Simplylibet

iTrader: (2)

ok im getting my leds in the mail tomorrow......
i need to know since im going to white (i know i need to solder on the resisters)
my question is: What leds do i need to leave red to have my red-line on the tach STAY red, and if i do the resistors will the red still work? Is the gaugeface tinted red so i wont have to worry and just do ALL leds white?

ALSO, how is color changing needles acchieved? do i need to do some leds for the gauge face certain colors? thank you appreciate the help, and sorry if this is a "noob" question, just couldn't find any info on the two subjects

mystik

iTrader: (1)

the red on your redline has nothing to do with the LEDs...the gauge face has a red backing on the little redline marks so you dont need to worry about it changing colors.

color changing needles are a little tricky...you have to get acetone to basically clean the needs of that horrible orange color off the back then get white acrylic paint and paint the back of them white.

Simplylibet

iTrader: (2)

i understand now after looking at the face how obvious it is that they are backed with red. lol thanks
also, so just swap the leds and paint the needle is it? i was planning on doing the needle change anyway. but how will the needles fade from say white to blue or vise versa is my ?.

mystik

iTrader: (1)

fade? what do you mean fade? did you mean you want the needles to change color depending how fast youre going or something? i was just saying paint them white, but you can paint them whatever color you want. they wont change colors while youre driving though

Simplylibet

iTrader: (2)

best vid of what im talking about. i believe its achieved the same way as how people swap their hvac dials to fade from blue to red.
say there's 4 leds. id do like blue white white red with a white needle to get the whole array.

Simplylibet

iTrader: (2)

also one more thing. if i DONT solder any of the auto indicators (P R N D 3 2 1) will everything else work without it? i ask cus i wanna just tape under the gauge face so you cant notice them because i did an auto to manual swap and hate seeing the cut outs for the letters. just wondering

mystik

iTrader: (1)

that would be a pretty difficult effect to do...and would be expensive to swap professionally since it probably is very complicated.

and yes you can just tape over the gauge face with black on the shifter indicators

Simplylibet

iTrader: (2)

its gotta be easy so many people have it and there a few on youtube of the tc, but the quality sucks.
and i meant desoldering the auto indicators would everything else light up? or by desoldering those 7 will it cause a short/hole in the chain of leds causing problems with others not lighting up

mystik

iTrader: (1)

the led swap is easy...the hard part is the color changing needles or gauges while you speed up or something...thats not easily done. you cant just control the 4 middle LEDs that light up the needle independent of every other LED on the circuit board....there use to be a company that did those color change swaps but they said it was very difficult and would not offer it anymore

and if you desolder the auto indicators nothing else would light up...most of these LEDs are tied together in series...if one goes out or has a bad solder connection, the others may or may not light up...

Simplylibet

iTrader: (2)

Wow that sucks. And I figured they ran in series by groups like if one auto led popped they all did but nothing else

Simplylibet

iTrader: (2)

UPDATE: just finished the swap holyyyyyyy ____ it looks good, to all you people doubting your abilities GO FOR IT. I never have soldered a thing and mine looks PRO. Post a pic tomorrow night. just waiting on my polarized film then im all set!

Erager09

Id atleast recommend pricing out a replacement gauge cluster first to see how bad a screw up will cost you. I felt like i could have managed but i was happy to have cobaltbravo do mine cause hes done quite a few...

fongyz

What resistors did you end up going with? Cuz when i went to white on for my swap, the DIY on here and other sites used 330 ohm and 470 ohm resistors and that didn't allow a full brightness on my white LEDs.

Knowing the "typ" voltage (or forward voltage) on your LEDs will help you determine the correct resistor for maximum / optimum brightness.

I personally think the silver gauge color throws off the white lighting during dusk / dawn and sucks.

The top part of the cluster is it's own circuit. The LOWER half (CEL, TPMS, Cruise, turn signals, highs indicator) run its own circuit. The lower half lights up brighter than my speedometer, tach, etc.

Simplylibet

iTrader: (2)

i got mine from garage, i only got 5 330's and one 470 so i just used that and left the others alone and mines pretty bright. i wish i had a decent camera to take a good pic i might have to redo the vinyl cus i have some light/dark spots in the blue from overlapping the vinyl too much. and my needle job is a lil blotchy but once i get in my film ill fix all that when i put it in.

SquallLHeart

you should not overlap vinyl were it is shown. you should lay down one continuous piece... so as not to see any creases, lines, or weird overlapping parts.

Simplylibet

iTrader: (2)

yea i know that now, i finished everything up and rushed through the vinyl part in excitement lol
pulling back out in a couple days to put the reverse film on. i did two layers on vinyl prolly only gonna do one this time for blue idk though.

Simplylibet

iTrader: (2)

so i pulled it and redid the vinyl/needles now its near perfect, aside from the non reverse lcd. did 3 layers of blue and 2 of white paint on the needles.
also went with 1 layer of blue vinyl i like the ligher blue better actually.

SquallLHeart

i could've told you 1 layer was enough... more than that and light output just suffers.

as well as changing out the resistors in the gauge cluster was completely unnecessary.
the hvac however, does need to have its components changed out.

fongyz

Incorrect, of course, depending on the typ. voltage rating of the PLCC2 LED you are using. As stated, my Osram Super Whites are rated at 3.0 min, 3.7 typ, 4.0 max.

So running 0 resistor mods gave me this.... (-1.7 exposure)



Then running 330 ohm and 470 ohm resistors per LEDMod's tutorial:

(Also at -1.7 exposure to compensate)

fongyz

You will notice odometer LCD is almost gone, there is a more noticable white "ring" flare around the base of the needles. As well the needles have a brighter orange look.