Headlight lense removal

Hi guys. Have any of you removed the headlight lense from a e36 headlight before? eg the clear glass off the front? If so whats the process? PS its the bosch unit from the m3 saloon.

Ive been told to remove metal clips and the warm in suitable low temp oven to soften the sealer then remove and clean. Then refit.

Thanks Craig

Thanks for that. I might try the hairdryer or just the oven. Anyone else done it?

eh, Im just taking the lenses out to clean behind them. Must have been a bad sealer job from factory cause its let dirt in. Headlight looks perfect in any other way.

Craig

I would go with the new fronts too, but it's not necessary to remove the front glass for cleaning, once you have removed the headlight, it splits into two pieces, you can then remove the inner elipsoid lenses & clean the inside of the front lens from there.

broos3 wrote: Cheers guys. Ive just seen your replies. I tried to remove front glass. Its far too difficult. I will prob just buy some new front halfs. Maybe not from GFS but bmw. See what the prices are. Craig

 

GFS are Bosh units (ones with bobbles on glass),same as you will buy via BMW at a fraction of cost

Does anyone have or know a good place to get new or very good condition used headlight lenses?? BMW breakers?

I bought the GSF onse and they are not proper Bosch items, some crapy cheaper manufacture. They are to fit a ZKW headlight not a bosch. Very annoying as they are discribed as Bosch so I would expect to be a bosch part.

Craig

Found the info

 

In 1999, Bosch and Magneti Marelli (the Italian conglomerate that is basically the equivalent of Bosch - they do everything, electronics, lighting, etc.) started a joint venture between them called AL (Automotive Lighting) in order to share their designs, ideas, R&D, et cetera. By 2001 or so, Bosch sold their stake in AL to Magneti Marelli, and now AL is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Magneti Marelli. AL owns all of the lighting-related intellectual property, designs, and in charge of all former Bosch products. Bosch no longer makes any headlights, lighting components, or lighting systems. All of it has been transferred to AL.

Lenses with BOSCH logos are no longer manufactured, and the only luck you will have in finding some is NOS (new old stock) and that supply has been exhausted for some time. You can occasionally find sets of spare glass that someone bought 10 or 15 years ago and has never used, but good luck.

For all intents and purposes, in the category of lighting, AL = Bosch.

Cheers again pete. I will give that C3bmw company a ring. Hope they have the actual bosch items or at least AL.

Yeh GSF apologised and are refunding me.

I can get oem bosch items from bmminiparts for £83.11, not bad but not money i would want to spend. Spending enough on other parts for paintwork thats geting done.