05 STS water in headlight

Wiring, DIY, lighting, etc.
kevm14
Posts: 15200
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: 05 STS water in headlight

Post by kevm14 »

Rinsed and dried headlamp assembly. The desiccant packets were pretty soaked BUT there was really not that much water in the housing even after a year. I suspect I just have a slight leak where the front lens attaches to the bucket. So I will caulk that. I bought GE clear and I will try to be neat and hide it under the little plastic cover pieces that snap over. I also heated up the ballast which wasn't really wet. I should probably test to make sure the bulb and ballast are still good. I may have a spare bulb on the shelf but not a spare ballast. This job spilled over into today because yesterday I was doing multiple things and ended up doing tractor stuff before I finished my STS.
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I have to make sure I have enough RTV for the ballast cover also as you cannot buy a new gasket (or cover) anymore.
kevm14
Posts: 15200
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: 05 STS water in headlight

Post by kevm14 »

It would appear that the ballast finally quit. I guess I can't blame it...now to see what local sources have for stock and price and make a decision on whether I want to wait for RockAuto.
kevm14
Posts: 15200
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: 05 STS water in headlight

Post by kevm14 »

Uh...RockAuto doesn't have it?

And GM Parts Direct also says unavailable?? I swear that was available when I looked a few years back.
kevm14
Posts: 15200
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: 05 STS water in headlight

Post by kevm14 »

eBay has used 16531935 ballasts for around $55 but no new....wtf. I guess I have to look at aftermarket. Which I would have expected RockAuto to also have....and they don't.
kevm14
Posts: 15200
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: 05 STS water in headlight

Post by kevm14 »

Advance Auto site is down for maintenance. WHY!!!!

Also no ballast on Napa site...
kevm14
Posts: 15200
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: 05 STS water in headlight

Post by kevm14 »

This is sucking. It looks like this is an older ballast model. Used as early as the 1998 Seville w/ HIDs. And up through about 2006 on the STS and XLR. Well that's not entirely true though it looks very similar. According to eBay, this is the actual applicability:
Cadillac STS 05-06
Cadillac XLR 04-06
Jesus Christ.

At this point, options include trying used or adapting a more generic D1S ballast. I really don't feel like making a science project out of this, or MORE of one...
kevm14
Posts: 15200
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: 05 STS water in headlight

Post by kevm14 »

I knocked on it with my knuckles and nothing. Grabbed a 3/8" extension and did a couple of raps and it popped right on.
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Standby while I fool around with this some more...

Here is the ballast.
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kevm14
Posts: 15200
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: 05 STS water in headlight

Post by kevm14 »

Well I put it back together. I threw in like 5 desiccant packets. RTV'd the ballast cover/gasket. Didn't do anything special with the rear cover gasket. It was slightly moist from the dielectric grease I put on it last time and decided not to reapply. I believe the gaskets are a type of foam.

Anyway, then I used the clear GE Silicone 2+ around the perimeter and tried to smooth it with a wet finger. After that I reapplied the black surrounds and it doesn't look too bad. You can tell the silicone is there because you can see it through the lens. But if I used black it would have turned the entire surround black instead of clear so I think clear was the way to go. Black wouldn't have looked totally out of place but it wouldn't have matched the other side anyway (I know how much do I really care?).
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You can see some there but most of that is covered by the bumper.
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Excuse the hazy camera lens cover...
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The black trim piece on the right is what mates with the hood when it shuts and everything to the left of that is hidden by the bumper.
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Again I tried to be diligent about making a bead that would actually seal. Oh speaking of actually seal, I went around with a q-tip and alcohol before I did the caulk. Yes, I actually want this to work.
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And yes the ballast is still working after I tapped on it. Hilarious. I let it set for an hour also.
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I will leave it in the garage the rest of the night just to give it an extra fighting chance. At this point my main goal is for it to work for my inspection - I can deal with more later but I need it to pass this month. As much as this is all very annoying, being on a deadline issued by the state is WAY more annoying.

If this actually works I will feel pretty silly for not attempting before. I guess I had it in my head that I had to pull the whole lens cover off the bucket.
kevm14
Posts: 15200
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: 05 STS water in headlight

Post by kevm14 »

Headlight turned on when backing out of the garage and was still on when I got to work. Fixed forever?
kevm14
Posts: 15200
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: 05 STS water in headlight

Post by kevm14 »

Headlights turned on after I left the liquor store. Well, one did....

Got home, got a long 3/8" extension. Basically just kept smacking the ballast cover which I fortunately could get to between the body and air filter housing. After like the 10th or 15th tap the light flashed on.

I can see how this will go. When I drop the car off, if the light isn't working, I'll tap on it until it does, then go inside and finish dropping the car off. Good lord. Could try a used ballast and really not sure what other options I really have other than buying a new light that includes everything.
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