DIY Change LEDs in Speed/Tach Gauge
Let me start off by saying that here I use the phrase.. I changed the LEDs. I really sent the board to someone else (Creektrack) and he changed the LEDs for me. It's just an easier phrase for me to use. If you want to contact him, his name is Chris and his email is Creektrack@Yahoo.com. He has done other LED swaps for me and is fabulous!
First use a plastic pry tool, or strong fingers, loosen the gauge bezel starting with the top piece. 1 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...emoveDash1.jpg Loosen all around the sides. The bottom is attached to a plastic piece on top of the steering wheel. 2 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...emoveDash2.jpg 3 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...emoveDash3.jpg There are 4 screws that hold the plastic gauge piece to the dash. 4 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...emoveDash4.jpg Remove the cable from the back of the gauge. 5 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...emoveDash5.jpg Gently pry up on the black plastic tabs. They are all around the gauges. 6 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...emoveDash6.jpg 7 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...emoveDash7.jpg 8 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...emoveDash8.jpg More plastic tabs, on both sides. 9 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...emoveDash9.jpg 10 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...moveDash10.jpg 11 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...moveDash11.jpg Turn this over. There are three very small tabs on both the left and right side. Use a tiny flat screwdriver to slide the tabs over so you can remove the surrounds. These are the small surrounds that hold on the border/surrounds around the smaller temperature and gas needles. Once the surrounds are off, you might be able to use your fingers and pry up on the needles to remove them. You might also be able to take off the large needles here as well. I actually took them off in the next step, though because I didn’t think about doing it this way. Even, if you don’t remove the needles this way, you still need to remove the surrounds in order to replace the needles. 12 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...moveDash12.jpg 13 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...moveDash13.jpg There are several white tabs surrounding the circuit board. The four in the middle hold on the screen and may not need to be removed depending on your goal here. The first time I removed this board the needles were all still attached and I used a plastic pry tool to gently pry the circuit board from the white plastic back. If you do it this way, be firm, yet gentle. 14 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...moveDash14.jpg This is the back side. 15 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...moveDash15.jpg This is the front. 16 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...oveDash15a.jpg 17 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...oveDash15b.jpg 18 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...oveDash15c.jpg There were a total of 5 side LEDs used to light up the screen, but I was never able to find the real replacement LEDs for these. Instead, 5 PLCC-2 LEDs from Oznium were placed on their sides. 19 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...moveDash16.jpg 20 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...moveDash17.jpg 21 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...moveDash18.jpg 22 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...moveDash19.jpg 23 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...moveDash20.jpg 24 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...moveDash21.jpg I didn’t change all the LEDs on the circuit board. In addition to the LEDs under the screen, I only changed the blue ones to green and the red ones surrounding the needles to white. 25 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...moveDash22.jpg I used 22 (19 on the circuit board & 5 for the DIC screen) of the PLCC-2 green LEDs and 6 of the PLCC-2 white LEDs. You can get them at Oznium or Garage1217 Finished! 26 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...moveDash23.jpg 27 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...moveDash24.jpg 28 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...moveDash25.jpg 29 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...moveDash26.jpg 30 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...moveDash27.jpg To replace, follow everything in reverse. The only additional note is that when reinstalling the needles, line them up with the beginning line on the left. ie. Line up the speedometer and tachometer needles with the line on the zero. For the cold/hot needle, line it up with the line on the C. For the fuel gauge, line the needle up with the line on the E. |
Looks good I think Ill try your method of sending it to someone else too
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What was the purpose of the white led's?
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I think the red LEDs make the needles more.. of a darker red, where the white lightens them up a bit. I wasn't brave enough to try to figure out how to color the needles, but if I had, I would've changed them green as well.
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Is there a way to change them to blue to have some contrast or change the warning lights to blue
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4 Attachment(s)
I didn't try to change the white/red LEDs around the needles to another color to see what it would look like, so I'm not sure what the end result would be.
You can definitely change any of the warning light LEDs, too. I just chose to leave them alone. Here's how most of the LEDs light up when it was stock. |
I can't tell , are the numbers green also along with the middle screen ?
Can you give us more info on who did this for you . I need this =0 |
The numbers, the lines surrounding the numbers (on both sides), the small MPH, the cold/hot gauge, the RPM x1000, (the halo LED is green already) and the fuel gauge is all green. The middle screen is also green.
I'll PM you the name and email of the person who did this for me. I've emailed him to ask permission to post it. He was/is fabulous! He has also changed the LEDs in the 4 pack, the switches on the steering wheel and the window control switches on the doors. He currently has the headlight knob switch and the switch for the HUD. Edit: Added contact information for Chris in first post. |
Just to clarify...the board is set up for plcc4s which I think are for another cluster that they offer that you can change the color with a push of a button? Not too sure, but all of the leds were actually replaced with plcc2s instead...there was a lot of trial and error with this cluster, but it came out good in the end...
If you want to change the needle color, take the needle off and using a razor blade, scrape off the paint on the back of the needle and the repaint it with an acrylic craft paint, but you have to do a good even job or you will see the "brush strokes" when its lit... If anyone has any questions feel free to contact me... |
Thanks for the fix, Chris. I've updated my original post. :)
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I changed out the lights all by myself! :D It was rather fun! I'll post pictures at night.
However I ran into a snag and I'm talking to creektrack right now about it. I broke my tachometer needle or the motor itself. It no longer functions properly x.x IS there a place I can buy a replacement? Or is there a way to open that baby up and find out if I can fix it myself? http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/...8-11172940.jpg As you can tell the Tach is at 3x1000 RPM. I set it there just so when I glance down it "looks" like it's working. Until I find a way to fix it it'll stay that way. |
Hm.. I'm not sure, I never took the motors off of the circuit board.
Does it work if you have the needle only on the circuit board, without putting everything back together? I'll check around on the internet tonight and see if I can find someone/place who might sell the parts for you. Can you be more specific as to how the needle is not functioning properly? |
Nah, nothing works at all. I also notice that it gives very easily. The other 3 needles won't budge when I push them gently but the tach just goes like its not anchered. I think the teeth on the gear inside the motor broke
Also when startingthe car up the needles go from starting positino all the way to their end position then back but the tach just stays and the motor gives no movement. The needle is fine but the motor isn't It's not a BIG deal as I drive an automatic so I don't really need the tachometer as bad as I would of if I was in a standard. I can get by for awhile without it working. It'll just annoy me till I get it fixed. I'm 100% positive I need a new motor. |
Damn.. What did you do when you took it off? lol
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