Dash Lights.....UPDATED

[reewinder]

I can't get my pictures up yet....but my dash lights have been acting up for some time now. Just the right side though. The speedometer/fuel guage/temp gauge. Everything on the left side is fine, the RPM's and trunk/roof/rear window thingy. Each of the led bulbs I have in there have been getting dim and then just quit working alltogether. Every now and then they will come on and go off as if it's a short. I took the cluster out tonight to check the bulbs and they look fine. When I put it all back together now the right side doesn't light up at all. I disconnected the blue plug on the back and some of the light would flicker then go out. I can't find any loose wires or anything.
I haven't checked any fuses yet. Could it be a fuse?

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ January 08, 2008 09:28 PM: Message edited by: reewinder ]</font>

[reewinder]

It's not a fuse and I tested the led bulbs and they work. I'll have to get one of those continuity testers and see if I can track down a bad wire or something.

[reewinder]

O.K.
I think I solved the mystery. The l.e.d. bulbs are slightly bigger in diameter than the regular bulbs so when you put them into the holders it makes them flange out a bit.....making it difficult to pop back into the back of the cluster. Having to use more force to get them in there probably made them a bit loose....and when the weather turned cold it caused the plastic to expand and contract probably causing the bad connections. I wonder if having the heater vent on the left of the dash kept that side warmer than the other and why it wasn't affected at all???
Anyways, I pulled all the blue led lights out and put in better red led bulbs. Will try to get better pictures up sometime. The red looks much, much better than this picture shows.


before



after


<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ January 08, 2008 09:26 PM: Message edited by: reewinder ]</font>

[reewinder]

My first ones I bought on ebay. These red ones I got from https://www.superbrightleds.com/led_prods.htm

You can get the 74 Wedge Base LED bulb
(wich is what my blue ones were) or....
I highly recommend paying a little bit more and going with the 74-xHP Wedge Base LED Bulb. They have a 6 lumen output vs a 2 lumen output.
http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b....31996&next=50
You need 7 for the dash and I also put one in the ashtray. I ordered 10 just to be safe. I guess a person could also switch out the bulbs for the temperature controls....I think I read somewhere there's 2 in there.

[pLaYbOi]

where...the...HELL...did you get those red bulbs?!?!?!? i've been lookin for some forever!!!!! I seriously need to get my hands on some of those to go with my whole interior theme.

[Nitrodelsol]

I saw your dash with the red leds and it reminded me of my buddies evo MR. I was wondering though how much brighter are the leds compared with the stock dash lights and if you can vary their brightness with the switch on the dash light the stock ones.

[reewinder]

The dimmer switch works with these.
The best way I can put into words the difference between stock bulbs and led's is kinda like switching from dial up internet to cable broadband.
I couldn't find the same bulbs on that other site Mitch posted.
Here's a tip if you want to install them....
They have to go in a certain direction so if they don't light up then you gotta remove bulb from holder and turn around 180 degrees. To get them all done right I tested each one before putting them into cluser with a 9v battery hooked up to a 9v connector. Just touch one end of each wire to each side to see if it lights up, if not turn it around. Much easier than pulling the cluster wires back out.

[OfTheSun]

I've been meaning to do this for a while. I just need to get off my lazy @$$ and do it.

Another site that offers LEDs is http://www.autolumination.com

See if you can find those part numbered bulbs there for cheaper. But all in all superbrightleds is a good site.

[pLaYbOi]

alright i purchased the more expensive ones. I'm kinda pumped cause i've been wanting to do this for the LONGEST LONGEST LONGEST time i swear! the car's interior is suppose to have a black/red/silver color theme. I shoulda probably ordered more for the temp controls but i'll try out these for the cluster first. WOOT!!!!!

[pLaYbOi]

err!!! tried fitting the bulbs in and they seem to be a bit too fat in diameter to put back in. did you just continue to try and force them in reewinder?