murfs

I want to convert my dash lights and the instrument lights from green to blue. Now I've had a look at the bulbs already there and they seem easy to replace and I've read some posts about this topic before. However, how can you successfully change the colour of the dash when the lighted areas on the panels themselves are shaded green? It doesn't seen to matter what colour the bulb or LED you use is as, I think, it will still shine green through the panels. I've got a grey jap MY96 wagon. Has anyone tried this and won? And did you use 12v bulbs or LEDs?

Cheers
Murfs

scoobylav

I am in the process of doing this on MY97. I have done all the central panel i.e heater controls, *** lighter etc. I have not done the instruments yet as I am struggling to get the instrument cluster out enough to disconnect it.
I used LEDs and they all shine through blue and it looks cool as ****.

Have you had the instrument cluster out completely if so how did you manage it ?

Any questions give me a shout

murfs

Yea I recently had it out because I changed the black original dials for white ones. I've got a detachable steering wheel which makes the job much easier. Firstly unscrew the surrounding panel holding the mirror switches, and such, off. (*4) Unplug all the cabling and find some place to put it down out of the way. Then unscrew the instrument housing, again 4 screws. This should slide out just enough for to get you hand in around it and unplug the cables behind it. Just be careful you have a good hold of it as resistance in a plug might suddenly leave go and the cluster might go flying. The speedo cable should unplug easy enough, if you want to feel it put your hand up behind the panel from below the steering column, left side. It should now slide off and out easy enough. Now getting at the lights I'm not sure of yet. I think they can just be unplugged from the back of the cluster. I hope I haven't forgotten anything now but best of luck with it.

Murfs

murfs

One more thing, where did you get the LEDS for the conversion. I've got bulbs in the heaters panel controls and I'm assuming they're 12volt ones. Would I be right on that one?

scoobylav

I got them from www.ultraleds.co.uk .
They are under car and motorcycle 12v leds IIRC you will need 5mm ones for behind the heater controls and 10mm for behind the instruments.
I have had the cluster half out but can't get it out far enough to disconnect. I will try from underneath by feeding the loom through a bit.

murfs

thank scoodylav will try ultraled, try swinging the cluster around some.

messiah

just bought some of the 5mm led's (blue) and 2 red cluster led's for the rear tail / stop lights which could be interesting.

anyone know which bulbs for inside the demister switch?

scoobylav

Update . . . . . . . .

Blue bulb dash conversion complete and it looks fantastic

Need one more 10mm LED for behind the instruments as there are actually 6 on <MY97

I have another idea which I will try and then let you know if it looks as cool as I think it will . . . . .

prana

The pointers dont like the blue though, it does not light up. Where did you get bright BLUE bulbs ? The new shape uses 5 mm incandescent lamps, not LE-Diodes so they are bi-polar. Would be great to actually source some blue incandescents.

U cant really tell from the picture, but I have done it so that it goes BLUE-GREEN-RED (redline) and the speedo goes from GREEN-BLUE. Was aiming for PURPLE for the AC controls but could not source the blue/purple rubbers sleeves, so I went for the old Audi look instead, reddish. If anyone finds them sleeves, could you please advise ?

The little button lamps are std LED's but mine is MY03/04 so will be drastically different.

scoobylav

Prana - Sorry I did all of mine in LEDS but mine is a MY97

WagonRich

You can swap out the bulbs for LED's - it's all 12v DC so you just need to make sure you've got the appropriate current limiting resistor and put it in the right way round. Ultraleds supplied mine.

Rich

scoobylav

OK got me worried now what does this mean how do I check this ? As I have done the same as you Rich.

Ian

murfs

yea now I'm worried. Do you fit the resistor on its own or is it part of the led unit? why can't you just pop in the led?

WagonRich

If you got them from ultraleds then it's probably built into the unit. LED's are very low resistance so will draw lots of current and blow if they're not protected.

Rich

Hashi

Can the green coating on the back of the dials be removed somehow without damaging the other paint?

If so, then you can just use clear red (or whatever colour) acrylic paint from a model shop on the dials.

Just replace the bulbs with new std ones (as they'll be brighter than the old ones).

I'm thinking of doing the above method and also applying it to the heater controls etc. Maybe I'll use different colours!

WagonRich

On my 95WRX wagon the green glow is provided by green rubber sleeves on the bulbs.

Rich

messiah

Anyone know how to get to bulbs in centre console (changing bulbs behind heater controls) If I try myself I'll probably break something.

Also - has anyone replaced other stuff like indicators, side lights etc? got 2 tail/brake lights which I'll install shortly - gonna take a couple of pics to see the difference and I'll post up.

scoobylav

I will hope then that my bulbs are OK.
Sorry for the pants quality but here goes.
I had to play with the brightness and contrast so you can see it clearlyish.



So what do you think of the red light at the red line ?



The Center but this picture has not come out well at all (still need to do the clock)

What do you think guys ?

Ian

scoobylav

what year messiah ?

messiah

MY00

looking good there mate - I don't think the pic does it justice though - I can imagine it looking a lot better in reality.

scoobylav

Thanks you are right about the picture quality

As for your problem i don't know about MY00 as mine is MY97

messiah

I'm only planning on doing the heater controls in blue - I'm after an Origin B2 and some defi's (probably) which are both green so I'll leave the dash as is. The stereo's blue though which buggers things up.

Quite fancy doing the rear lights in LEDs though - was thinking of UV reversing lamps, not sure about the legalities though.

Hashi

Very good that mate - i like it a lot! How about sticking in an Omex Sequential shift light inside the cluster too? Its a great bit of kit...

scoobylav

Thanks Hashi

I am presently thinking about installing a knocklink between the dials . . . .

Ian

messiah

did my heater dials but I'm not too inpressed with the result - I think the LED isn't powerful enough to illuminate all the symbols.

where can you get bulbs online rather than LEDs?

Liamdela

I done mine the weekend didnt use leds. I got selves for the bulbs. and there are the job. now I have lovely red lite dash

scoobylav

Liamdela - where did you get the sleeves for the bulbs and how much were they mate ?

Messiah - Where did you get the LEDS from was it Ultraleds as mine is not too bad on the heater controls - which MY is it ?

messiah

It's an MY00 - but I've figured out another way - a stained glass paint kit.
Tried to modify the switch bulbs on saturday but with no success. Replaced the headlamp adjuster switch bulb (broken) with a 3mm LED which was a perfect fit but the wires are a lot thicker and methinks it's too thick for the led to work (if you get me)

going for replacement bulbs later and the stained glass paint kit is 2.99 from the local art shop.

Incidentally - the red led clusters i got for the tail / stop lights are going to to have to go back - the reduced ampage (?) makes the braking system think something's wrong so the ABS warning lamp comes on.

Liamdela

Here you go these do the sleeves [AutoStyle®] - Products