Headlight sealing

[WinterRunner]

Who on here does it still? Mine fog up in wet conditions.

[CrickiKaze]

It's easy to do, just need to order the sealant. IIRC when I use an oven I set it to 200*F.

[WinterRunner]

It's not easy to, that's why they leak, old owner messed up the sealing. I would rather pay to get them done in a more professional setting than my kitchen oven.

[blubusdrvr]

VXTuning has the OE type sealant. I put their replacement covers on (as well as clear corners), strung this around the grove, slightly warmed it up a bit with a heat gun and buttoned her back up. No leaks, no condensation.
https://www.vxtuning.com/product/oem...lue-15ft-roll/

[CrickiKaze]

VXTuning has the OE type sealant. I put their replacement covers on (as well as clear corners), strung this around the grove, slightly warmed it up a bit with a heat gun and buttoned her back up. No leaks, no condensation.
https://www.vxtuning.com/product/oem...lue-15ft-roll/

Pitty they don't sell the covers any more.

[blubusdrvr]

Pitty they don't sell the covers any more.

I saw that when I got the link for WinterRunner. That does suck. They made good stuff. Unfortunately a lot of people are dropping this aging fleet. It feels like when the E30 started becoming fossils.

[WinterRunner]

Thanks for the link, if I have to do it this way, that looks like the right stuff.

[longlivenacars]

Pitty they don't sell the covers any more.

They do still sell them. I sent a few emails back and forth about the headlight covers and clear corners a few weeks ago to a rep at vxtuning and he told me they will most likely have some back in stock in July

[longlivenacars]

Email thread from April 6, 2023:


Me: Saw the clear corners on your site, going to order those. I remember you had headlight lenses too before. have they been discontinued?

VX: Thank you for your interest.

Unfortunately, we don't have headlight lenses at the moment. We should be getting more towards July.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Me: Sends lengthy email

VX: Unfortunately, we don't have an exact ETA on the headlight Lenses. I was just told that we might be expecting them sometime July.

For the clear turn signal lenses, those we have in stock ready to ship.

I will take a look at your channel and will get back to you. Thank you for your interest and support.

Me:OK thanks.Have you had any complaints of the clear corners you sell melting due to heat from previous customers? There is a thread on audizine about it, but I have no idea if the experiences posted are accurate. Read it a while ago.

VX:Yes, in the past 9 years selling these lenses, we have had around 6 sets that I recall melting due to using higher wattage (Chinese) bulbs, and this is comparing it against all the numerous amounts of lenses we have sold in all these past years.

Me: Thanks. To be clear: Is the chinese high wattage bulb the stock Audi B7 turn signal bulb? (I only ask because there are Audi OE parts, such as the fuel filter which are stamped on them as made in China)

Do you know what the wattage of the stock bulb is? Should a lower wattage bulb be used in place of this to avoid melting?

Are there any specific bulbs (example:sylvania part #) that you recommend using?

VX: I mean the cheap low cost bulbs typically found in ebay/amazon.

Me: OK thanks

In short, worth emailing/calling them throughout this year to see when they will have stock again

[WinterRunner]

So you did bake in an oven to open, but used a heat gun when resealing/closing?

[CrickiKaze]

I haven't done it with these, on another car when I did a projector retrofit and on a motorcycle headlight. I baked all of them disassembly and reassembly, heats everything more evenly.

[CrickiKaze]

Email thread from April 6, 2023:


Me: Saw the clear corners on your site, going to order those. I remember you had headlight lenses too before. have they been discontinued?

VX: Thank you for your interest.

Unfortunately, we don't have headlight lenses at the moment. We should be getting more towards July.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Me: Sends lengthy email

VX: Unfortunately, we don't have an exact ETA on the headlight Lenses. I was just told that we might be expecting them sometime July.

For the clear turn signal lenses, those we have in stock ready to ship.

I will take a look at your channel and will get back to you. Thank you for your interest and support.

Me:OK thanks.Have you had any complaints of the clear corners you sell melting due to heat from previous customers? There is a thread on audizine about it, but I have no idea if the experiences posted are accurate. Read it a while ago.

VX:Yes, in the past 9 years selling these lenses, we have had around 6 sets that I recall melting due to using higher wattage (Chinese) bulbs, and this is comparing it against all the numerous amounts of lenses we have sold in all these past years.

Me: Thanks. To be clear: Is the chinese high wattage bulb the stock Audi B7 turn signal bulb? (I only ask because there are Audi OE parts, such as the fuel filter which are stamped on them as made in China)

Do you know what the wattage of the stock bulb is? Should a lower wattage bulb be used in place of this to avoid melting?

Are there any specific bulbs (example:sylvania part #) that you recommend using?

VX: I mean the cheap low cost bulbs typically found in ebay/amazon.

Me: OK thanks

In short, worth emailing/calling them throughout this year to see when they will have stock again

I'm not in a rush, restoring the headlights isn't a priority but I'll keep an eye out. Thanks for the info.

[blubusdrvr]

I did have a melting issue on one of my clear corners but a lot more than 6 people have had this issue. It indeed was caused by using an aftermarket "silvered" orange bulb which probably burned hotter than OEM. I went to a different bulb and also coded those markers to only light when using the turn signal or 4 way flashers instead of being illuminated fulltime when the lights are on. I haven't had an issue since.

[RAudi Driver]

VXTuning has the OE type sealant. I put their replacement covers on (as well as clear corners), strung this around the grove, slightly warmed it up a bit with a heat gun and buttoned her back up. No leaks, no condensation.
https://www.vxtuning.com/product/oem...lue-15ft-roll/

Don't use that black butyl. They now have light gray stuff that actually works better. That black stuff is a mess. DM me if you need a roll as we use it all the time in the film industry. I'll go pick up several rolls if members need some. I can sell you an entire roll or if you just want like 1/2 a roll, I can divide them. Not expensive at all. Winter I may have enough to give you for free from my stash here at home. I'll take a peek when I get home later this afternoon.

[Rilla]

I did have a melting issue on one of my clear corners but a lot more than 6 people have had this issue. It indeed was caused by using an aftermarket "silvered" orange bulb which probably burned hotter than OEM. I went to a different bulb and also coded those markers to only light when using the turn signal or 4 way flashers instead of being illuminated fulltime when the lights are on. I haven't had an issue since.

It’s hard to find a proper 7506 21W chrome orange bulb. Lots of 1156 with higher wattage being sold as 7506 replacements. Then if you do find one it has some crusty painted on chrome finish. Coding for blinkers only is good to be safe too.

[CrickiKaze]

I did have a melting issue on one of my clear corners but a lot more than 6 people have had this issue. It indeed was caused by using an aftermarket "silvered" orange bulb which probably burned hotter than OEM. I went to a different bulb and also coded those markers to only light when using the turn signal or 4 way flashers instead of being illuminated fulltime when the lights are on. I haven't had an issue since.

I need to look into that, didn't see it as an option or I was looking in the wrong section.

It’s hard to find a proper 7506 21W chrome orange bulb. Lots of 1156 with higher wattage being sold as 7506 replacements. Then if you do find one it has some crusty painted on chrome finish. Coding for blinkers only is good to be safe too.

Good to know, was going to start looking for chromed finished bulbs when I get everything to refresh the head lights.

[blubusdrvr]

Don't use that black butyl. That black stuff is a mess.

It IS a mess!! If you end up with some on your fingers or shirt sleeve it ends up on everything. It works like hell though. Is the grey stuff the same just grey?

[WinterRunner]

Don't use that black butyl. They now have light gray stuff that actually works better. That black stuff is a mess. DM me if you need a roll as we use it all the time in the film industry. I'll go pick up several rolls if members need some. I can sell you an entire roll or if you just want like 1/2 a roll, I can divide them. Not expensive at all. Winter I may have enough to give you for free from my stash here at home. I'll take a peek when I get home later this afternoon.

I'll take you up on that Ed, thanks.

[CrickiKaze]

It IS a mess!! If you end up with some on your fingers or shirt sleeve it ends up on everything. It works like hell though. Is the grey stuff the same just grey?

Compound is different but does the same overall just less messy.

[RAudi Driver]

I'll take you up on that Ed, thanks.

ok, give me away to track it down in the garage. I'll DM you as soon as I have it in my hands. Sucks because I just left the shop, which is 25 miles away and have a bunch there. Stay tuned.

[WinterRunner]

No rush homie, thanks

[musanoadsaba]

+3 on coding the signal lights to only blink. Don't have to worry about bulbs burning out either.

[CrickiKaze]

Realized yesterday when I went to check for coding that I had did it already, I never noticed the turn signals off though I have an idea of why.

[WinterRunner]

What are the coding procedures? I have vagcom.

[b6bydesign04]

What are the coding procedures? I have vagcom.

Using your VAG-COM tool

Block 09 Central Electronics
01023 original USA number
01021 Enables High/Fogs, Euro parking lights - amber only on when blinking

​​​​​​​
Also from the Ross-Tech VAG-COM website (should align with the above):

https://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/cars/audiB6.html

09-Elec. Ctrl. Mod. K1 � KWP1281
VCDS works fine.

Tweak: Coding options for lighting Coding is 000XY.

X=1 for Xenon Headlights,
X=0 for conventional Halogens.

Country DRLs: Fogs w/o low beams:
Y=1 RDW (Rest of World) No Yes
Y=2 NDL (Netherlands) Yes Yes
Y=3 USA No No
Y=4 KAN (Canada) Yes Yes
Y=5 DAN (Denmark?) Yes Yes
Y=6 SON (Other?) Yes Yes

Fogs w/o low beams only appears to work on 2002 models. For 2003+ models, we know of no way to run the fogs without the low beams, except Canadian, which turns on Daytime Running Lamps (DRL's). We are not sure why there are so many Yes/Yes combinations; there must be some other features controller by this. The state of the Radio and Climate Control lighting is affected by this coding as well.