Detailing Jet Skis, tips?

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I hope this isn't a dumb question - what exactly is it that makes a car's headlight covers over time become cloudy and dirty looking? I mean, even after I would wash my previous car ('86 Honda Civic), the headlight covers would still be cloudy rather than being clear - I'd like to know so that I can prevent the headlight covers on my new car from clouding up in the future - thanks
 
Are they plastic? The cloudiness is caused by sunlight degrading the plastic (a guess, but pretty likely). I know some cars have a terrible problem with this (take a 1987 Volvo 240 series for instance). A car cover would help, but that's pretty extreme. Maybe some sort of protectant with UV blocking ingredients?
 
On my new car, I'm pretty sure they are plastic - on my husband's '87 Volvo I think they are glass - and they are not bad, still fairly clear - have just been noticing other cars and how cloudy most of their headlight covers are...
 
is that the cloudy headlights (plastic) may be because of scratches and dirt. I would venture to say that after 100's of washes, along with environemntal factors such as rain, snow, road salt, etc. that the plastic covers get scratched and dirts get impregnated.
 
I believe the yellowing is UV damage, and the clouding is marring from the constant abrasiveness of dirt and sand from the roads, maybe oxidation too? I used Meguair's Plastic Polish #10 and Plastic Cleaner #17 on the very yellowed and dirty headlights on my SVX. It cleaned them up pretty well, with little effort. As for what can protect them after you've cleaned them up, well . . . you could use something like X-pel/StonGard/Invinca-shield (clear vinyl applied to headlights) to protect them from road grit, but I don't know if that would stop the UV damage or not. While a lot of the yellow on the SVX's headlights was on the surface and polished out, I believe some of it is deterioration <strong class='bbc'>within[/b] the plastic. I don't think that can really be stopped apart from replacing the lens completely.

Sorry I can't be more help,
Tort

[Edited by TortoiseAWD on 07-27-2001 at 07:55 PM]
 
I have heard that suntan lotion helps get the yellow out. Don't ask me why it works. I commented on a friends headlights once and he said he would fix it. The next day they were perfect and he said he did it with suntan lotion. Go fig.
 
I have to detail two jet skis tomorrow, I have never detailed a jet ski before.

Anything to look out for? All the guy wants done is a wash/clay/wax. Not sure whats a fair price either for jet skis.
 
Jet skis may have gelcoats on them like boats to protect it from corrosion.

I think mots LSPs work fine on gelcoats, not sure about all polishes however.
 
I have 2 jetskis and they are not all that hard to maintain. Gel coat is definitely harder than clearcoat. You should be ok with a PC and a good polish. Just remember that there are alot of odd angles with the jetskis. I might be hard to work in some areas.
 
;19963 said:
I hope this isn't a dumb question - what exactly is it that makes a car's headlight covers over time become cloudy and dirty looking? I mean, even after I would wash my previous car ('86 Honda Civic), the hid headlights covers would still be cloudy rather than being clear - I'd like to know so that I can prevent the hid headlight kits covers on my new car from clouding up in the future - thanks
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I been having the same problem with my friends car.
 
You can't reverse UV Damage - If they are relatively clear and not too bad .....maybe. If they are amber yellow - the only way is to remove the UV Layer. (yes - That means sanding) and buffing until clear. It does no good though if a protectant is not applied after doing so.(A protectant that has UV inhibiting properties.)
 
Reverse it - No. Correct it - Yes. Unlike clear coat paint, headlight lenses are very thick and you can sand away (don't do it with buffing of you'll create crazing from overheating the plastic). I see some people use clearcoat paint after, but unless you refinish all the way to the edge (usually removal of light is mandatory), you create more problems down the road. Kinda like spot painting a bumper cover. :nono
 
David, I think that I may have done what you said above... oops. I sanded, polished, waxed, tried it all to get the yellow off the headlight. Worked ok. So I decided to give it a shot with the rotary and UC... Well... I think I created "crazing" as you called it. I had to wet sand it off, it did come off, but now the headlights are very, very cloudy looking. Can I fix this?
 
yes, they most likely can be saved. sand up to 2000 grit or higher then polish with a da. if you have a coating like barry uses you can sand to around 800 grit then apply coating. at 800 -1000 grit the lights will still look cloudy but when the coating is applied the will turn clear.
 
I sanded all the way up to 3000 grit, and still see the scratches? Did I jump too many grit? I used 800, 1500, then 3000, DA with polish, still cloudy... Did I maybe burn the plastic and it cant be fixed regardles off sanding?
 
You'll think I'm crazy, but toothpaste cleans the cloudiness off. My daughter came by with her Honda Accord and the headlights were atrocious. I put some regular toothpaste on the lens and polished it in well with a terry towel. Once the lens felt smoother, I wet the towel and wiped the lens off. Voila! Looks like new again.



Mike (smelled nice afterwards too)
 
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