LCI Permaseal Headlight Opening DIY

[2005x548is]

Here’s the finish photos.

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by 2005x548is

Here’s the finish photos.

Nice!

[Corik]

I just wanted to drop a line on here (first post too, woo!) and say THANK YOU for posting this. I picked up an LCI X5 3.0i a few weeks ago and one of the previous owners sprayed the headlights with some kind of VHT Nightshade or something similar, but enough so that the lenses reduced the light output to near-zero, but they also were not clear, and the car had also been hit and left scratches on the lens. I picked up a new set of CLEAR lenses on ebay, but you weren't kidding when you said it will take a while. The second light definitely got progressively easier and quicker. I am waiting for the paint and glue to dry now before I seal the lenses up again.

Thanks again!

[crystalworks]

Welcome to the forum!

Glad it helped un-VHT those lenses. I've never understood smoking/tinting lighting in pursuit of aesthetics. Diminished light output seems an unworthy trade. But that's just me.

[AlexDowntown416]

I just ordered my new lenses from ebay for my 06 4.8is. First timer doing this.

i was going to get them from bimmerjakes, but they could not give me a solid answer why their lenses are ridiculously more then everything else out there. plus every time i go back to their products they keep going up in price.

anyways, i also ordered Morimoto Japanese butyl. seems like the right product for a proper seal.

question about the facelift headlights....

so the ones on my 06, they don't need to be baked/heated? that's only for the pre-facelift models?

for mine I just need to work it slowly using cutters and prying tools?

some guys used a dremel, is that for the pre-facelift or facelift.

im a little confused...

[crystalworks]

Originally Posted by AlexDowntown416

so the ones on my 06, they don't need to be baked/heated? that's only for the pre-facelift models?

for mine I just need to work it slowly using cutters and prying tools?

some guys used a dremel, is that for the pre-facelift or facelift.

im a little confused...

Nope, no need to heat them. You'll risk doing damage to it. Some guys say it helps, but I don't see how. They use high temp silicon to permanently adhere those lenses on. As for the dremel... you could use that in lieu of the heated razor blade, but I find the blade makes a cleaner cut and looks better when the seams go back together. Either would work though.

I don't know where BimmerJakes gets their product but I'd imagine it's from the place the Chinese sellers are. No reason to be $450 for lenses. There was a time when they were the only one selling them, and that might have been why they raised prices so high. Maybe they'll start coming down again now that supply is more prevalent.

[AlexDowntown416]

Hey Crystal.

how about using a heat gun as you cut into the permaseal? would that help?

in your instructions document, after putting the lens back on, you also apply silicon on the outside of the lens/body? is that for extra protection?

[crystalworks]

Originally Posted by AlexDowntown416

Hey Crystal.

how about using a heat gun as you cut into the permaseal? would that help?

in your instructions document, after putting the lens back on, you also apply silicon on the outside of the lens/body? is that for extra protection?

You can use a heat gun, but it gets VERY hot and it is VERY easy to warp (or change the finish) the plastic. I started with a heat gun and it was changing the finish as it started to heat up too much so I quit that almost immediately. I just used the heat gun to heat up my exacto knife blade which alleviated any worry of damage to the plastic or it's finish.

I used that silicon as a little extra seal protection, but more so because it is such a good adhesive. The butyl does the sealing. That morimoto butyl will work great. On these headlights I used too thin a butyl rope and had to double it. On doing other headlights I have used rope similar to the morimoto butyl. I wanted the thin "frame" that gets cut off to be strong on reinstallation and look like it was never messed with. The silicon does an excellent job at that.

[nextelbuddy]

I'm using your DIY right now to do my facelift headlights. I'm down to the part where you mention routing your Halo wiring through the original access panel for the OE Halo bulb


Curious, why did you run the wires outside of the housing instead of just tapping into the existing Halo wiring that's in the wire harness inside the headlight housing?

Since you ran your wires outside the back of the axis panel, does that mean you also ran the included wiring, harness and relay that came with your halos and wired it to an ignition two source?

I would much prefer to use the 12 volt Halo wire that's inside the housing if possible unless it's not 12 volt and actually something less.

[nick325xit 5spd]

Just for the record, if you're replacing the lens, I recommend just cutting the lens off the housing. After you do that, you can cut the flange out of the housing without damaging it.

I don't think there's an alternative to this method if you intend to preserve the original lens.