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Gauge Cluster LEDs -- I need more light!

S

Scorpion8

Hard-core CEG'er
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I've searched around, and the LED threads mainly deal with sparkly-ooh-cool upgrades to the cluster and HVAC panel. I want to replace my bulbs simply because the 161-bulbs just aren't bright enough. But I don't want/need a new gauge face, special colors, etc. All I want is brighter instrument panel lights.

Are there simple plug in LED replacements for the gauge cluster stock 161 bulbs that are much brighter? Sources?
 
There's a link somewhere on the site where you look up your make & model, then find the the bulb you want (it will have a part number), then you use that number to find the correct LED.
 
Graves said:
There's a link somewhere on the site where you look up your make & model ...
Click to expand...

The link I found says "Instruments" and is a Sylvania 161. Of course, that's not the twist-lock lamps used on the back of the instrument cluster or HVAC panel. It is the lamp under the auto-transmission indicator.

You'd think with this many Contour owners re-doing this many clusters in LEDs that the exact part would be a well known item or sticky.
 
I think there was a change in bulbs at some point. Most people have #74 sized bulbs in their gauge cluster, I've found that mine are slightly bigger.

Anyway, Screw bulb replacements. If you want nice even coverage, get some wire, a soldering iron, a glue gun, and about 20 bright wide angle led's and go to town. That's what I did.

Still need to add individual LED's for the odometers, can't see them at night. Also, 100-110mph has a chunk of plastic that blocks light. I could use a couple more at 10 and 130mph too.

IMG_0017.jpg
 
As said, you're going to get hot spots if you use LEDs, which is your only real option if you want to go brighter. You'll need 5 #74/T5 white wide-angle LEDs.
 
I have several loops of LEDs in my gauge cluster with no resistor(I calculated how many LED's it would take to use up the 12-14V) and they dim with the dimmer. They also go from dim to bright when you turn the car on but I think that's more of a side effect of voltage ramping up in the cluster. Nothing else in the car does that :shrug:
 
hotdimmes dash looks great!, but where are you mounting the bulbs in the cluster? any pics (maybe when you add the ones between 100-110)

I've used wide angle LEDs before in other cars and they seem to work the best.
 
tigerpwr said:
hotdimmes dash looks great!, but where are you mounting the bulbs in the cluster? any pics (maybe when you add the ones between 100-110)

I've used wide angle LEDs before in other cars and they seem to work the best.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I'll take pics next time I open them up to add a few bulbs. Right now I think I have two LED's for each small gauge and 5 each for the larger gauge. I just sort of spread them out and had them point at like a 45 degree angle towards the gauges. I wanted to keep them away from being directly underneath to avoid hotspots. I just sort of glue gunned them in place and adjusted as needed. A 12V power supply came in pretty handy for that. They aren't too perfect as the tach is slightly dimmer than the speedo. I probably have them aimed differently or something but you can hardly tell at night.

The hvac is tough because it isn't as deep so hotspots are almost unavoidable. I used some red LED's for the lettering and then I used a white LED for the blue on the temp control and a red for the other side.
 
tank is empty lol. That looks nice man, I think I'll go with red too. I just got to figure out how to take out the gauge cluster out. i think ill just replace the led's though.

hotdimmes said:
I think there was a change in bulbs at some point. Most people have #74 sized bulbs in their gauge cluster, I've found that mine are slightly bigger.

Anyway, Screw bulb replacements. If you want nice even coverage, get some wire, a soldering iron, a glue gun, and about 20 bright wide angle led's and go to town. That's what I did.

Still need to add individual LED's for the odometers, can't see them at night. Also, 100-110mph has a chunk of plastic that blocks light. I could use a couple more at 10 and 130mph too.

IMG_0017.jpg
Click to expand...
 
hotdimmes said:
Anyway, Screw bulb replacements. If you want nice even coverage, get some wire, a soldering iron, a glue gun, and about 20 bright wide angle led's and go to town. That's what I did.
Click to expand...

Can you post some detailed description of what you did here?
 
Looks good! I'll be doing a similar thing in the spring. My brother is going to help me change the color or the gauges without using LED's and having to worry about resistors. If anything, we'll just have to get replacement stock bulbs. Our method is a secret til we can work on it. :laugh:
 
hotdimmes said:
IMG_0017.jpg
Click to expand...


goojob.gif


:drool::drool::drool::drool::drool:

MoonlightSE said:
Looks good! I'll be doing a similar thing in the spring. My brother is going to help me change the color or the gauges without using LED's and having to worry about resistors. If anything, we'll just have to get replacement stock bulbs. Our method is a secret til we can work on it. :laugh:
Click to expand...

take the green tint off the cluster :confused:

that'll be a PITA...good luck!
 
I put 4 or 5 one watt LEDs (series, no resistor) in from superbrightleds.com... SUPER bright for sure, but they do the same thing noted before...

When the car is off, they are REALLY dim cause of undervoltage... As soon as the car starts, they get really bright and are dimmable like normal.

Oh, and before these I tried the #194 base LEDs that have like 7 LEDs... had to trim the base to fit in the twisty deals cause a #194 has a wider base, but the contacts are in the right spot. Obviously you can't do that with a glass bulb :p
 
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