Figuero

The black cap on the rear of the drivers side headlight assembly vibrated loose and an errant housefly found its way inside and died. He is lying in state at the bottom of the light resting against the plastic lense.

I have the HID lights but they don't look like projectors. I've heard you need to remove the front bumper to remove the headlight on a facelift model and I'm not up for that.

I'm thinking of getting a small diameter plastic hose, fish it in there somehow and pull him out with a vacuum. I don't know if that will work and besides, after a bit of experimentation, I'm a bit afraid of getting the hose in but snagging it on a reverse sharp edge and not being able to get it out.

Any better ideas? I need to get him out before he starts to decompose into a green stain. They don't turn to dust.

ZedStyle

sorry i can't offer you any assistance, but i just wanted to compliment you on probably one of the most well-written posts i've read in a while...!

ohlord

not remove the bulb and suck him out via a small length of plastic fish tank air tubing?
You being the sucker and him being the suckee
ohlord
diy for facelift bumper removal is not that bad,,look on benzworld.org w210 diy section.

Figuero

Thanks olord, but I was going to use a vacuum cleaner for suction

I wasn't thinking of removing the bulb as I didn't see where that would give me any better access to the fly. There is a small gap in the lower left side of the assembly that I would push the tube through and then rig up a vacuum. Playing with it today I think it would take a pretty small diameter air line to gain safe access though.

Another idea I had is to just put a shop vac on the gap and see if I can pull him through.

I'll check out the diy for removing the bumper but I doubt I would tackle the job. Thanks again.

Figuero

Ohlord,
When you say remove the bulb isn't it inside a separate housing that has a glass lense? Removing the bulb would only give me access to the glass lense, not the plastic front lense..... or am I missing something?

ohlord

H7 halogens.Or do you have factory xenons?

Figuero

I recently bought used. I believe they are factory Xenons. There is the high voltage warning on the back of the light assembly, but looking into the light from the front, it does not have the projector type lense. Instead, there is a semi-circle separate lense inside that appears to be made of glass. The light pattern is very focused (much like the Z-Beams of old) and they have the familiar HID bright white.

Mister fly is in between the plastic lense and the glass one inside.

Thanks

Figuero

If these are factory Xenons, if the lights are off, is there any electrical charge held in the headlight assembly? Like is there a capacitor or similar storage device. I ask because I'm tempted to try another route and rig up a loop on a piece of wire and fish him out. But I don't want to exchange my life in the process.

ohlord

fishing,another one of my passions.

ejsheltra

Oh lord that is a good one. you are such the wit . I like your style and all your help.