How To I Bring My Dash Lighting Back To Life?

koala33

Member

Apr 28, 2012

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Fort Belvoir, VA

Jan 21, 2014

#1

• Jan 21, 2014

• #1

Well, I know the answer is to change the bulbs behind the dash bevels, but does anyone have specifics or any tricks? I need to change out bulbs in the dash above the steering wheel and also where the heater controls are. Some seems very dull.

 

madspeed

Colonel Mustard

Founding Member

Nov 29, 1999

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a van down by the river

Jan 21, 2014

#2

• Jan 21, 2014

• #2

Upgrade to led via @Diode Dynamics

 

Reactions: Diode Dynamics

koala33

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Apr 28, 2012

181

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Fort Belvoir, VA

Jan 21, 2014

#3

• Jan 21, 2014

• #3

Is it just a brighter light? want to stay with stock look.

 

mikestang63

SN Certified Technician

Aug 27, 2012

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Jan 21, 2014

#4

• Jan 21, 2014

• #4

yes

 

koala33

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Fort Belvoir, VA

Jan 21, 2014

#5

• Jan 21, 2014

• #5

All I am seeing is for newer Mustangs.

 

mikestang63

SN Certified Technician

Aug 27, 2012

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#6

• Jan 21, 2014

• #6

http://www.ebay.com/itm/20-PCS-Supe...ies&vxp=mtr&hash=item3a86d92d7a#ht_3620wt_997

 

koala33

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Apr 28, 2012

181

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Fort Belvoir, VA

Jan 21, 2014

#7

• Jan 21, 2014

• #7

That will do the whole car?

 

koala33

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Apr 28, 2012

181

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Fort Belvoir, VA

Jan 21, 2014

#8

• Jan 21, 2014

• #8

I assume it will take hours to replace all 20 .50 LEDs

 

koala33

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Apr 28, 2012

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Fort Belvoir, VA

Jan 21, 2014

#9

• Jan 21, 2014

• #9

This seems helpful

http://articles.dashzracing.com/1987-1993-ford-mustang-light-bulb-fitment-application-list/

 

Audiophile

Well-Known Member

Sep 9, 2013

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Southern CA

Jan 22, 2014

#10

• Jan 22, 2014

• #10

I just changed out the "Illumination" bulbs in the dash of my '92. I used LEDs referenced above in the link, from EBay. It didn't take too long, but I have had my dash apart before and knew exactly what to do. It did make the dash brighter. It's close to stock, but changed the way the needles look a little, for the better IMO.

One thing to keep in mind are that LEDs have polarity, if they don't work one way, you have to flip them around. I put them in, put the cluster back up and plugged it in, noted which ones didn't work, then took it down and flipped those around.

As far as the heater controls, I really haven't looked at those. Mine there are bright enough.

 

stykthyn

I want to measure mine. It doesn't look that tall.

15 Year Member

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Jan 22, 2014

#11

• Jan 22, 2014

• #11

2 hours tops if you have to take your cluster out and have never done it. LED is a very worth while swap. just leave the dummy light bulbs alone. The lack of resistance from an LED can mess with the sensors/ECU and cause probs from what I hear.

 

Diode Dynamics

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Jan 23, 2014

#12

• Jan 23, 2014

• #12

You won't have any issues switching your gauge and dash lights to LED. It's a plug and play replacement with no modifications required.

Nick C.

 

koala33

Member

Apr 28, 2012

181

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19

Fort Belvoir, VA

Jan 27, 2014

#13

• Jan 27, 2014

• #13

I found a few threads with pictures posted. The LED lights look great, but I think the needles are too bright. Is there any way to use the LEDs and achieve the same effect the OEM bulbs looked when the car was new?

 

Diode Dynamics

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Jan 28, 2014

#14

• Jan 28, 2014

• #14

There's a variety of options available for the 194 size, I suppose you could use an inverted-1 LED 194 bulb or one with less SMD chips:

http://www.diodedynamics.com/store/led-bulbs/listed-by-size/194.html

Nick C.

 

koala33

Member

Apr 28, 2012

181

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Fort Belvoir, VA

Jan 28, 2014

#15

• Jan 28, 2014

• #15

Do the needles run off of the lights given off around the dash or do they require their own bulbs?

 

koala33

Member

Apr 28, 2012

181

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Fort Belvoir, VA

Jan 28, 2014

#16

• Jan 28, 2014

• #16

Also, does anyone know the total amount of replacement bulbs for the entire interior for a 91 GT? 16 behind the steering column is what I've read so far, but wasn't sure about the center where the A/C, heat, etc is.

 

koala33

Member

Apr 28, 2012

181

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19

Fort Belvoir, VA

Jan 28, 2014

#17

• Jan 28, 2014

• #17

Diode Dynamics said:

There's a variety of options available for the 194 size, I suppose you could use an inverted-1 LED 194 bulb or one with less SMD chips:

http://www.diodedynamics.com/store/led-bulbs/listed-by-size/194.html

Nick C.

Click to expand...

It looks like one of the first two listed on that page might work. Looks like 25 lumens is the output of a standard 194 bulb. Which of the 2 would produce the closest to that without going under?

 

Diode Dynamics

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Jan 28, 2014

#18

• Jan 28, 2014

• #18

Personally, I installed the 2-5050's and a 5-5050 SMD in mine. At the very least go with a 1-5050 SMD style LED.

These LEDs will illuminate the needles, I'm fairly certain

Nick C.

 

koala33

Member

Apr 28, 2012

181

5

19

Fort Belvoir, VA

Jan 28, 2014

#19

• Jan 28, 2014

• #19

This is what I am shooting for, minus the super bright needles... http://www.allfordmustangs.com/forums/5-0l-talk/228583-led-cluster-light-replacement.html

 

koala33

Member

Apr 28, 2012

181

5

19

Fort Belvoir, VA

Jan 28, 2014

#20

• Jan 28, 2014

• #20

I guess I am just not sure if I get all 1 SMDs, and replace every bulb with those, or like you said, replace some bulbs with a few 5 SMDs. I am just not exactly clear on as to why the needles are so much brighter than the rest of the dash.