When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Have the dash apart to get the main display refurbished, while I have the whole thing apart, I want to replace all the other bulbs, are LEDs the way to go ? Or should I stick with the filament type bulbs. ? Thanks.
The bigger issue is polarity. Many LEDs are polarity sensitive; must be positive on the positive terminal or it won't come on. Only way to know is to cause the light to come on with an incandescent in swap with an LED and flip the LED around if it doesn't illuminate. Some LEDs aren't polarity specific and will work regardless of + - orientation. Incandescent will work regardless
In my 85, I replaced all the dash bulbs including the idiot bulbs with LEDs and haven't looked back. Yes, they all shut off completely. But the bigger thing is this: Incandescent light bulbs produce heat. Heat is the enemy of electronics. This is especially true in the display. Get rid of all the dash bulbs and go with LEDs. If you haven't spec'd it with the rebuild, call the builder now and get the bulbs replaced. You won't regret it.
In my 85, I replaced all the dash bulbs including the idiot bulbs with LEDs and haven't looked back. Yes, they all shut off completely. But the bigger thing is this: Incandescent light bulbs produce heat. Heat is the enemy of electronics. This is especially true in the display. Get rid of all the dash bulbs and go with LEDs. If you haven't spec'd it with the rebuild, call the builder now and get the bulbs replaced. You won't regret it.
Thanks for the info. I planned on going with LEDs in the gauge cluster display, what brand LEDs did you use for the idiot lights ?
I just used cheapie LEDs that I get in bulk from China. Don't use the ones with a focused lens on them. Not what you want. Just a wide spread light. I get these from DHgate.com in China, and order about 50 at a time. Super cheap. (search 194 LED auto bulbs) They're exactly what one would buy on eBay, and then claim they're far better than Chinese ones. (It's ALL Chinese.) These ones also work well in door lights, fender marker lights, license plate lights, etc. You can get them in various colors too.
For the instrument cluster, you should order the ones from Batee.com. These are designed for the cluster.
Last edited by LiveWire1; Nov 28, 2023 at 09:22 AM.
I replaced all of my dash lights and all of the interior lights in my 86 with LED's about six years ago. The information center lens was heat damaged so I replaced it. I've never has a problem with LED's. I don't remember the brand, just stuff from Amazon. Just don't buy the cheap stuff. The only incandescent bulbs I have in my car now are the front turn signal bulbs, easier to leave them than deal with flasher problems. .
I just used cheapie LEDs that I get in bulk from China. Don't use the ones with a focused lens on them. Not what you want. Just a wide spread light. I get these from DHgate.com in China, and order about 50 at a time. Super cheap. (search 194 LED auto bulbs) They're exactly what one would buy on eBay, and then claim they're far better than Chinese ones. (It's ALL Chinese.) These ones also work well in door lights, fender marker lights, license plate lights, etc. You can get them in various colors too.
For the instrument cluster, you should order the ones from Batee.com. These are designed for the cluster.
Thanks for the info, my gauge cluster is at Batee right now, so I plan on having them replace with the LEDs while it's there. It also dawned on me that when I restored my 240sx about 4 years ago I used LEDs in the dash and have had no issues. Sucks getting old and forgetting more and more things.
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Slideshow: A Jaguar designer's personal project imagines what a modern front-engined Corvette might look like if Chevrolet revisited the golden age of the Stingray.
Replace Info/Idiot Light Bulbs with LED ?
