EA82 Dashboard BackLights Upgrade to H.I.D. White L.E.D.´s

[-tombba-]

Any Updates / News \ New photos of the Project?

 

Nope. Not yet since it's winter and car is nowhere near me wight now. Only update is that I changed the color of needles to darker blue. It might have been a small mistake to do that since it now does not have enough light to the needles. I Might have to install small leds to light up the needles now. Oh and I id change all of the dashboards T5 bulbs to leds too and took off the green color off them. They are now white too. I'll update pictures as soon I get the gauges and the dash back to the car.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

So, did you took the Pictures?

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

My Friend Gonzalo Lara from Chile, has done the Led Bulbs Retrofitting

 

on his Subaru Loyale Digital Instrument Cluster.

 

Pictures of the Retrofitting Process:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Results ... ... From This:

 

 

 

 

 

... To This: ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Turns the Nice Digital Dash onto a much more Awesome Feature.

 

Good Job Gonzalo!

 

Kind Regards.

[-tombba-]

So, did you took the Pictures?

 

Sorry not yet. It goes to the june when I get the dash on to my car. There's still around 50cm snow on my cars and I haven't even been to my carage this year at all . But I'll be there for 1,5 months in june-july so the I should get something done also

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

There is some kind of Confusion between the "T" (Tubular) Bulbs Names / Nomenclature and I've received some PM's and e-Mails from people asking more info about them, especially Cross-Reference info & Measurements; since I've retrofitted White LED Bulbs on Many instrument Clusters (Not only on Subarus) I made an Easy Pictured Guide, in order to Help you to Understand those "T" Bulbs.

 

These are the Most Common Bulbs for instrument Clusters:

 

 

 

 

 

Here's an Easy Visual comparison Guide:

 

 

IMPORTANT NOTE:

 

The Subaru EA82 / GL \ DL or Loyales, only uses the T-5 and the T-10 Wedge Bulbs.

 

The other Bulbs are here for Reference only.

 
 
The Wedge Bulbs Themselves are sold separately from the Sockets, But beside those "Wedge" bulbs, instrument clusters' also Use another kind of Bulbs which comes already Mounted with the Base, those are known as "Neo Wedge" Bulbs and are intended to be non-removable Bulbs ... Despite that you can remove 'em from their bases, those aren't sold separately. 
 
The Neo Wedges are Known as the T3, T4 and T5 and comes either with Long or Short Bases (which could be Black, grey or white) usually are placed behind the Transmission's shifter position numbers on Automatic cars with such display on the instrument cluster. (You know: P, R, N, D, 3, 2, 1)
 
 

Short Base LED Neo Wedges:

 

 

 

 

Long Base Neo Wedges:

 

 

 
 
I've already retrofitted LED Bulbs on 17 different Cars of many Brands and counting, it started with my own "BumbleBeast" Subaru long time ago, then my Wife's "KiaStein" then my Dad asked me to do that on his Cars, then some Friends who saw my cars at Night asked me to do such retrofitting on their cars and some friends of those friends too... it is the Snow Ball Effect somehow ... 
 
By the way, I had to build my Own Neo Wedge Long Base LED Bulbs (for Kia, Hyundai, etc...), because it was easier for me than to Buy 'em online and wait ... I have to Cut the Base from a Used Neo Wedge Bulb, then remove a Wedge T-5 LED from its base and weld its electrical contacts, the LED Bulb already comes with its resistors; as you can see here:
 

 

 

 

 
I also covered one of those I Made, with a Condom-like Green Rubber, in order to Dim a little the Brightness in a 2003 Kia Spectra's instrument Cluster that I Retrofitted onto my Wife's 2000 Kia Sephia (Which also runs with a 2003 Spectra engine) the "KiaStein" ... it is for the "D" (for Drive in a Automatic trans model) Display on the cluster.
 
Kind Regards.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

Remember that LED Bulbs does Have Polarity (+/-) So, if they doesn't Lit, Remove their Socket from the Instrument Cluster, Turn it 180º and place it there again.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

I Know it is Not a Subaru, but I Like to Share few Photos of some of the Many LED Bulb Retrofitting I've Done in other Cars' instrument Clusters, in Example:

 

 

This one went from This:

 

 

 

To This:

 

Edited June 4, 2013 by Loyale 2.7 Turbo

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

2003 Kia Spectra:

 

[Godsmulligan]

I had an idea! not sure if I want to implement it until I have a spare clear plastic peice.

 

I have my leds on their way, but I was thinking of blacking out the clear plastic with tint. The new brightness should shine through the tint when on but leave the guages blacked out when off.

 

Not sure, but I think it will also give it an eerie depth, almost a retro digital look. Like the image is being projected on the dash. That is if you only use the back lighting and forgo the front dash illumination found on my 84.

Edited June 8, 2013 by Godsmulligan

[Mykeys Toy]

interesting idea. 

[Godsmulligan]

I'm not trying to hijack the thread. I just see this as the place for LED

 

Here is the back of a 84

I changed the back light to red and color coded the back accordingly. You can use whatever color you like.

 

pink are the the ones used for back light, white indicators (turn, high beam, ext.) pink and black dual purpouse (battery, fuel, and idiot lights for both)

 

red bulbs

Pink 4 t-10 & 1 t-5

Pink & black 2 t-10

The red lights should change the yellow idiot light to green on the gas guage. The red idiot light on the battery wont be affected.

 

white bulbs

white 8 t-5

 

you will also need a red t-10 for the clock

 

plus 2 t-5s for the face illumination. You can use red bulbs or cut a new filters.

 

total 7 t-10 red

        7 t-5   white

        3 t-5   red (I cheated and painted 1 with red anodizer paint and changed the filters on the other 2. The original filter is yellow so it needs to be changed anyway. In the end I'm not even sure if I'll run them, they just tend to wash out the dash face, modern cars don't run them.

 

You will probably need a couple more t-10s for the things like ashtray and glovebox, so get the 10 packs.

 

* I tested the lights with a 9v battery and a 9v battery connector I had laying around. most pathways are marked somewhere down the line.

GND= ground

IGN= ignition/hot

 

try switching positive and negative you may find a light coming on when it should be off.

 

Okay, I think that's it.

 

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

I'm not trying to hijack the thread. I just see this as the place for LED ...

 

You're Not Hijackin' the Thread. 

 

The Idea of this thread is to Share your Experiences, info & Photos with such LED Bulbs Retrofitting, 

 

so your Posts & Photos are Welcome.  

 

Now I'll Love to see how the Whole instrument cluster Looks Like, Lit in the Night! 

 

 

Kind Regards.

[Godsmulligan]

cool,

 

Here's what it looks like lit up.

The rheostat doesn't seem to be working. What you see is what you get. Hopefully it will work after I hook everything back up.

 

Any tips on how to take a picture of the dash lights?

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

In order to take a Better & Sharper Photo of the Lit instrument Cluster in the Dark,

 

I Kindly suggest you to:

 

► put your Digital Camera in ten seconds Countdown automatic photo mode, and

 

► set the Flash to "Off" then

 

► place the camera in a Stable placement, and

 

► leave the Car: Let it do its Job alone;

 

That will lead to a Slow exposure due to lack of illumination and flash,

 

and since it should be no movement at all, the Photo must look sharp & Clear.

 

Kind regards.

[Godsmulligan]

 

I gotsa car ta work on.

[ShakotanBoogie]

 

My Friend Gonzalo Lara from Chile, has done the Led Bulbs Retrofitting

 

on his Subaru Loyale Digital Instrument Cluster.

 

Pictures of the Retrofitting Process:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Results ... ... From This:

 

 

 

 

 

... To This: ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Turns the Nice Digital Dash onto a much more Awesome Feature.

 

Good Job Gonzalo!

 

Kind Regards.

Could you please re-up those photos? I am about to convert my own digital cluster to LEDs and the photos may be a big help. Also, does anyone know what bulbs are required for the digital cluster?

[Legourde_Nux]

I can't see the pics!!!, what's this!!!,  booooo....(throwing popcorn)

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

Those photos were uploaded to Photobucket web hosting site.

 

Here's an Explanation about the issue ...

 

Also a Way to make the Photos viewable again,

 

during Photobucket's Bandwidth limit issue:

 

~► CLICK HERE.

 

Kind Regards.

Edited September 26, 2013 by Loyale 2.7 Turbo

[Timoha]

hi, my led.... http://www.drive2.ru/l/6265275/

 

 

 

[Subasaurus]

okay i learned quite a bit, ive always had this issue where the 3,000 and 4,000rpm section when it lights up has this ugly dark gap and ive taken it apart and no bulbs are out, checked on my parts/donor vehicle and has the same ugly issue, i guess i know what my next project is going to be!!

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

... i guess i know what my next project is going to be!!

 

Great! ... Don't forget to share the Photos, here.

 

Kind Regards.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

You did a great Job, removing the Tint from the Background:

 

hi, my led.... http://www.drive2.ru/l/6265275/

 

 

Thank you for Sharing the Photos!!!

 

Kind Regards.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

 

... the center piece of the dash

 

 

 

These are only a rubber mounts that has small lamps stuffed into them

 

...

 

Maybe those "Rubber mounts that has small lamps stuffed into them" could be swapped with T3 "Neo Wedge" LEDs.

 

Some of the Dashboard's Buttons, such like the Power Mirrors, Rear Gate and Rear Wiper, comes with T3 incandescent bulbs, inside the switches. (not all models featured background illumination on the Buttons)

 

Also some of the Upper dash buttons, such like Height Control, Cruise Control, etc, comes with a T3 stuffed inside the Button's structure, so they could Lit whenever the button is Pressed, despite if the Background illumination, (provided by a lateral, independent T-5 bulb), is on or off.

 

Kind Regards.

[-tombba-]

Maybe those "Rubber mounts that has small lamps stuffed into them" could be swapped with T3 "Neo Wedge" LEDs.

 

Kind Regards.

 

It might be possible, but you have to remember that there is metal pins on the circuit board where those rubber mounts fit. those two holes under the rubber mount means two equal size metal pins about 10 mm long protruding from circuit board to keep those mounts in there. After doing my own swap to leds (by the way no pictures yet since I did tear down the whole wagon for parts) I have been thinkin that it would be pretty easy to install leds by soldering them straight into the metal pins. I wanted to do the job the way I did since it's easier to swap bulbs that way and I have some spare bulbs laying around. But anyhow I think there ain't no straight fitting led bulb around for those small bulbs inside the centerpiece. 

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

It might be possible, but you have to remember that there is metal pins on the circuit board where those rubber mounts fit. those two holes under the rubber mount means two equal size metal pins about 10 mm long protruding from circuit board to keep those mounts in there ... I think there ain't no straight fitting led bulb around for those small bulbs inside the centerpiece. 

 

Yes I completely understand.

 

But what I meant, was that you can Remove the T3 LED Bulbs that already comes with built-in protective resistor, from their "Neo-Wedge" rubber base, by unwrapping their twisted legs, and then wrap those legs again, onto the Subaru's centerpiece Rubber bases: Voilá! Perfect Fitting.

 

Kind Regards.