach, Va.
Roy, that's actually what I had in mind...I seem to recall seeing the same thing in my travels, I have owned several GM products. I will ask about it next time I'm at Autozone or whatever. 
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From: Parafield Gardens
Dear Mike,
It is my understanding (simply because it is hard to find fully original 964s nowadays) that the segmented seal was used from 1989 to 1991 and for the 1992 model year the solid seals were introduced. My C4 has been retrofitted. I have only seen segemented seals on 1989 to 1991 models here in Europe. I have not researched this as throughly as I have other subjects so I cannot be 100% sure at this time,
Ciao,
Adrian
911C4
PS: Make sure your tail light vents are in good condition. They do help.
It is my understanding (simply because it is hard to find fully original 964s nowadays) that the segmented seal was used from 1989 to 1991 and for the 1992 model year the solid seals were introduced. My C4 has been retrofitted. I have only seen segemented seals on 1989 to 1991 models here in Europe. I have not researched this as throughly as I have other subjects so I cannot be 100% sure at this time,
Ciao,
Adrian
911C4
PS: Make sure your tail light vents are in good condition. They do help.
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Joe Kucinski
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From: germany
hallo
The old version has the full seal,than the
VENTED version is used from 1992.The cracks are more a problem of heat building up and cant get out,therefore the sloted version is used. The corossion of the contacts is another thing,keep in mind those Cars are about 10 Years old. Just grease them with the GM stuff and your problem here is solved.
The old version has the full seal,than the
VENTED version is used from 1992.The cracks are more a problem of heat building up and cant get out,therefore the sloted version is used. The corossion of the contacts is another thing,keep in mind those Cars are about 10 Years old. Just grease them with the GM stuff and your problem here is solved.
Thread Starter
Race Car
Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Virginia Beach, Va.
Thanks guys, I believe I have the original lenses that came on my car. It appears the plastic has degraded and become brittle due to lots of sunlight, this evident because of cracks, and instead of being red, they are a pale pinkish color. Since purchased in April, the car has spent very few days in the sun...mainly when on track!!
So...without further adieu, the true solution will be to pickup a fresh set of tailight lenses...but don't plan to do so until I can afford to invest in the reflector as well...asthetics people, asthetics!!
For now, I have wire brushed out the socket and smeared some GM di-electric grease in there...the moisture retention problem still remains - and I'm sure this can only be 100% cured with a new set of lenses.
$$$$$
So...without further adieu, the true solution will be to pickup a fresh set of tailight lenses...but don't plan to do so until I can afford to invest in the reflector as well...asthetics people, asthetics!!
For now, I have wire brushed out the socket and smeared some GM di-electric grease in there...the moisture retention problem still remains - and I'm sure this can only be 100% cured with a new set of lenses.
$$$$$
Pro
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 588
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From: Ashburton, Devon, England
Hi Jeff,
Lenses replacement with new version worth doing. Did mine in '96 as the condensation/cracking/fading upset me everytime I looked at the rear end.
No probs since. But costly - 475 UK pounds!
John
Lenses replacement with new version worth doing. Did mine in '96 as the condensation/cracking/fading upset me everytime I looked at the rear end.
No probs since. But costly - 475 UK pounds!
John