How Do You Remove The Headlight Lens ??

Does any one know how to remove just the lens?

Originally Posted by toddmack

Does any one know how to remove just the lens?

I believe that this is a sealed unit so I don't think just the lens can come off....here is a link to the removal of the whole unit

http://www.bmwtips.com/

Some folks here have advocated baking the whole unit in an oven to liquefy the glue that holds it together. I think it's less hassle to just get another set on ebay....

Ehhh, on every E39 light i've seen it's just a matter of releasing the 5 brittle plastic clips and the lens pops right off. I'd be careful with them, you WILL break the top and bottom ones.

On the 97-00, there is no need for the oven/heating treatment. 4 bolts hold the whole assembly in, and as bimmerdOOd notes, there are 5 plastic clip that hold the 2 halves together. release those and carefully pry the front outer lense off. You then have access to the inner glass lenses which are held on by 2 metal slide on clips. Actually the whole removal is really easy, but do watchout for those clips. i was actually able to do it without breaking any of them, so it is possible.

Originally Posted by glocati

On the 97-00, there is no need for the oven/heating treatment. 4 bolts hold the whole assembly in, and as bimmerdOOd notes, there are 5 plastic clip that hold the 2 halves together. release those and carefully pry the front outer lense off. You then have access to the inner glass lenses which are held on by 2 metal slide on clips. Actually the whole removal is really easy, but do watchout for those clips. i was actually able to do it without breaking any of them, so it is possible.

Once you have the lens off is there something that you need to re-seal it back on....mine is dirty from the inside and I have wanted for some time to clean them up

No, they just snap back together. I have not had any issues at all with internal moisture/dirt. you could run a small bead of sealant around the outside the two halves if you wanted.

When i had the glass lenses out, i cleaned a hazy film that had built up over the years off. and that really made a differnece as well.

here's a thread that shows a pic of the cleaned inner glass lenses... http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...m+install+pics

that looks damn... good... the reason why i am asking i am installing ccfl angel eyes today/tonight and i just wanted an idea of how hard it was to actually to take off.
i will definatley be careful of those clips though.... i think i might heat them with a blow dryer first..to be a bit more safe...

Wow, cool. yea, as you can see, that's why i had mine out and apart as well.

PM if any Q's come up and i may be able to shed some light, as i have done 2 of the Predator Chromium CCFL installs now.

thanks ... i will keep you posted.
question should i use a silicone to seal any wires?

i used clear RTV silicon to adhere the rings to the innerglass, and then a small dob where i routed the AE ring wires out of the rear of the black housings. I also had some heat shrink tubing laying around, and just for "wire management" use that to keep things tidy as i installed the wiring.