Mitsubishi Delica Owners Club UK™

[Pierre]

Much earlier, before starting the LWB revamp, see Eureka Delica blog, it seemed a good idea to refurbish the front sidelights.
Articles on the internet claimed the bond between sidelight lens and body could be broken by heating in an oven. Sidelights furtively sneaked into the kitchen and heated up.
No problem, separation easily accomplished.
Both sidelights needed cleaning, some reflectors were badly tarnished, and lens cloudy.
Cloudy lens responded to polishing with toothpaste.


Removing the internal components enabled the sidelight bodies to be sprayed silver. So far so good.
Then a bright idea! Why not add some internal orange LEDs?
Measurements of the light’s central plastic strip indicated small LEDs as advertised on Fleabay could be fitted. Purchase made only to find metal LED housing 1mm oversize – soon sorted by quick resort to grinder.
Holes drilled into sidelight body then temporarily plugged before spraying another coat of silver paint.



LED housings installed and sealed with silicone mastic, LEDs bulbs then inserted.
Heat shrink tubing kept wiring reasonably tidy.


Then circuit testing. Result!


Also checked nearside parking pole light.


It was not possible to clean the tarnished reflectors, but some stored spare sidelights could provide replacements. Again, necessary to heat up the units to access the internals but this time utilising one of the small garage oven used for curing powder coating.


Small oven, big sidelight. Big problem, overhead heating element too close to plastic lens.


Sudden realisation! Silicone mastic, heat shrink tubing and thin walled wiring now in place, thus using a hot oven to heat the sidelight bonding adhesive is now impractical.
So there it is - bright idea with dim consequence. Seems the units may now need a urethane mastic as a bonding agent.    

In the meantime, coffee beckons.
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Talk the torque

Delica Super Exceed LWB PF8W
Suzuki Grand Vitara V6
Sunbeam Tiger 289
Benelli 750 SEI

[Google]

[Green Grouch]

Oops.

That's my style for messing up but great idea.

I melted 1 of the fixing brackets on the rear of mine at first try but had spares just in case.

I did one light at a time in oven on lowest setting and kept really good eye on it.

I then did the 2nd but the oven had warmed up a bit more, hence the melted bit.

Nothing like yours though! You've done that in style

Keep up the good work


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A Little Knowledge is Dangerous and expensive! especially if your me Mending anything!!

[YOZA]

It's a horrible feeling that, trying to improve something, spending time, effort and money, yet rendering the item useless.

I have felt it often.
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Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity....

[exarkun]

I used hot water.  Too nervous to put it in the oven!