Title: Anyone install LED replacement bulbs in an 84 dash?
Post by: QUICKSHIFT on February 13, 2018, 08:54:03 PM
Post by: QUICKSHIFT on February 13, 2018, 08:54:03 PM
Has anyone ever replaced the OEM bulbs in the dash cluster with LEDs? My 84 Cougar is calling on me to do something while still in storage.
Title: Anyone install LED replacement bulbs in an 84 dash?
Post by: thunderjet302 on February 13, 2018, 09:27:37 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on February 13, 2018, 09:27:37 PM
A friend did it on his 90 Mark VII. I forget what bulbs he used but I think they were from ebay. They worked/looked pretty good.
Title: Anyone install LED replacement bulbs in an 84 dash?
Post by: EricCoolCats on February 13, 2018, 09:30:11 PM
Post by: EricCoolCats on February 13, 2018, 09:30:11 PM
Yeah, I did last year. Amazing difference. Only did the illumination bulbs, not the warning lights. Used 6000k white bulbs.
You want to change colors or something? That’s a little tougher to accomplish.
You want to change colors or something? That’s a little tougher to accomplish.
Title: Anyone install LED replacement bulbs in an 84 dash?
Post by: kylesburrell on February 14, 2018, 01:09:55 PM
Post by: kylesburrell on February 14, 2018, 01:09:55 PM
I put the LED version of the 194 bulbs (I think that's the number). Granted my car has the digital cluster. But the display is much brighter. Useful when driving and it's very sunny out. I would recommend. Don't cheap out on the leds though. The first set I bought started to flicker a year later. So I spent more and put better ones in. Mine came from Amazon, brand was Yorkim or something like that
Title: Anyone install LED replacement bulbs in an 84 dash?
Post by: QUICKSHIFT on February 14, 2018, 04:37:39 PM
Post by: QUICKSHIFT on February 14, 2018, 04:37:39 PM
Quote from: EricCoolCats;464585
Yeah, I did last year. Amazing difference. Only did the illumination bulbs, not the warning lights. Used 6000k white bulbs.
You want to change colors or something? That’s a little tougher to accomplish.
Thanks. I'm interested in the illumination only. I have aftermarket gauges. Were you able to dim them without flickering?
Title: Anyone install LED replacement bulbs in an 84 dash?
Post by: EricCoolCats on February 14, 2018, 04:45:50 PM
Post by: EricCoolCats on February 14, 2018, 04:45:50 PM
Yeah, they're dimmable, no real issues with that. Even with my first '84 (purchased in 1987) the dash lighting was dim at best. Now it's truly usable light.
These are what I used:
https://www.autozone.com/electrical-and-lighting/instrument-panel-light-mini-bulb/sylvania-led-instrument-panel-light-mini-bulb/770325_1433_18268
There are no "hot spots" with this bulb, light is distributed very evenly and faithfully replicates an incandescent bulb. Only trick is, they are one-sided...in other words, you can put the bulb in one way and it won't work at all, but if you flip it around it does. So you'd have to check all the bulbs before putting the dash back together. Since the 1983-84 dash is such a pain to deal with, that's a very important step.
Also, I'd recommend cleaning out the blue (colored) bulb covers on the back of the cluster, as there was a lot of dust in there that I'm sure was cutting down on the light transmission.
These are what I used:
https://www.autozone.com/electrical-and-lighting/instrument-panel-light-mini-bulb/sylvania-led-instrument-panel-light-mini-bulb/770325_1433_18268
There are no "hot spots" with this bulb, light is distributed very evenly and faithfully replicates an incandescent bulb. Only trick is, they are one-sided...in other words, you can put the bulb in one way and it won't work at all, but if you flip it around it does. So you'd have to check all the bulbs before putting the dash back together. Since the 1983-84 dash is such a pain to deal with, that's a very important step.
Also, I'd recommend cleaning out the blue (colored) bulb covers on the back of the cluster, as there was a lot of dust in there that I'm sure was cutting down on the light transmission.
Title: Anyone install LED replacement bulbs in an 84 dash?
Post by: QUICKSHIFT on February 14, 2018, 09:12:41 PM
Post by: QUICKSHIFT on February 14, 2018, 09:12:41 PM
Thanks Eric.
Title: Anyone install LED replacement bulbs in an 84 dash?
Post by: jcassity on February 14, 2018, 09:32:02 AM
Post by: jcassity on February 14, 2018, 09:32:02 AM
i may have to pick some of these up.
in my 20th there are a few "skinnyer" versions of the 194' bulb, forgot the number but wonder if those are LED available as well.
in my 20th there are a few "skinnyer" versions of the 194' bulb, forgot the number but wonder if those are LED available as well.
Title: Anyone install LED replacement bulbs in an 84 dash?
Post by: jcassity on February 14, 2018, 09:32:13 AM
Post by: jcassity on February 14, 2018, 09:32:13 AM
i may have to pick some of these up.
in my 20th there are a few "skinnyer" versions of the 194' bulb, forgot the number but wonder if those are LED available as well.
in my 20th there are a few "skinnyer" versions of the 194' bulb, forgot the number but wonder if those are LED available as well.
Title: Anyone install LED replacement bulbs in an 84 dash?
Post by: thunderjet302 on February 15, 2018, 03:52:39 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on February 15, 2018, 03:52:39 PM
Quote from: EricCoolCats;464598
Yeah, they're dimmable, no real issues with that. Even with my first '84 (purchased in 1987) the dash lighting was dim at best. Now it's truly usable light.
These are what I used:
https://www.autozone.com/electrical-and-lighting/instrument-panel-light-mini-bulb/sylvania-led-instrument-panel-light-mini-bulb/770325_1433_18268
There are no "hot spots" with this bulb, light is distributed very evenly and faithfully replicates an incandescent bulb. Only trick is, they are one-sided...in other words, you can put the bulb in one way and it won't work at all, but if you flip it around it does. So you'd have to check all the bulbs before putting the dash back together. Since the 1983-84 dash is such a pain to deal with, that's a very important step.
Also, I'd recommend cleaning out the blue (colored) bulb covers on the back of the cluster, as there was a lot of dust in there that I'm sure was cutting down on the light transmission.
That looks great. Now I have an option when the 30 year old halogen bulbs in the cluster on mine finally die.
Title: Anyone install LED replacement bulbs in an 84 dash?
Post by: mcb82gt on February 16, 2018, 09:00:29 PM
Post by: mcb82gt on February 16, 2018, 09:00:29 PM
I may be off base, but I prefer a dim dash when driving at night, That pic of the 84 cluster would drive me crazy at night. I looks great, but that bright cluster light, really decreases your night vision when looking downroad at night. Maybe its just me???
Title: Anyone install LED replacement bulbs in an 84 dash?
Post by: EricCoolCats on February 16, 2018, 09:47:07 PM
Post by: EricCoolCats on February 16, 2018, 09:47:07 PM
Photos kind of lie when it comes to lighting. IRL they’re very usable but not too bright to be annoying. The base 1983-84 cluster needs all the help it can get, always did even when new.
Title: Anyone install LED replacement bulbs in an 84 dash?
Post by: QUICKSHIFT on February 17, 2018, 10:30:21 AM
Post by: QUICKSHIFT on February 17, 2018, 10:30:21 AM
Quote from: mcb82gt;464634
I may be off base, but I prefer a dim dash when driving at night, That pic of the 84 cluster would drive me crazy at night. I looks great, but that bright cluster light, really decreases your night vision when looking downroad at night. Maybe its just me???
That's why I asked if they dimmable.