Need help with a headlight lens issue

[robkay]

Originally Posted by yarisugi

First you'll have to remove the existing stuff from the channels. Then replace with butyl rubber sealant like from this source
You could try to re-use the gray stuff, but you still would have to place the headlights in the oven to soften the sealant so you could press the lens to the housing.
Avoid silicone.

Thank you so much! I really made a boo boo pulling that lens off. I didn't know any better. Going to have to improvise I think.

I can't use the oven in the house because I worry that heating the sealant could produce vapors that would be toxic to my pets. I don't want to turn a problem into a tragedy. I'm going to try re-heating what is left of the existing sealant with a heat gun (outside), and adding some DAP butyl caulk as needed. It ain't gonna be fun.

Well, heating the original adhesive with a heat gun seemed to work. Before pushing the lens back in I quickly squirted some DAP Butyl caulk in the spots where the adhesive was gone or was thin. The lens slipped back in surprisingly easily and the snaps popped right in. There were a couple areas around the seam where there was a little gap (the adhesive probably got too cool before I inspected the seam). I squeezed some DAP into a syringe (no needle), then pushed it into the gaps. It ain't pretty, but hopefully will be sealed.