gauge cluster lights *help*
12-12-2013, 12:09 PM
#1
gauge cluster lights *help* my gauge cluster lights are pretty dim and i have decided to LED them. i removed the cluster and got 5 5Xleds. anyway upon putting the leds on i noticed THIS:
regular US Z28 cluster.
MY car cluster :/
PS: car is US EXPORTED, it is Japan IMPORTED. and ive shipped it to middle east from japan. the question is do i LED the tiny ODO screen? or leave it halogen? on the inside it looks like it has its own chamber. ideas?
another question is, does polarity matter? how do i make sure the leds are on the correct polarity? i dont want to try it 10 times lol. thanks
regular US Z28 cluster.
MY car cluster :/
PS: car is US EXPORTED, it is Japan IMPORTED. and ive shipped it to middle east from japan. the question is do i LED the tiny ODO screen? or leave it halogen? on the inside it looks like it has its own chamber. ideas?
another question is, does polarity matter? how do i make sure the leds are on the correct polarity? i dont want to try it 10 times lol. thanks
Last edited by omarrakeen; 12-12-2013 at 02:19 PM.
12-12-2013, 12:14 PM
#2
okay, here is what i did. i flashed a light thru the hole and only the screen lit up! this actually is great! i get to choose a beamed LED. maybe i will just keep it in halogen. info on the polarity please. do i just slap them on? or do i need to be exact? thanks
EDIT: so i got everything installed and man i hate them..the fuel gauge is completely dim! 20-40 miles is not as bright as rest of cluster..AND they are blue! i know the film is changing the color but i was looking for bright white or ice white
maybe its the type of LEDs i got but i think am going back to halogens.
EDIT: so i got everything installed and man i hate them..the fuel gauge is completely dim! 20-40 miles is not as bright as rest of cluster..AND they are blue! i know the film is changing the color but i was looking for bright white or ice white
maybe its the type of LEDs i got but i think am going back to halogens.Last edited by omarrakeen; 12-12-2013 at 02:39 PM.
12-12-2013, 02:53 PM
#3
I have the same LEDs and mine don't have those dim spots. There is some very slight brightness variation, but not too noticeable. My guess is the LED behind the fuel gauge is not lighting...either it is backwards or it is defective/blown. Try removing that LED, turning it 180 degrees, and re-installing. Same for the one behind the speedo (the one in the middle near the guys thumb in the picture with the arrows). You could also try swapping with others that are lighting up to see if the LED is just dead. Keep note on which way they are installed because if they are 180 degrees off, they will not light.
The only other thing that comes to mind is that the "import" gauge has some different plastic internals that are directly blocking the light from reaching those parts of the gauge, but if it lit up fine with the regular bulbs it seems more like the LED isn't lighting for whatever reason.
The only way to get rid of the blue color is to scrape the blue film off of the actual gage face (on the back side), otherwise you can try a different LED bulb that comes in "Warm white" or "Natural White", instead of "Cool White".
Hope this helps.
The only other thing that comes to mind is that the "import" gauge has some different plastic internals that are directly blocking the light from reaching those parts of the gauge, but if it lit up fine with the regular bulbs it seems more like the LED isn't lighting for whatever reason.
The only way to get rid of the blue color is to scrape the blue film off of the actual gage face (on the back side), otherwise you can try a different LED bulb that comes in "Warm white" or "Natural White", instead of "Cool White".
Hope this helps.
12-12-2013, 03:06 PM
#4
I have the same LEDs and mine don't have those dim spots. There is some very slight brightness variation, but not too noticeable. My guess is the LED behind the fuel gauge is not lighting...either it is backwards or it is defective/blown. Try removing that LED, turning it 180 degrees, and re-installing. Same for the one behind the speedo (the one in the middle near the guys thumb in the picture with the arrows). You could also try swapping with others that are lighting up to see if the LED is just dead. Keep note on which way they are installed because if they are 180 degrees off, they will not light.
The only other thing that comes to mind is that the "import" gauge has some different plastic internals that are directly blocking the light from reaching those parts of the gauge, but if it lit up fine with the regular bulbs it seems more like the LED isn't lighting for whatever reason.
The only way to get rid of the blue color is to scrape the blue film off of the actual gage face (on the back side), otherwise you can try a different LED bulb that comes in "Warm white" or "Natural White", instead of "Cool White".
Hope this helps.
The only other thing that comes to mind is that the "import" gauge has some different plastic internals that are directly blocking the light from reaching those parts of the gauge, but if it lit up fine with the regular bulbs it seems more like the LED isn't lighting for whatever reason.
The only way to get rid of the blue color is to scrape the blue film off of the actual gage face (on the back side), otherwise you can try a different LED bulb that comes in "Warm white" or "Natural White", instead of "Cool White".
Hope this helps.
I tried swapping the LEDs with the oil pressure and temp gauge and still the same! am pretty sure its the LED type because it wouldve atleast became less bright but not completely dim.
those LEDs where completely white with zero hint of blue! do you think if i got new OEM lights it would be as bright? am really not into that much blue, i just want white or even stock greenish kinda color that lights evenly. man its a pain in the *** to get this cluster in!
12-13-2013, 11:27 AM
#7
IT WORKED! yay! finally lol i removed them all and reinstalled them again here is how they look now, they are not as bright and no hot spots like that i ts just the phone camera. fuel gauge is still not as bright as rest of the cluster but its totally unnoticeable thanks for the help!!
here is how they look now, they are not as bright and no hot spots like that i ts just the phone camera. fuel gauge is still not as bright as rest of the cluster but its totally unnoticeable thanks for the help!! Last edited by omarrakeen; 12-13-2013 at 11:32 AM.
