I’m late to this…

Cleaning the entire assembly … hot soapy water , Bottle brushes to get in there ( gentle), rinse and rinse.

If you see haze and or deposits, then 70% isopropanol , rag on a stick, wipe down the inners.

Any Factory Applied Silver reflective on the plastic is very delicate, so take care.

Ab

> On Feb 18, 2023, at 6:28 PM, Pete Sicilia <pete@coffeepot.org> wrote:
> 
> I've never tried to clean them... but I might dunk the lens assembly in a
> bucket of warm soapy water and swish it around and then rinse it out. Come
> to think of it, I should have tried that earlier today...
> 
>> On Sat, Feb 18, 2023 at 6:20 PM Dan N <dn92610@gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Yes Pete... thank you...
>> 
>> Then how do you access the reflectors in order to clean them?
>> 
>>> On Sat, Feb 18, 2023 at 6:12 PM Pete Sicilia <pete@coffeepot.org> wrote:
>>> 
>>> The parts that diagram references don't seem to match the diagram.
>>> 
>>> The 251-945-112-A looks like the lens assembly... I could be wrong, but
>>> I'm not sure that the colored front comes off from the black backing.
>>> 
>>> https://carparts4sale.com/media/rh-tail-light-lamp-genuine-hella-vw-vanagon-t3-80-91-taillight-251-945-112-cp028599/
>>> 
>>> The 251-945-258-A part looks like the bulb holder...
>>> 
>>> https://carparts4sale.com/media/rh-tail-light-lamp-bulb-tray-holder-vw-vanagon-t3-80-91-taillight-251-945-258-cp028601/
>>> 
>>>> On Sat, Feb 18, 2023 at 5:32 PM Dan N <dn92610@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> my problem is to remove the #1 from the #2 on this diagram... uhhh...
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> https://www.vwpartsvortex.com/v-1989-volkswagen-vanagon--syncro--2-1l-h4-gas/electrical--tail-lamps
>>>> 
>>>> On Sat, Feb 18, 2023 at 5:19 PM Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@sbcglobal.net>
>>>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> Ahhh, previous owner....now that makes sense....well intentioned of
>>>>> course!  But lens is on the outside, the reflector and bulbs are on the
>>>>> inside.  Heck....I haven't disassembled mine in 3 years or more, so
>>>> kind of
>>>>> foggy on the details, others will chime in.  If original, a
>>>> no-brainer.  So
>>>>> there is something funny going on in your situation.
>>>>> 
>>>>> On Saturday, February 18, 2023 at 05:08:09 PM PST, Dan N <
>>>>> dn92610@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> Yes... the taillight assembly. There are 2 parts - the black plastic
>>>> bulb
>>>>> holder, the colored plastic assembly with the reflector glued to it. I
>>>>> can't remove the reflector to clean or improve it. It seems to me it's
>>>>> glued together either by the factory or the previous owner.
>>>>> 
>>>>> thanks
>>>>> 
>>>>> On Sat, Feb 18, 2023 at 4:53 PM Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@sbcglobal.net
>>>>> 
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> You mean....on the taillight assembly?  These just come apart....like
>>>> when
>>>>> replacing bulbs.  I must not be understanding the question.  Helpful
>>>> hint:
>>>>> do a thorough job of cleaning light bulb sockets with steel wool; next,
>>>>> apply a thin coating of Vaseline on both light bulb and socket, this
>>>> will
>>>>> prevent corrosion for years to come.  Works every time.
>>>>> 
>>>>> On Saturday, February 18, 2023 at 04:44:08 PM PST, Dan N <
>>>>> dn92610@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> sooo I have a question... How do you separate the silver reflector
>>>> from the
>>>>> colored lens?
>>>>> 
>>>>> thanks
>>>>> 
>>>>> On Sat, Feb 18, 2023 at 4:26 PM Pete Sicilia <pete@coffeepot.org>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> Sounds like a great idea. I'll just have to clean off the krazy glue
>>>> and
>>>>>> duck tape first 🤣
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> On Sat, Feb 18, 2023, 4:09 PM Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@sbcglobal.net
>>>>> 
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> For repair, you can go a long way with 2 part Epoxy Putty.  Slice
>>>> off
>>>>> a
>>>>>>> hunk, knead it, apply it, form it.  All surfaces super clean with
>>>>> Rubbing
>>>>>>> Alcohol before you attempt of course, but you will be surprised by
>>>> your
>>>>>>> cleverness and workmanship.  This stuff has abundant uses around
>>>>> Vanagon.
>>>>>>> Especially old brittle plastic parts.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>   On Saturday, February 18, 2023 at 03:59:16 PM PST, Jim Felder <
>>>>>>> jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> I don't remember where, I guess busdepot.com, but I bought brand
>>>> new
>>>>>>> replacement lenses a few years back for a reasonable price. If you
>>>> are
>>>>>>> trying to replace the molded plastic tray with bulb holders, that
>>>> might
>>>>>> be
>>>>>>> more difficult.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Jim
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> On Sat, Feb 18, 2023 at 5:42 PM Pete Sicilia <pete@coffeepot.org>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Well I finally finished the aluminum tape around my led backup
>>>>> bulbs. I
>>>>>>> had
>>>>>>>> done one side a few weeks ago and did the other side today.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Everything was easy until the very end today. As it turns out, my
>>>>> fears
>>>>>>>> about cracking old plastic were well founded.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> I meticulously cleaned and taped all around the lens housing and
>>>>> behind
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>> bulb and as I was giving the entire housing one last cleaning
>>>> with
>>>>>> simple
>>>>>>>> green, the whole thing slipped/shot out of my hands and cracked
>>>> on
>>>>> the
>>>>>>>> pavement... snapping off the retaining tabs.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> I got down on my hands and knees and fished the housing and the
>>>>> broken
>>>>>>>> parts out from under my wife's Touareg, cleaned them again and
>>>>> applied
>>>>>>>> first krazy glue, then some strategic strips of duck tape for
>>>>>>>> reinforcement. I waited a few mins, then carefully clipped the
>>>> light
>>>>>>>> assembly into the housing and reinstalled everything.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Everything is working for now... but man I sure have a way of
>>>>> snatching
>>>>>>>> defeat from the jaws of victory sometimes
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> In related news, does anyone have an extra right tail light lens
>>>>>> assembly
>>>>>>>> that they'd be willing to part with?
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> On Mon, Jan 30, 2023, 8:48 AM Pete Sicilia <pete@coffeepot.org>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> Do you have any particular brand of tape you recommend? Or is
>>>>> Amazon
>>>>>>>>> cheapo sufficient?
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> 1PCS Premium Silver Aluminum Tapes (3.9Mils), 2'*65 Feet Foil
>>>> Tape,
>>>>>>> Metal
>>>>>>>>> Insulation Tape, Heavy Duty Duct Tape with Adhesive Backing
>>>> for Hot
>>>>>>> Cold
>>>>>>>>> Air HVAC Ductwork, Dryer Vent, Heat Resistant, Repair
>>>>>>>>> https://a.co/d/hILxB3m
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> I've never opened up the light casing. Are there any things to
>>>> look
>>>>>> out
>>>>>>>>> for? I'm a little leery of cracking old plastic.
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> Thanks!
>>>>>>>>> Pete
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> On Thu, Jan 26, 2023, 12:19 PM Jim Arnott <jrasite@eoni.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> Someone asked for pictures so I opened up a tail light.
>>>> Delete
>>>>> the
>>>>>>> pop
>>>>>>>>>> bottle. Line the backup light window with alunim air
>>>> conditioning
>>>>>>> tape.
>>>>>>>>>> Install big, bright LED. Put it back together. Might take you
>>>> an
>>>>>> hour
>>>>>>>>>> including the time in the hardware store buying the tape.
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> Ranks right up there with changing the engine to an I4 as far
>>>> as
>>>>>>>>>> improvements go. BIG improvement.
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> Jim
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> Years ago, I bought a couple 6 LED external light to use as
>>>>> backup
>>>>>>>>>> lights. Then I read a post about fixing the existing lights.
>>>> It
>>>>> was
>>>>>>>> fairly
>>>>>>>>>> simple. I used the below mentioned LEDs and then created a
>>>>> reflector
>>>>>>>> using
>>>>>>>>>> a 16 oz plastic soda bottle lined with aluminum air
>>>> conditioning
>>>>>> tape
>>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>>>>> fit it into the stock tail light assy. NOW I can see backing
>>>> up.
>>>>>> Took
>>>>>>>> about
>>>>>>>>>> an hour and worth every second of time invested.
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>> Jim
>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> On Jan 21, 2023, at 9:18 AM, Pete Sicilia <
>>>> pete@COFFEEPOT.ORG>
>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> In related news, I just upgraded my back up lights (1156)
>>>> to
>>>>>>> these...
>>>>>>>>>>>> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H54SP6O
>>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> So far so good... although I'm always on the lookout for
>>>>> brighter
>>>>>>>>>> options.
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>