Painting Headlight Housings for 92-95 Civics (EG Civics) and 96-00 Civics (EK Civics)
Courtesy of BrokenLimits from ClubSi.com
Step 1: Remove Bumper
Step 2: Unscrew Headlights
There are four screws holding each headlight on. Two screws are on top and then one on each side of the headlight. Take out the Headlight bulb (do not touch glass) and the corner bulb and the weather proofing rubber grommet.
Step 3: Bring Headlights inside
The first thing you will need to do is remove 2 black rubber pipe looking objects. These allow the headlight to vent out moisture and prevent the headlight from getting too hot inside.
For EG Civic You will need to remove a lot more hardware as shown
Step 4: Prep Oven
This is a good time to clean your headlights. Since they are out of your car it is an easy task. You will need to preheat your oven to 200 degrees. Go ahead and get a cookie sheet or flat pan and line it with tin foil.
Step 5: Place Headlights in Oven
Place your headlight (one at a time) on the cookie sheet and place the cookie sheet in the oven. Make sure the headlight is not touching any side of the oven. If it touches the oven you may melt it. Set a Timer for 10-13 minutes depending on your oven (it will be safe up to 15 minutes). Remember the hotter the better to separate the two pieces.
Step 6: Separating the two pieces
Pull the headlight out of the oven using a pot holder (its pretty hot). This requires two or more people. Have one person hold the gray part of the headlight. Have the second person use a flat head screw driver to pry the two pieces apart. After the top 2 clips come apart (as long as the headlight is hot enough) the rest of it will separate very easily.
This is one of the two
and the second. You can set this piece aside, you wont need it for a while.
EG Civics Will Look Something Like this:
Step 7: Remove Housing from Plastic Piece
Two screws hold the housing to the plastic piece. Unscrew them and gently pull the two pieces apart.
Again EG Civics Will Look something like this...
IF YOU PLAN ON PAINTING YOUR HEADLIGHTS CONTINUE IF NOT TO SKIP TO STEP 10 for CLEARING THE YELLOW PART AND PUTTING THE HEADLIGHT BACK TOGETHER
Step8: Now that you have the Bezel separated you must prep it for paint. You can do this one of two ways, if you want the part around the reflector to still be silver put masking tape around the small grove located on the bezel. This is what I did so my turn signals still reflected nicely. If not you can pain the entire bezel and it will still look very nice. Clean the bezel and dry it thoroughly.
Step 9: Using the color of your choice (I have found that Duplicolor brand Gun Metal Spray paint which is available at your local Wal-Mart in the hobbies section looks the best) Apply small even coats. Basically apply a single coat very lightly and then walk away and then come back 10 minutes later and do it again. This prevents the paint from running and ruining the nice paint job. You want to do many light coats rather than one heavy coat. Once you are satisfied with the color allow to dry for at least 2 hours because you will have to handle it to put the light back together.
Step 10: Removing Yellow Plastic Reflector
The yellow reflector just snaps out of the housing. Be very careful not to break off the prongs (we did and had to use Zap-A-Gap to put it back together)
Step 11: Covering Reflector
Using the Chrome Duct tape we bought from Wal-Mart, cover the reflector as shown. Be sure to cover all the yellow as anything left will be seen. Don't worry too much about creases, when the headlight goes back in the oven they will work themselves out.
Step 12: Place the reflector back
Place the reflector back into the housing being very careful not to break off the prongs. Then using a mild cleaning product or even just a damp paper towel clean off all fingerprints off the chrome housing (UNLESS YOU PAINTED IT).
Step 13: Putting it all back together
Screw the housing back to the front plastic piece. Then place the two pieces we previously pulled apart back together as best as you can. Then place the headlight back in the oven on 200 degrees for another 10-15 minutes. Pull out the headlight and smash it together as hard as you can. This utilizes the factory caulk to seal the headlight.
Step 14: Caulking
Using the Clear Silicone caulk create a small bead all the way around the headlight. This will prevent any moisture from getting into the headlight. DON'T FORGET TO PUT THE RUBBER HOSES BACK ON THE HEADLIGHT
Final Product
This is what a non-painted headlight will look like with a chrome reflector instead of the yellow
Painted Headlights with taped off turn signal area (I recommend not doing this as my new headlights do not have this)