Dash-LED Conversion

[02AleroEco]

I am looking to do a LED Dash conversion, the stock is green, but i want to change it to Red, i dont kno if there has been a Tutorial put up on how to do this, but if anyone has done this, could they please send me the steps in a PM on how to do it?

[cherrington17]

Stock is green?? are you looking to change the backlighting, or specific bulbs?

If your just looking to change the backlighting bulbs, thats not too hard. I'm currently running 2 different colors.
Links:
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w246/cherrington17/2006_0427interior0019.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w246/cherrington17/2006_0427interior0025.jpg

the red shows up just as bright as the blue (i put a resistor or two inline with the blue so its not SUPER bright) but the red didn't show very bright on my camera.

if that is what your looking for, i don't think there is a HOW TO for it. But the job isn't that hard.

[02AleroEco]

yea, the original backlighting is green, and its super icky, specailly since my Cd player backlighting is Red... they dont go good at all, so i want a color like blue so that it looks semi sweet

So its a matter of removing the dash, and once you know which ones tro replace, pop out the old ones and put in the new? im ok at soldering, so will soldering be required?

[cherrington17]

there are 7 194 bulbs in a plastic clip behind the gauge cluster. There are two different ways to do it....

The first step is getting the cluster out. Its pretty easy. There are two screws in the top of the plastic outside the gauges. Take those out, and pop the black plastic outer ring out. then there are 2 screws up top, and 2 more below the cluster, to hold it in place. Remove those, and unclip the wire harness from the top right.

[cherrington17]

Then you have to do the led conversion. The 194 bulbs (bigger ones in there) can just be twisted and popped out. With a little work, the bulbs come out, its easier to take a small screwdriver and straighten the wires in the clip, so they pull straight out.... instead of breaking them and trying to get the pieces out.

I've seen people replace each bulb with 1,2or 3 leds. I used one of each color, so i can switch back and forth... which takes more work. But if you just use one, you can carefully solder a resistor in there, and just put the proper conacts back through the plastic clip. twist it back into place, and your done.

Me? i chose the harder method. I reran 3 wires from each one. One blue, One red and a ground. There is enough room back there for you to do that, but you'll have to be careful to protect your solder joints, so you don't short anything, and have metal contacts touching the circuit board, which could present problems.

[cavaliers60]

or you could just buy some 194 Red LED bulbs and replace the regular 194 bulbs with those....... no soldering, and no wireing... that's if you just want one color.... I did that with my gauge cluster.... It's sooooo much easier than all this soldering stuff. lol Here's the site I got my bulbs from

http://www.superlumination.com/

[02AleroEco]

Can i get these bulbs at Advance Auto cheap?? or do i need to get them online

[cavaliers60]

I couldn't find any at Autozone... IF you do, and they are cheaper, I'd get them with autozone... but this is about the only site I found and the cheapest.... They aren't that expensive..... to me they aren't. lol

[cherrington17]

if you do that, make sure the glass is coated, NOT just a film on them. (probably cost a little more that way)

cuz that film will fade, and you'll end up with pink or something. :lol: i went w/ LEDs cuz the color is permanent, and i already had then around....

[cavaliers60]

what glass???? I'm confused...

[cherrington17]

the glass in the bulb. the 194 bulb itself.. (maybe its hard plastic.. i don't know)

[Gr1m]

he is talking about the colored sleves you can put over your stock lights to change the color

[02AleroEco]

Thanks turned out great... i found a 2 pack of the 194B at AdvanceAuto for like 1.50/PAIR.. i just need to get 1 more bulb.. looks sweet so far

[cavaliers60]

oh I wasn't talking about the film cover stuff.... lol

[Gr1m]

yea i would like to know what the dome light bulb is if i wanted to get an LED for the tube looking one

[jturkey69]

i went ahead and deleted the other thread since this one was well into the direction of answers needed......don't take offense I'm just trying to help :)

[cherrington17]

the tube lights should be 3157? from superbrightleds.com

[02AleroEco]

nice, the dome lights are the next ones im doing. the center ones(two small ones) are 194s and the tube one(im stll trying to find, in blue)..

[cavaliers60]

If I can get a good picture to turn out, I'll snap a pic of my interior lights... I replaced all the lights with white LEDs (the two in the mirror, the one in the dome light, and the two under the dash).... The other two in that dome light, I put blue LEDs in, but rarely use them cause of the police... Other than that, it looks pretty cool. I'm thinking of doing the same thing with my new car whenever I get it... I like the Whiteness of the LEDs.

[cherrington17]

i replaced my dome light with 12 white leds. just hot glued them in... and wired them to the terminals. 4 facing front, 4 center, 4 back.

only problem i have with it, is that it lights up nice and bright w/ the car running (~14.5V) but really dim w/ just the battery (~11.5V) since i toasted my battery twice.

[clutch1]

If I can get a good picture to turn out, I'll snap a pic of my interior lights... I replaced all the lights with white LEDs (the two in the mirror, the one in the dome light, and the two under the dash).... The other two in that dome light, I put blue LEDs in, but rarely use them cause of the police... Other than that, it looks pretty cool. I'm thinking of doing the same thing with my new car whenever I get it... I like the Whiteness of the LEDs.

You can't really see the dome light from outside of the car, you don't have a thing to worry about with the police.

I drove around with cathodes sewn into my headliner right above the windows and didn't even have problems once.
And even in the Buick with blue LEDs in the front domelights I've been ok.

but I usppose better safe than sorry could play out, too.

[Gr1m]

the tube lights should be 3157? from superbrightleds.com
can anyone vouch for this? thinking about doing it today

[Ghadsphi]

A little poking on their site says 4410's. They link to the sylvania site and at least on the 2003 ho they say the dome replacement is a 212-2 which their chart says is 4410. If it's anything like mine it won't look anything like the bulb you'll pull out. Mine had looped wires on each end instead of metal cones. But when I put in the 212-2 it fit just fine. I think I ened up bending the prongs a little just to make it grab a little tighter so I felt better...

[adam337]

Dear Cherry:
Please make a detailed how to on the whole gauge thing i just bought 10 red led's and 10 resistors and i know how to get the thing apart. just not very good at the whole soldering shit and knowing a damn thing about leds :)

[cavaliers60]

Dear Cherry:
Please make a detailed how to on the whole gauge thing i just bought 10 red led's and 10 resistors and i know how to get the thing apart. just not very good at the whole soldering shit and knowing a damn thing about leds :)

Like I said before..... If you just want one color behind the gauge, it's much easier just getting the 194 LED bulbs and sticking them in there... No soldering, no wireing, nothing! Just plug in and light up! lol

[adam337]

Note the fact that i already bought leds. youre really not helping cav =\

[cavaliers60]

Well then have fun....

[adam337]

ill try..

[adam337]

-bump- for cherry..

[cherrington17]

This up coming week, i'll have some free time, so i might be able to take my gauges out and take pics. But don't bank on it... I've been really busy lately.

check the how to, for wiring leds for basic knowledge of what i'm gonna say. (wiring and distribution block)

I have a small 12 screw distro (6 on each side) Of course, this will cause you to have to over lap some wires, but that won't be a problem.

1: Remove the plastic holders, and remove the 194 bulbs. The easiest way is to look at the bottom where the metal contacts are. Take a small screwdriver or knife and pull out the leads. Then the bulb should just pull straight out.

2: Insert the led... facing forward. Make SURE to sand the tip down flat. It'll look like crap if you don't. I used one per color, in each. Some people used more, its just brighter that way.

3: You can either solder the resistor to either lead, and carefully wrap the leads where the old 194 bulb leads were, thus avoiding to run any more wires. (suggested method) you'll just have to figure out which way to clip it back in, for the correct power/ground combination

4: [if you ignore the previous step] You can just run the leads out each side, totally ignoring the contacts on the circuit board. After each led is in place, but a small bead of hot glue around it, to insure it stays put. (don't want them flopping around in there) Solder a red wire to the power, black to the ground. Personally, i put resistors on the ground side. This is entirely up to you, it doesn't make a difference.

5: Run the soldered wires to the distro block. (i separated mine into red and blue, but yours would be all the same) I ran all the grounds together, and soldered them to one main line that i ran to a solid ground.

6: Splice your center console cubby hole power wire (gray?) and run a line from that to the distro block. be sure to include the jumper so the power is spread to all the spots on the block. This will make it so your lights will turn on at night, only.

7: Make sure your parking break isn't pulled (my "night" lights don't turn on if it is) and find a dark spot.. then sit back and embrace the glow. If its too bright, you can put a resistor in line w/ the power, to restrict some power... I don't think i had to do this for my reds, but i did for the blues.

I ran all the wires off to the right of the cluster. Using some duct tape on the black plastic behind the gauges to hold the wires in place, since there isn't much room once you reinsert the gauges. There should be a gap between where your radio is, and where the gauges are. I put the distro in there. It doesn't touch anything.

Also keep in mind.... It took me like 3 months of troubleshooting to finally get it to stay, unflickering and short proof. There were many nights i was driving home with no gauge lights. Be careful and do things right the first time, and you won't have to do this. I tend to start projects, take forever, then speed up and get sloppy at the end. DON'T DO THAT!

Good luck.

[sorrowfulkiller]

Thanks turned out great... i found a 2 pack of the 194B at AdvanceAuto for like 1.50/PAIR.. i just need to get 1 more bulb.. looks sweet so far

Shit... not bad I just got some for like 1.98 a pair... probably change those out tonight

[sorrowfulkiller]

Well I got mine changed out with some bulbs... although their not as bright as I had hoped for and not exactly the right color because of the green on the stock gauges... I'll probably change them out with leds later on... possibly later this month and I'll def get a new gauge kit to change the greenish tint... xD now I have 3 light colors in my car! Blue, Green, and AQUA!!!:lol: