How to Black out your stock headlights EVO VIII
 

How To Black out Headlight (Detail)
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(Disclaimer: i will not be held responsible for any damages as a result of installation ...perform at your own risk)
Tools:
-1 Ratchet w/ 10mm socket
- 2 different size phillips screwdriver(star)
- 1flat head
- 1 jack
- 2 jackstands
- or Garage Ramps
- 1hair blow dryer
- 1 oven
- 1 stopwatch/alarm
- needle nose pliers

Materials:
- 2 cans of Flat black auto paint
- 2 cans of fast drying primer(i opted for duplicolor for color and primer)
- 1 pack of 600 grit sand paper
- 1 bottle of rubbing alcohol
- 1 tube of rubber silicone sealant
- glass cleaner...eg. windex
- A couple of lint free detail cloths
- 1box of vinyl gloves

Time: approx - 4-6 hours from jacking up car to wiping down car.

This is a 1 person job a second person brings ease to the task in hand. Follow these steps and you'll have your evo looking even more aggressive.


Step1: Elevate Car.
Use either Jack and Jack Stands or Garage Ramps. I chose Jack, due to more ground clearance for under car access.
Once car is elevated it's time to remove the bumper.

Step2: Bumper Removal.
As daunting as it may seem, bumper removal is fairly easy...
start by going under car and removing those lovely plastic clips with a there is NO need to completely remove the splash guard, just be patient use your phillips screw driver and needle nose pliers and you'll be done in no time. You only need to remove 9 clips from under the car. 2 on each side of car, 2 in the middle, and 3 that attatch to the intercooler. Once you have gotten these clips off...pull on the splash guard to see if it's completely free...now you can get from under the car. 8 more clips to go. In the wheel well there are 2 clips on each side of the car holding the fender liner to the bumper....remove all 4. Down to 4 clips....first remove the bolt that is directly above the 2 clips you just removed on either side, it is a 10mm bolt so whip out your 10 socket and take it out...1 on each side. Make sure you place bolts and clip in a safe place. Ok, 4 clips left move to the front of the car there are 2 clips that require a flat head for removal...pop them out and you'll be down to 2 clips. The last 2 clips are accessed after you remove the bumper. There are 2 10mm bolts right in front of the intercooler you can see them in the bent portion of the mesh...remove these. 2 bolts 10mm bolts they sit next to the clips you just removed, remove those also...once that is done it will be time to pull off the bumper. You must pull down on the side of the bumper at the fender to unclip bumper from fender...one good pull and it should be free on that side, repeat process on other side...b4 careful not to scratch fender with bumper. Now go to the front of car pull off bumper...it's not attatched to anything now...so give it a little play and it should come right off....set it aside and admire your monster. Bumper removed: CLICK ME

Step 3. Headlight Removal.
4 bolts holding headlight to frame of car two on top(clearly visible) one right next to radiator and one more attatched to fender. These are all 10mm bolts so remove them. The front bolts has a little plastic shielf in front to remove the shield remove the plastic clip holding the shield w/ a flat head to access bolt. Once bolts are off disconnect harness HID evo's have 3 non HID should have 2. Push in tabs on top of harness and slide off....easy. Now the headlight is free so take it off be careful not to drop headlights

Step 4. Prepping headlight before Baking
Put on a pair of vinyl gloves and start taking out bulbs...foglight bulb, hibeam bulb, Hid bulb they all come off...fog and hi beam turn to the left and pull out ...with caution. HID bulb...with your phillips remove screw, turn cap counterclockwise and remove cap...remove harness that says "LOCK" , undo clip holding hid bulb down ...remove bulb carefully and store in a safe dirt free place(i put my bulbs in a tupaware container) NOw, remove all the other goodies on the headlight....city light bulb, indicator bulb harnesses, ballast ...disconnect ground from ballast. headlight should be ready for cooking. All that should remain on headlight is projector glass, HID levelling motor, ground for ballast and thats it...nothing else can come off with ease.

Step 5. Baking
Oven should already be preheated at 225F, grab a cookie sheet / foil sheet lay it on tray...just below middle should be fine...depending on oven size. Now place a damp towel on top of the tray. Place headlight in oven face down carefully...make sure the sides are not touching the oven walls. Set your oven for 14-17mins...if you dont' have a oven timer set your watch. do not exceed the specified time...melted headlights is not a good thing. Once your 15 mins or so is up remove the headlight from the oven(one at a time) and grab your flat head and start prying the headlight apart...don't stab the headlight....work your way between it and pry...another set of hands here is golden...if not ...just keep at it...the blow dryer on hot helps break down the existing silicone for easier removal...just cause you have a section free don't try and force the headlight apart ....work your way around. once you have seperated the headlight from lense grab the main chrome piece and also the other chrome piece still attatched by 3 phillips screws...remove screws and get ready to sand. First remove the orange reflector...it comes out...you don't have to break anything...just look at it and see how it works...i used a knife with a pointed tip...start with one of the side clips...pop one off and then you can wiggle the opposite side free....the top 2 clips u just gotta pull up then down....it comes off. Headlight with lense off CLICK ME

Step 5: Prep work Sanding/cleaning
with your 600 grit sand paper...work at whatever chrome you can access ...give it some elbo grease...the less chrome you see...the better for the primer and paint you're going to apply. SO don't short cut on prep work. Once you're done sanding grab your rubbing alcohol and pour some onto a paper towel...whipe down your pieces to be painted ...alcohol dries fast. Now you have prepped it's time for some primer. I went through about 20 sets of gloves during the entire process...less dirt and grime transferred the better.

Step 6: Primer
Primering your headlight piece....real simple....couple of rules....don't hold spray can down horizontal and spray towards ground...spray will come out in globs and spurts...u want a even uniform stream...always keep can vertical...or as vertical as possible., shake can well b4 using, spray in sweeping motion, allow ample drying time...don't rush. Apply 3 coats of primer to the headlight piece.... wait 10-15mins between each coat....wait 30mins once all 3 coats are complete b4 sanding or adding color coat...i had a couple blemish so i used my 600 grit sand paper and smoothed them out.....again...clean surface...less alcohol....try to be in a minimum dust area....i sprayed outside and dried inside. I built a little enclosure to reduce wind or whatever from getting on whatever i painted while outside by using and unfolded cardboard box.

Step 7: Color Coat
once the 30 mins is up and you've primered throroughly....time for your color. Again, sweeping motion...not too close ...the paint comes out differently than the primer...so be careful...mist coat for first coat, try to cover the entire thing without over doing it...wait 15mins between coats...2nd coat ...slightly deeper mist ....but not too close and not too direct....play with it...figure out the spray pattern and don't go too heavy. 3rd/and or 4th coat...keep the same pressure as the 2nd coat...look for anyspots you missed....