dash lights
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,635
Likes: 0
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.
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.
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 74
Likes: 0
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.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 480
Likes: 1
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.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 8,786
Likes: 28
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.
New User
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
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
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
Trending Topics
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 26,007
Likes: 575
From: Brentwood,CA
leds are no good here. harsh on the eyes and cannot be dimmed, there is a identical htread in the 73-79 forum you should check out. red is by far the best color on your eyes.
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