Condensation in Centre Rear 'H' Bit Please Help Anybody?

[TheQuietOne]

Hi,

Just got my new NSX, which is amazing...but the rear centre bit with the H on it keeps filling up with condensation (and water). I've seen bits before about this, and had the same problem on a '91 CRX Vti, but I'm not going down the 'hole drilling' route just yet!

Can anyone let me in on the sectret of avoiding this please? It's really annoying when the first thing people nitice from square on at the back is the fish tank washing around between the lights. Do I have to put up and make a featiure of it with some goldfish or is there another solution?

Any advice will be gladly accepted!

P.S. Not that I think it makes any difference but the car is a X plate, 2000, 3.2 in Red with 14000 on the clock.

Cheers,

Matt.

[jaytip]

Hi there,
I know you said that you don't want to drill holes in your lights but that is the fastest and easiest solution.I did it with mine,not the centre but both left and right.I took both lights out of the car and drilled several 1mm holes along the bottom inside of the lights.When the lights were put back in the car the holes were not visible.
I hope this helps you a little.

[TheQuietOne]

Hi,

Thanks for the advice I'll see if anything else turns up though before I give it a go. Has anybody else solved the problem for the centre piece though?

Matt

[DamianW]

I tried getting mine replaced under the extended warranty because of this, only to be told it wasn't covered.

So I drilled a hole. Its been fine ever since.

[TheQuietOne]

Looks like a hole it is then! Won't bother asking Honda about in under warrently either, thanks!

[Problem Child]

Getting the car ready for Japfest I decided to tackle the condensation in the rear centre "H" panel (Luckily I dont have the problem in the lights)

I pulled back the rubber boot seal and as everyone has said it seems to gather a lot of dirt, dust etc so will clean that, but how do you remove the panel itself???
There is a black plastic strip on top which has holes which contain the 2 retaining screws but I cannot get to them because the panel joints mean I cannot get a screwdriver aligned to the screws (hope that makes sense)

Anyone with any advise as to how I get to these screws, remove the black strip and get to the centre "H" panel.

If its easier to discus, please PM me and I;ll send you my number

PS..I am not going down the "drilling" route as a solution for the condensation problem!


111661116711168

[Sudesh]

My god this is an old thread dragged up lol

Like the tail lights, the centre panel is held in from behind, with 4 screws. You need to pull the carpet in the boot back to gain access to them. A long number 10 socket is the easiest way to remove the bolts. When all 4 are off you can then pull the centre lense free.

If its been on a while it could be tight, there are a also 4 black round gaskets that are supposed to go over the bolts. These perish with age. There are no gaskets for that lens section, and you do not need to remove the black trim along the top.

[AR]

If its been on a while it could be tight, there are a also 4 black round gaskets that are supposed to go over the bolts. These perish with age. There are no gaskets for that lens section, and you do not need to remove the black trim along the top.

Sudesh there is a little seal that goes around the hole for the barrel for the boot key.

[Sudesh]

Sudesh there is a little seal that goes around the hole for the barrel for the boot key.

Hi Ary,

Don't remember ever seeing a seal round the lock on the tail light section? There is a rubber packing ring but that's kinda to the middle of the lense and goes over what looks like a small vent in the lense.

You can see it here just to the left

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j77/icongroup/JDMYELLOW/SAM_1853.jpg


Is the seal you mention part of the lock assembly?

[Sudesh]

Think Ary what your referring to is the gasket on the lock side.

Number 28 here

http://nsxpartsdb.com/img/parts/13SL00_015_7.png

[Problem Child]

Spoke to Hagasan who reckons there is a seal/ grommet for the lock.

Thanks for all the help and advice.......I'll keep you posted

[Sudesh]

Spoke to Hagasan who reckons there is a seal/ grommet for the lock.

Thanks for all the help and advice.......I'll keep you posted

See previous reply!

[Problem Child]

Decided to go along the gasket route as problem has spread to the lights too. I think cleaning all the crap out of the gulley has made it worse.

Can anyone confirm that its parts no 10 and 12 on attached diagram?
http://nsxpartsdb.com/img/parts/13SL00_005_2.png

[Hagasan]

Yes Geoff the seals are 3 & 5 and 10 & 12. They are sided


Decided to go along the gasket route as problem has spread to the lights too. I think cleaning all the crap out of the gulley has made it worse.

Can anyone confirm that its parts no 10 and 12 on attached diagram?
http://nsxpartsdb.com/img/parts/13SL00_005_2.png

[Problem Child]

Thanks, Is the Acura setup the same as the Honda with these gaskets etc?

[Hagasan]

Yes, all the same


Thanks, Is the Acura setup the same as the Honda with these gaskets etc?

[Nick Graves]

Holy Resurrection, Batman!

Just to confirm that the rear lights of the car are no longer foggy!

[Problem Child]

Even managed to order the gaskets in the UK cheaper than from the US.....there's a first!!!

[nigel]

HUK will soon sort that price c@ck-up.

Back to the centre lens.
Over here the "Acura" has their ACURA name on the inside of the centre lens and to remove it, (as I and many others have) you have to open the lens.
It's really easy. Boil it in water until the OEM glue heats and then you can open the two halfs. Piece of p!ss.
For the Acura removal, it's just a die cut decal so pick it off and done.
I explain this because it's when you re-assemble the lens you can use clear silicone seal and if you take your time sealing it all the way round, it will never be able to get water inside again.
Been there, done that and it works the business.

Cheers
nigel

[Problem Child]

Thanks for that.

Yes there are no seals for the centre lens so it will have to be sealed manually. I read something very similar on Dali Racings website.

[Kaz-kzukNA1]

Hi, Geoff.

Not sure about the state of your taillight assy but for the centre piece, as Nigel mentioned, you may need additional treatment.

Unlike the R & L assy, there is no ‘vent’ at the upper side of the centre piece.
Because of this, once the moisture gets inside the centre piece, it is very likely to be trapped there forever and it will show up as the condensation once the vaporised moisture has been cooled down.

If you can’t get rid of the moisture from the centre piece, you may need to open it like I did on my NSX and for other owners.

The method I use is to cook the centre piece inside the oven to completely vaporise the moisture before re-assembly.
For the R & L assy, you will need access to the professional oven as most of the domestic appliances are not big enough to hold the assy but for the centre piece, your ordinary home oven is big enough.

Set the temperature at about 50 – 60degC and cook the centre piece to soften the white/half clear glue. The accuracy of the temperature is not that important at this stage as the aim is to warm up and soften the glue

Then, slowly remove all of the glue bonding the plastic lens cover to the housing. It’s time consuming so you may need to heat it up again in order to keep the glue soft.

Once the glue has been removed, carefully pry off the lens cover from the housing.
You will see the red plastic plate inside there.

Now put the housing, red plate and clear lens cover back in the oven and cook them at about 60degC for about 30min.
I normally check the temperature using my hand as I don’t trust the low temperature setting of the oven. You should be able to touch the parts inside the oven for a short period and you don’t want to melt them.

After the cooking session, assemble them in a dry place and use silicone sealant or liquid gasket around the housing to seal the centre piece.


When you are installing the R & L tail light assy and the centre piece, never use excessive torque to secure them in place.
I normally just finger tighten them to align them using deep socket.


Getting rid of the moisture from the centre piece is one big task, aligning the R & L assy as well as the centre piece to the rear wing, boot lid and rear bumper is another.


Kaz