LEDs? BD gauge cluster and maybe HVAC bulb replacement

[ScaryFatKidGT]

Help please! There is a thread on here somewhere for a BE but nothing for the 2nd gens I want Red glow LED's for my gauge cluster/speedo and I also need to replace my HVAC bulbs (I know there is a write up for these bulbs) and my foglight, rear defrost, and Cruz button lights.

I need to know what size of bulbs to get.

I don't really wanna buy just the bulb and have to splice it in to the twist backing if they PULL out thats ok.

Idk if I want to go with LEDs because I have heard there not as bright.

[ScaryFatKidGT]

anyone?

[d1giPhux]

LED's are bright.. but they don't distribute the light properly..not wide enough of an angle. You could do it.. but it would take some mods to the LED's themselves.. like filing them down, etc.

I just replaced the bulbs on the back of my cluster. I know you will need some of the following sizes:

(5) 194 bulbs for the backlighting (buy them at napa.. they are cheap)

Also, for the very small lights like in the switches and HVAC and such.. you can use these:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... ullReviews (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103780#showFullReviews)

Just wire them into the bases like so:

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthr ... witch+bulb (http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=949688&highlight=replace+switch+bulb)

Its REALLY REALLY easy.. and its a very cheap way to replace the stock lights. Its super simple.. once you do 1.. you will wonder why anyone would ever pay the stealership for the lights! Hell.. you could technically use these for ALL your lights if you wanted to do some creative re-working of the bulb bases.. but i suggest just using them for the small bulbs like in the switches and HVAC and such. Trust me.. its NOT hard.. a child could do it.

sorry i wasnt able to remember the numbers of ALL the diff bulbs on the back of the cluster.. but i'm sure someone else has the rest of the numbers. I'm pretty sure its 194's, and 74's and something else..

I'd recommend getting your bulbs at NAPA.. places like autozone and such either don't carry them, or want like $2-3 each. Napa it was like .75-$1 each. I replaced all the ones i needed for under $6 bux.

edit: if you've never pulled the cluster out either.. its best to start on the right hand side as you are pulling it out.. and the plugs come out VERY easy if you just take a flat head screwdriver and put it under the tab and push it out. Took me a while to figure that out.. but DAMN its the most useful thing ive learned in a while! There is a small plug on the very back center too.. make sure not to rip it.. the tab you need to press is on the right hand side of the plug.. that one pulls out easy by hand.

[ScaryFatKidGT]

I got the 4 large bulbs from NAPA but they didn't know the sizes for any of the others and they had no clue about the HVAC controls.

Iv been talking with the dealership but they aren't really helpful they sell some bulbs for the HVAC but not all, and the only way to replace the gauge cluster lights is a 10-12 piece "KIT" thats like $40.

This is from sylvania but idk what instrument-general is?

Instrument-general
158
74

[d1giPhux]

No clue.. those 74's will ALMOST fit in the smaller brown bases.. all i did was use some of the smaller ones and make sure the contacts were touching.. they worked out fine. This weekend I'm going to pull mine back out and try to get the proper bulb size down at napa.. i was just lazy and they were closed this past weekend.. so i rigged some of the smaller ones and it worked fine.

For the HVAC stuff.. i'm pretty sure you can just use the radio shack bulbs and re-wire the bases. its SO simple. If your button lights dont work either.. its one of the best mod's ive ever done for cheap. Cheap and quick!

Hope someone has more info about the bulb sizes.. id be very interested to find out.

[d1giPhux]

Check out this thread too.. lots of good info:

viewtopic.php?f=39&t=1123 (http://www.sl-i.net/FORUM/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=1123)

Someone said #24 bulb was close to being the correct size for the small brown ones. Wish someone could shoot out a number for sure.. if not, I'm gonna try to figure it out this weekend. Or just continue to use my modified ones.. which are also very close in size.

[d1giPhux]

I picked up bulbs from napa.. here is some comparison.

Small Brown Backlight bulb:

The small brown bulb sockets used for back lighting. #24 bulb is on the left, stock is on the right:

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/02/bulb2-1.jpg

As you can see the #24 is a bit bigger base and bulb.. it works however.


Small Black Backlight bulb:

The small black bulb are close to a #74. Here is the comparison (#74 on left, stock on right):

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2010/02/bulb1-1.jpg

On the stock bulbs.. they read 'T50' I'm pretty sure. The #74's are close.. but you need to make sure they get a good connection on the socket. I just bent the wires up the sides so they made better contact and all was good. They may even work without that.. but i wanted a really tight hold on the socket.

[ScaryFatKidGT]

The "small brown" ones are the 2 right in the center right?

Those look really close they fit in the bulb sockets just fine? What do you mean about bending the wires? Do you have some picks of it?

[d1giPhux]

Yeah.. the 2 center ones. I don't have any pictures of how the wires are bent.. but as you can see in the picture above.. the wires coming from the inside of the bulb bend around the big flat bottom part on the 'face' of it. All i did was take the wires and bend them up the sides of the flat bottom mounting piece so it would fill in the bottom holder part a bit better and also make sure to get a good connection. Nothing too much to show / explain. If you have the bases and the bulbs.. you will see what i mean. I'm pretty sure you can just stick them in though and they will work absolutely fine. I just wanted my bulbs in the holder SUPER SUPER tight (which now that i think of it may not be such a great idea if i ever wanna get them out! LOL).

[ScaryFatKidGT]

4 large=158
3 medium=24 (2 in center and low fuel light)
14 small=74 (Says so right on the stocker even though there a little smaller)

I have a bunch of 74 bulbs but i'm having a hard time getting the bulbs out of the bases how hard do u pull? I don't wanna brake them?... Glass + Fingers = BAD

[d1giPhux]

Yeah.. weird your stock medium bulbs said 74.. none of mine say that, and i even have a bunch of extras from another car! They say like T50 on them or something strange. 74's are also a different size then my stock ones!

To get the bulbs outta the bases just wiggle them side to side a lot. You may have to break them.. if so just use needle nose pliers.. pop the bulbs and pull the base out.

[ScaryFatKidGT]

yea they say like

T something
74A

Ok I like getting destructive :smt029