Dash bulb question...
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 151
Likes: 1
From: Capital District, NY
Dash bulb question...
All-
When I bought my car, the part of the dash where the oil temp and trip odometer was dim, but the rest was bright. As I was driving home last night, the part that shows coolant temp and mpg went dim.
The tachometer and the speedometer are still nice and bright, so it looks like all I need to do is replace a couple of bulb, yes?
I'd really prefer not to pull the whole dash apart if I don't need to, and I want to try go in through the front, as described in this post (https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1589154414).
In looking at the #88 bulb, it includes the base -- which it appears isn't used if you are installing from the front of the dash. Is the bulb available without the base, and if so, do you know what # bulb? It looks a whole LOT like the wedge #555 bulbs common in pinball machines (another passion of mine), but 12v instead of 6v.
When I bought my car, the part of the dash where the oil temp and trip odometer was dim, but the rest was bright. As I was driving home last night, the part that shows coolant temp and mpg went dim.
The tachometer and the speedometer are still nice and bright, so it looks like all I need to do is replace a couple of bulb, yes?
I'd really prefer not to pull the whole dash apart if I don't need to, and I want to try go in through the front, as described in this post (https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1589154414).
In looking at the #88 bulb, it includes the base -- which it appears isn't used if you are installing from the front of the dash. Is the bulb available without the base, and if so, do you know what # bulb? It looks a whole LOT like the wedge #555 bulbs common in pinball machines (another passion of mine), but 12v instead of 6v.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 151
Likes: 1
From: Capital District, NY
It appears that bulb #161 is the 12v version of the #555 (which is 6v). Those bulbs are a whole lot cheaper than the 882... I'm going to have to see if I can track some down.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 429
Likes: 29
From: Brooklyn, MI
The correct bulb for the 1984 to 1988 Corvette dash is the BP882. I have a bin full of good used ones cheep. Send me a PM.
Last edited by Robert Perkins; Apr 16, 2015 at 07:50 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 4,429
Likes: 605
From: Minneapolis Mn
Apparently there are 2 types of bulbs used over the years, 882's and a bi-pin version of it. The bi-pin have straight legs that fit into the sockets. Mine had bi-pin prior to having the instrument cluster repaired. One thing on them is they are removable from the front but are very touchy inserting the replacements, it's easy to bend those legs if you don't go in perfectly straight. It can be done but it takes time.
I don't think the sockets are the same for both types so you need to know what's in your cluster first. You can get both type from Corvette Central if you can't find them locally, at least I think that's where I got mine when I swapped them out.
Just fyi.
By the way Cliff, that's a good tool to know about. Better than the ones that you can get at the autoparts stores.
I don't think the sockets are the same for both types so you need to know what's in your cluster first. You can get both type from Corvette Central if you can't find them locally, at least I think that's where I got mine when I swapped them out.
Just fyi.
By the way Cliff, that's a good tool to know about. Better than the ones that you can get at the autoparts stores.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,038
Likes: 44
From: Pensacola Florida
I'm replacing mine next week with xenon bulbs while I'm replacing the polarizing film. Supposedly they run cooler than the factory ones which apparently can damage the boards and solder.
Rick
Rick
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 4,429
Likes: 605
From: Minneapolis Mn
That's apparently what happened to my cluster. I'd had some lights out when I bought it, replaced them and about a year after that the backlighting on the cluster went out. I sent it to Brian at Batee.com and he said the connector between the boards was bad due to heat damage. He fixed that, replaced the photocell and replaced the bulbs with Xenon ones. Could not be happier with the results, working great now.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 151
Likes: 1
From: Capital District, NY
I'll drop a line if I can't find what I need locally. For the most part, that would be totally useless in pinball, but for the rare occasion that a bulb is hard to reach, most pinball folks use a shooter tip rubber-- we've all got a few in the junk drawer. Still, a neat tool... people think of everything, eh?
The film in mine is fine-- everything is nice and bright and colored as it should be (just lacking illumination at the moment!).
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Race Director
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 10,036
Likes: 346
From: Anaheim CA
In 1989 they changed to a wedge based bulb (like the ones in the turn signal indicators).
This is the official GM Kent-Moore tool (rubber hose on a handle):
