gauge cluster led swap help!!!!!!

[jdmem205]

Well I ordered leds for meng motorsports great people by the way. And I have no problems with their leds, I have
tested them and I am even running some in the cluster already. My issue has to do with the oem sockets and
the bulbs. Ok now my cluster has some of the ordered leds already in place and they are working for example
my rpm gauge is fully lit and only the top part (55 mph-80mph) of the speedo isn't lit with the leds and the fuel
gauge isn't lit at all. Now the reason why those areas aren't lit as the others is cause their aren't any leds in their
sockets just painted oem bulbs. Now the reason why I don't have leds in those locations is cause when I put the
led in the oem socket the brown one they don't fit snug so they slide out or don't make connection. And it was the same way for almost all the other brown oem socket. I think only one oem socket actually fit snug and
worked perfect.

I know I ordered the right leds cause I went thru countless threads about the gauge cluster etc. I know the oem
bulbs are #74 as many have said and as I have confirmed. Now the reason why all my other gauges light up with
the ordered leds is cause the cluster also has different size socket which is the black one. Well I had to take
some of those sockets out of places that I don't use in my cluster and put the led in that socket then took that socket and put it in the location where to make my rpm and speedo gauge to light up. Now when I try to do the same thing for the other locations that I have left they won't light up. Once again I know the led works cause I have tested it and I know the contacts point for that location work as well since it has no problem lighting up with the oem socket and oem colored bulb.

Could it be that specific black socket that could be fried in some way??? I wouldn't think that's possible since I thought the sockets where just a way for the bulbs to make contact with the cluster but I am not sure. So I am here for any ideas on how to make it work. Thanks if anyone needs any pics just let me know

 

[jdmem205]

15 views and no one has any inputs???? bump!!!!

 

[jdmem205]

bump please help thanks

 

[jdmem205]

Bump any help?

 

[Genuine Rolla]

Not all of the bulb's are 74's. Some are 24 so that is why the sockets don't fit all the way. You will have to get the other size bulbs so that the right sockets fit in.

I had to do this in mine. Did you happen to see my LED Cluster write up?

 

[jdmem205]

I have seen so many threads I can't remeber which one is which lol but yea your right the bulbs can also be replaced with #24 but the thing all the bulbs factory are #74 and I looked at every led store online and in person and no one has any leds in #24 size.

But to my other question likeI said the way I got my leds to work in the places I described was because I took the lil black sockets and put the led into those then put it in the spot I wanted... now when I tried that with the fuel gauge same setup and nothing lights up but the led works cause I tested it and I know the contact hole works cause when I put the stock bulb it lights up. SO idk why my set up works in the other spots but the last two they don't???

 

[jdmem205]

Well I got all of the cluster lights to light up but the fuel gauge is dimmer then the others????

 

[ocdjg]

Well I got all of the cluster lights to light up but the fuel gauge is dimmer then the others????

How are those leds aimed? How is the beam pattern? Is is narrow or wide? I've never used those led bulb replacements so I have no idea how the beam pattern looks. Its its like regular led which are usually narrow, then you are getting hot spots due to the lack of even light back there. Pics would be helpful too btw.

 

[lotz6996]

take them out and rotate them 180 degrees (half a turn) leds are unidirectional.

 

[jdmem205]

Its a wide angle beam but not super wide and not narrow just in between also its just dim and only one bulb goes for the fuel gauge so it I don't think it can be hot n cold spots.

 

[jdmem205]

 

[jdmem205]

I see where the cold spots are in the other gauges those I don't mind cause overall they match its only the fuel gauge also I can't push the bulb anymore in the socket cause if I do it won't work so IDK

 

[jdmem205]

ANd I cant turn the bulb since the socket is a twist and lock should I still flip it?

 

[jdmem205]

And thanks for any help and future help

 

[lotz6996]

ANd I cant turn the bulb since the socket is a twist and lock should I still flip it?

if its a twist and lock it will rotate half a turn, if not flip the bulb.

 

[jdmem205]

Yea I'll flip the entire socket with bulb in other words the way it is now I'll take it make one contact point on one side touch the other side of the cluster that it wasn't touching before if that makes sense?

 

[ocdjg]

Yea I'll flip the entire socket with bulb in other words the way it is now I'll take it make one contact point on one side touch the other side of the cluster that it wasn't touching before if that makes sense?

Thats exactly what you should do. Not bad for led bulb replacements. The reason why the fuel side is so dim is because you got the bulbor in this case LED off on the right of the gauge, closer to the temp. You also got one led to the left of that area lighting up the center speedo near the '100'. If you where able to aim the leds i would have recommended you aim an led from there to help light up the fuel gauge. In your case you can't do that so another way to better disperse the light more evenly would be to use foil.

 

[jdmem205]

I'll try the first method if not it'll have to stay lyk that at least they are lighting up!!!! lol

 

[mistahgomez23]

How's your LEDs doing now? I'm planning on doing the same thing as you did, any tips?

 

[albertc86]

I just got mine done yesterday but I didn't do it myself. I'll take a pic. The fuel light is slightly dimmer than the other two clusters, though.