Dash illumination for speedometer?

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canada karl
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Dash illumination for speedometer?

Post by canada karl »

For night driving I'm getting the the orange glow on the tach side of the dash but the speedo side is dark. I've popped the dash support out as far as I could but don't see any bulb near the top that would shine thru the orange plastic. What am I missing.
1976 530i. BMW 59 Triumph TR3A(rolling resto). 67 Triumph TR4A(salvageable). 86 900S Winter car
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Odometergears
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Post by Odometergears »

Karl,

If I remember right you should have two (2) light bulbs on the top of your cluster. Don't use anything over the OEM wattage or you will risk burning/melting/fire.

As you know I work on many instrument clusters and I have seen some really stupid things done to them.


Jeff C.
Jeff Caplan 1981 Euro E12 3.5 M106 Block w/T4
canada karl
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Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2009 3:50 pm

dash bulbs....

Post by canada karl »

Jeff. do you mean that there are two bulbs near the top of the cluster that are part of the cluster itself or bulbs that are above the cluster and not part of the cluster but are positioned above the orange plastic?
1976 530i. BMW 59 Triumph TR3A(rolling resto). 67 Triumph TR4A(salvageable). 86 900S Winter car
CBradio
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Location: Brooklyn

Post by CBradio »

I think he means the two bulbs above the orange plastic outside and above the cluster

This is what lights up your cluster in general and is dimmable with the light switch

I actually just replaced these bulbs with leds with good result
1977 530ia
GripGreg
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Post by GripGreg »

Yes; the lights are DEFINITELY above & outside the orange gels.
At least the factory set-up is that way. :roll:
Like Jeff said, be careful of the amount of heat produced.
I like what CB did, too. But, I think that takes a re-wiring?
And, I'm not sure they are dim-able. :wink:
Also, I think the instrument cluster needs to be removed.
Do you know that procedure?
Rosallina/'80 528i
Buster/'82 635Euro
Hit the apex in Long Beach
CBradio
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Post by CBradio »

I bought these bulbs for ABOVE THE CLUSTER:
http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo ... -base/228/

They were plug and play for above the cluster and dimmable too.

=============================================
I bought similar ones with only one SMD for the oil, flasher, high-beams lights..etc. Maybe I could have went with a dimmer bulb.

They are all plug and play, no rewiring necessary.
=============================================

HOWEVER..........With the P R N A 2 1 lights {yes I have an 'auto-tragic'}
the bulbs would not work for some reason, I think there was a resistor soldered in the cluster, that caused an issue.

BUT these worked for those lights, no issues:
http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo ... l-led/222/
I needed the "b8.7d" {EDITED} size. I also had to slight bend the contacts for a snug fit.

THERE IS A CAVEAT THOUGH:
All the bulbs are polarized, so if you stick them in the wrong way, you need to reverse them. This may or may not be a pain if you're thinking about.

While we are on this topic, can anybody tell me under what circumstances
the "general" light goes on? {this is the only bulb I didn't change}

Is it supposed to go on briefly with the car starting?
I have never seen it on.
Last edited by CBradio on Wed Oct 30, 2013 1:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1977 530ia
canada karl
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while were on the subject....

Post by canada karl »

Is the Hazard light on the dash supposed to light up when the headlights are on or do I have a short?
1976 530i. BMW 59 Triumph TR3A(rolling resto). 67 Triumph TR4A(salvageable). 86 900S Winter car
CBradio
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Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2012 12:03 am
Location: Brooklyn

Post by CBradio »

I don't know if you have a short, but my hazard light doesn't go on when I turn the lights on.
1977 530ia
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