DCookSta

Hey guys I know this has been beat to death, but I have a few questions. A few weeks ago I took apart the dash of my '98 FX. Behind the gauge cluster there seem to be 3 sizes of bulbs.

1.
I know about the #194 and the #73/74's in there. But what's that inbetween bulb size?

2.
Maybe i'm just looking at it wierd...anyway I was changing the 73/74's behind the air temp controls with blue #74 LED lights, and the light doesn't always spread even, like on the blower control "1" is real bright, but 2,3,4 and dim. Is that just the nature of the LED? I would like it to be equal brightness on all sides, is there anyway to achieve that with LEDs in stock bulb locations?

3.
For the Tach and Speedo I have 4 #194 blue (non LED) bulbs, while i was waiting for SBL to get them in stock. The color with the bulbs is blotchy as hell. Some places are bright some are dim. Now I want to go LED behind the tach and speedo, but now i'm scared the the LED light won't be even all the way around either in the stock bulb locations. Do the Single #149 LED have a wide even lighting angle? or a sharp point on light like the #73/74 LEDS?

Ok, you know my questions. I'm just curious if the lights will be even or not. (damn i'm wordy)

01tibby

1. the in between bulb size isnt really an inbetween bulb size. because you can fit 73/74 sized bulbs in there. im guessing that is actually the difference. the smaller ones may be 73, the larger may be 74. ypu cannot fit the larger housing in the smaller warning light spots though, its barely to big.

2. the problems with leds is that they can only shoot light in one angle. that being said, there are many ways around it. you can sand or chip down the surface, and that will spread it out quite nicely. for the blower controls, i first used the "Single LED Wedge Base Bulbs" from superbrightleds.com. i cut the wires right at those two stock bulbs, and soldered those special 'domed' into place(green/white wire is positive). the domed leds actually fit almost perfectly into the holes for the bulbs, but use some tape if they are loose. this is what that method looks like. its kinda dim as you can see, because the clock looks really bright(exposure was to long).
http://ourworld.cs.com/Luigi3011/DSCN1035.JPG

it wasnt bright enough for me, so i made it better. i ran one long wire for ground and power from one led and tapped it into the blub wires. i then connected tons of leds to those wires. they were 5mm leds. i sanded the tops of them down flat too. i drilled some holes in that white backing(i think about .25 inch) put the sanded leds in there, and dabbed some superglue on them so they would stay put. this worked TONS better, and the light is so crisp.

this is real brightness too mind you. the exposure was set very short.
http://img43.photobucket.com/albums/v132/l...ni-DSCN1652.jpg

3. does superbrighleds even have those bulbs? anywho, it is VERY hard to even led light behind the cluster, even with the tops sanded down. i got pretty close though...
http://rdtiburon.com/index.php?name=PNphpB...iewtopic&t=1612
the single 'dome' 194 leds do have a wide veiwing angle, but they arent that bright, and thing will look dull.

if yuo need some leds, check at the bottom of my post here.
http://www.rdtiburon.com/index.php?name=PN...iewtopic&t=1318

i think i used about 8 total back there. if you want me to make a kit of exactly what you need and then post the price, i will. ill sand down the leds for you for 10 extra cents on the led too. or you could just send me the blower control assembly, and i'd do it for you for 20 bucks.
http://www.rdtiburon.com/index.php?name=PN...iewtopic&t=1318

DCookSta

I've decided that's too much junk I have to fabricate, usually i'm up for it, but i'm just about ready to have my dash back together. I'm just gonna order some gauges, and get some led's behind the needles to get them brighter.

Thanks for the info tho...