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Dashboard Gauge Backlights...

GoldZilla
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GoldZilla Grand Master

GoldZilla

Posted
Posted

Hey all,

the backlighting on the left hand side of my dash has gone, so I can't read my fuel gauge or the lower half of my speedo at night. Has anyone had to replace these globes before, and what do I need to know before I tackle the job.

I remember the

of the guage upgrade, where some dude showed how to remove and replace the dash once they put some EL gauges in there, but how much harder is it to get to the actual globes? Is it just the 8-odd screws and a few plugs, then pull it out and access the globes from the side or back?

Also, are they generic dash globes?

Thanks in advance...

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https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/176505-dashboard-gauge-backlights/
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Brycey Proficient

Brycey

Posted
Posted

hey mate, i just got a set of these in red

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/in...howtopic=158385

great quality product, i have some pictues of how installed them somewhere, ill find them and post them up

mitchy_ Grand Master

mitchy_

Posted
Posted

you just remove the cluster (PM me if that video doesnt show you how, its a pretty easy process) and then when you take out the cluster, there will be a bunch of brown 'caps' in the back of it, unscrew them, and they hold your bulbs. :blink:

rb26stagea Grand Master

rb26stagea

Posted
Posted
hey mate, i just got a set of these in red

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/in...howtopic=158385

great quality product, i have some pictues of how installed them somewhere, ill find them and post them up

Hey Brycey, did you do the climate control bulbs as well?? If so, which type are they?? I am ordering the same kit, but there was some confusion as to which to use for the climate control....

Thanks mate,

Micah

Brycey Proficient

Brycey

Posted
Posted (edited)

as Mitch described its a fairly easy process.. at some points it gets a bit tight but once you get started its really easy.. most stuff are either clipped or screwed in.. i started by undoing these 2 screws (there’s one on the right as well). once you get this face panel half-off you have to unplug all the switches.. this was probably the most difficult part of removing it but if you got some patience then you'll be right. plugging them back in was fairly simple

img3972ua6.jpg

when you get that panel off, you’ll find the gauge cluster that is held in by 4 screws, simply undo the screws and it moves freely

photo0389gs2.jpg

if you decide to take the cluster all the way out (i didn’t do this, i kept the cluster plugged in, there is enough slack in the loom for it to move around inside the dash),here are the bulbs to replace (not my picture, taken from the "for sale" thread for the lights)

naonaosaesaeimg600x4501cj3.jpg

and here is the LED light (left) compared to the standard globe (right) sorry about the bad picture..

photo0390gg6.jpg

if you run into any troubles then ill take some better pictures and do a better write up..

Micah - nah i havent done the AC lights on mine because i dont have that unit :blink: i have the S2 satnav/tv pack :nyaanyaa: (soon to be converted to the single din climate control but!) if you search through that thread you quoted me on i think they talk about how to do it and what to use.. if he cant come through with what you need then you can buy kits for the stagea climate control single din unit LED conversion from yahoo auctions :domokun:

Edited by Brycey
rb26stagea Grand Master

rb26stagea

Posted
Posted

Micah - nah i havent done the AC lights on mine because i dont have that unit :blink: i have the S2 satnav/tv pack :nyaanyaa: (soon to be converted to the single din climate control but!) if you search through that thread you quoted me on i think they talk about how to do it and what to use.. if he cant come through with what you need then you can buy kits for the stagea climate control single din unit LED conversion from yahoo auctions :domokun:

cool.... Sorry to hijack your thread, but where do I get white guages?? have searched and can't seem to find any relevent threads except for the disastrous group buy. I NEED white guages!

rb26stagea Grand Master

rb26stagea

Posted
Posted

Micah - nah i havent done the AC lights on mine because i dont have that unit :blink: i have the S2 satnav/tv pack :nyaanyaa: (soon to be converted to the single din climate control but!) if you search through that thread you quoted me on i think they talk about how to do it and what to use.. if he cant come through with what you need then you can buy kits for the stagea climate control single din unit LED conversion from yahoo auctions :domokun:

cool....thanks. Sorry to hijack your thread, but where do I get white guages?? have searched and can't seem to find any relevent threads except for the disastrous group buy. I NEED white guages!

Thanks,

Micah

GoldZilla Grand Master

GoldZilla

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hmmm, I got around to pulling the dash apart this arvo to have a look at the globe that wasn't working. My old man told me we should have had some spare globes around in the garage, but sure enough I couldn't find the right ones.

Anyway, considering I couldn't be bothered going to the shops to get some, I decided that for now I would just swap the globes around so I could see my fuel gauge and lower half of the speedo at night, and not bother about the top half of the speedo for now. I never do much more than 110-115 on the freeway, so I don't need to be able to read that area between 120 and 180, but I DO need to know how fast I'm going around the 'burbs, and know how much fuel I've got.

So, having swapped the bulbs around, I checked my work before re-assembling the dash, and what do you know, the WHOLE area lights up! I checked that they were working at least four times again, during and after the assembly of the dash, and it's still all good. I know I removed, swapped and replaced globes, but I didn't actually change any...

Minor miracle of the day, maybe?

  • 3 weeks later...
MyStag260 Rising Star

MyStag260

Posted
Posted

Hey rb26stagea, im looking to get one of those cool LED kits aswell, let me know how it goes on your beast. I am also wanting to get white gauge faces... have you had any luck finding a source? i know of a place where to get the full EL Glow gauge setup... but im not too keen on it, they are a bit too rice for me.

Cheers

rb26stagea Grand Master

rb26stagea

Posted
Posted

I've been a slackass: I've had the LEDs in for 3 days now. They are awesome. If I were to have any complaints at all, it would be that they are a tad too bright, but I used to have my dimmer turned almost all the way down in previous cars, so that's really personal preference.

I will take some snaps tonight and post them.

I didn't get to find the white guages, only the EL ones, and in my opinion, the blue backlight looks heaps better.

I still have to find a decent auto sparky to takle the climate control LEDS, because my car now looks like 'Vegas:

Blue main guages, EL boost guage on the A pillar, The clock is green (haven't installed my other Mearkat pod yet), The turbo timer is red, the climate control is std white, and the avc-r is orance/turqoise. I also have to find a pair of useful (i.e. oil press, oil temp, wideband a/f) guages that light up in blue, so I can install the Mearkat centre pod.

I want consistency.

MyStag260 Rising Star

MyStag260

Posted
Posted

Yeah thats what im looking at aswell i want it to be nice and matching. I might look more into the EL guage situation... they do look cool. not sure though. WIll see what the cost is involved.

Id like to see some pics as soon as you have em, not just real close up though like from maybe the back seats so you can see tho whole dash? Anythings good though

  • 2 weeks later...
rb26stagea Grand Master

rb26stagea

Posted
Posted
Yeah thats what im looking at aswell i want it to be nice and matching. I might look more into the EL guage situation... they do look cool. not sure though. WIll see what the cost is involved.

Id like to see some pics as soon as you have em, not just real close up though like from maybe the back seats so you can see tho whole dash? Anythings good though

ok - trying yo get photos - would you believe not a single aa powered device in my house had enough juice left to take a photo with?? Will have the photos posted wednesday night. Sorry for delay!!

MyStag260 Rising Star

MyStag260

Posted
Posted (edited)

haha you wouldn't believe how many times i have pulled every single TV remote control apart for batteries.... you know this is sounding way way to dogdy so i think im just gonna leave it there.

Lesson in life though, you will buy disposable batteries dozens of times because they are cheap... buy rechargables a butt load of em you will use them for years and when stuff runs out all ya gota do is charge em up a gain in a few minutes, initial outlay is big but worth it.

If your car battery only cost $10 but you had to replace it every month would you? or would you spend the $100 for one that lasts a couple of years?

im tired... going to bed

Edited by MyStag260

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