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Dec 18, 2005 | 08:18 PM

sandman6921

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dash lights

Hope you guys (gals) can help. Dash lights are very dim, I've replaced and cleaned all bulbs/connections. What next? switch?

Dec 18, 2005 | 09:35 PM

Piffery1

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From: Niceville, FL.

Remove instrument cluster, take it apart (i.e., remove gauges) and remove/discard the blue plastic bulb covers. There are five in the cluster plus one more for the light and windshield washer switches. You can buy colored bulbs if you want. I'd replace all the bulbs including turn indicators, etc. while you've got the cluster apart.
Also, I ended up having to replace the rear cluster housing because the plastic had disintegrated (where the bulb sockets mount) to the point that the sockets were so loose that electrical contact was poor. Clean all the electrical contacts on the printed wiring especially where the wiring harness plugs in. Note, be very careful with the little transmission indicator cable, it's very easily broken.

Dec 18, 2005 | 09:45 PM

AFSOCmech

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Joined: Dec 2005

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From: Jackson, Tn

When I did my lights just recently, I noticed that the back of the instrument cluster had yellowed with age. Since it appears that the lighting works off reflection of some sort, I took some sandpaper and lightly sanded the plastic back to white and got a good improvement. If I have to go back in again to change any bulbs or whatever, I'm going to use metallic tape to make it seriously reflective.

Dec 18, 2005 | 11:02 PM

Piffery1

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From: Niceville, FL.

I've heard that shiney aluminum paint works wonders, too.

Dec 19, 2005 | 12:54 PM

rainbowATF

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Joined: Oct 2003

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From: Elyria, Ohio

Be sure to remove plastic bulb covers completely from the instrument cluster. Don't just knock them in. They can bounce around and make noise with speedometer mechanism and even jam it. Drive tip can come off cable end and speedo will stop working.

Dec 19, 2005 | 04:50 PM

81-F-150-Explorer

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Joined: Jul 2004

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From: Northern California

If you want the factory color back, after knocking the plastic covers off, you can use GE #194-G Green Bulbs. They match the other greenish color lights in the, Radio, Heater, etc, very well.

Dec 28, 2005 | 04:11 AM

Les Bryant

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There are LED bulbs for all types of applications now. You might try looking to see if there are any around that you can replace the tired old bulbs with.
More light and no heat to distort any plastic mountings.
The only catch is they may be exxy, but you only need to do it once.

Les Bryant, Brisbane, Australia