DIY: Brighter Gauge Lights

[FastWoman]

Nice graphic!

Actually the green lenses wouldn't knock down the light from green LEDs much at all. I'd just leave them in place if I were doing it. Also I don't think it matters how much light spread there is. The light is simply dumped into the can and bounces around from there.

FAIW, I've read of others brightening their panels by painting the insides of their cans white. I suppose you could even nix the lenses and paint the can innards green.

[tymarbry]

Yeah if I were to put in LEDs I would probably get some aluminum spray paint or just some model paint from like testors to help the light spread more thoroughly.

Because the black gauges will absorb some of the light and silver or white would be the best to in illumination for the gauge. I think it just might be hard to spray paint it because you'd have to remove all of the parts inside the gauge and losing or breaking something wouldn't end well.

[nismopunch]

very nice detailed writeup! i thought too about switching to LED bulbs, but wondering the same thing if they would not spread light evenly and end up with big bright spots..

[draztik280]

Well today I gave up looking at my very dim gauges. I replaced all the dash light and bought leds from ebay. I followed this instructions with ease. And this is the result I got after installing and painting the inside white.

Now this picture shows the dash on the dimmest setting.

<a href=http://s101.photobucket.com/albums/m78/supermechanix/?action=view&current=20130202_111602_LLS.jpg target=_blank><img src=http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m78/supermechanix/20130202_111602_LLS.jpg border=0 alt=></a>

And on the highest setting. Which kinda give it like a lexus instrument look.

<a href=http://s101.photobucket.com/albums/m78/supermechanix/?action=view&current=20130202_111618_LLS.jpg target=_blank><img src=http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m78/supermechanix/20130202_111618_LLS.jpg border=0 alt=></a>

Very happy on the results. So thanks for this thread.

[Chubbs]

Draz do you have a link or seller name for the leds that you bought or what did you search for at least? Also how do you control the brightness of the dash lights? thnx:)

[SteveJ]

Draz do you have a link or seller name for the leds that you bought or what did you search for at least? Also how do you control the brightness of the dash lights? thnx:)

Superbrightleds has an excellent selection of LEDs.

You control the brightness the same way you do with incandescent bulbs.

[drawz]

Hello. Hope someone could help me out. After pulling the needle on the speedo, and put back together it now shows wrong speed.

 

I know where I went wrong. I pulled the needle when it rested on the needle-stop pin and put back there... Should have pulled it when it rested freely and put pack in the same position..

 

Is there any way I can fix this myself?

[Flamekillerr]

2 Days ago my voltage regulator went out, producing an overvoltage and blowing all the lights that were on in my car except the headlights.Yesterday i started on the dash lights first and removed all the gauges and disassembled them, I took out all the green light filters and replaced all the bulbs and this was the end result. Much brighter gauges and A LOT easier to see now!

EDIT: Ignore the oil gauge ( I have run a oil line into the car to a mechanical gauge to get a better reading as replacing the oil sending unit last year ended up saying no oil pressure on the stock gauge)

Edited February 4, 2020 by Flamekillerr

[heyitsrama]

i kinda like the look of the white lights in the car. possible to get a overall interior shot with the lights on? ?