What is the correct lightbulb for the gauge cluster in a '74 ?

I want to go pick up a batch tomorrow before I actually remove the cluster itself...

 

I just changed the cluster in my '77 and the bulbs were 194's. The nice thing about this is that the bulbs are available in a variety of colors now.

 

If you pull the cluster apart and take off the blue/green lens covers you can change the color to anything you want with those new colored bulbs. It's great!

 

The best color for an instrument panel is red. Your eyes are very sensitive to green light so your pupils stay small. The red light makes your pupils stay large so you can see better at night.

 

And you feel more like you're flying a jet . . . always a plus. I really hate the stock blue Ford filters. They are far too dim. When you get the colored bulbs you'll find the panel is much brighter and easier to read at night. Right now I'm running all white lights but plan to go back to red when my panel is finished.

 

I know that this is a link to a page on a Chevy site...but it details a way to make your dash lights brighter. Works in all types of 70s-80s cars and trucks. For some reason US automakers felt powder blue or off-white were reflective enough colors, don't ask me why. Get yourself some chrome bumper paint in a spray can and attack the cluster with vengeance...

http://www.73-87.com/7387garage/interior/dashlights.htm

 

This bulb is used on many different year trucks > right into the 80's

 

Cool link! That's a cheap quick fix that I wouldn't have thought of.

 

The dash lights in my cars go way brighter than I need. I like to be able to SEE way down that road in case that deer is sittin there in the ditch ready to jump out. You can't do that if the dash lights blind you.

 

could someone give me directions of removing the panel and installing the new bulbs

 

Remove the black bezel surrounding the guages, heater controls, etc. It only has a few screws holding it in. Once that's out there are 5 or 6 screws holding the guage cluster in. The guage cluster will pull straight out though it may feel stiff because of the speedometer cable. I find it helps to feed the speedo cable in through the firewall from the engine compartment. There's a little plastic clip holding the cable into the speedometer which you need to squeeze and tilt, then it will pull right out. Remove the wiring harness and you're done. You'll see the bulb fixures (little black plastic fixtures) which you turn to remove.

If you're looking to remove the blue covers you have to remove the little push rivets on the front of the cluster and then pull the clear plastic off. A couple of screws will allow you to pull the speedometer out and then you can remove the blue caps if you desire.

 

1. Disconnect battery
2. Remove headlight switch (Reach up under the dash, on the top of the headlight switch there is a button. Push down on the button and pull straight out on the switch shaft and ****)
3. Remove screws from dash bezel (7 if I remember right, 2 below the radio, 1 between the headlight switch and wiper switch, and 4 along the top of the bezel.)
4. If your truck has A/C at this point you will need to remove the drivers side dash vent hose. Also remove the light bulb assy. that's between the headlight and wiper switch. Set the dash bezel aside somewhere so you don't accidently break it. (I normally just set it up on the dash board) I know that no one is going to be walking or sitting there!!
5. Remove the 4 screws holding the gauge cluster in place.
6. Remove the speedometer cable.
7. Unplug the gauge cluster wiring harness.

At this point you can remove the entire cluster. The bulbs just turn out like a tail light bulb. Turn the bulb socket about 1/4 turn CCW and remove.

Inspect the printed circuit board for cracks and cleanliness. If some of the contact points look dirty you can carefully clean them with a pencil eraser.

Rather that ckeck individual bulbs i just replaced them all. They're not expensive and now I know that all of them are good. Why take the chance on one of the old bulbs burning out in another day, week, or month?

Oh!!! By the way. As usual, reassemble in reverse order!!

 

Not fair IVAN. You must type faster than I do!!

 

how do i remove the wiper washer ****

 

Wiper **** will have a little metal clip/tab on the back of it you can pull forward (toward you) with a little screw driver. As you pull this the **** will slip right off.

Oh, and if you can get some dielectric gel from an auto parts store and use this where the lights make contact with the circuits. Otherwise you might have a nightmare like me where the lights only work when they want to.

Gator, I don't type faster . . . just have too much time on my hands today!