LED Gauge Cluster Tech tip
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 11,651
Likes: 9
From: HOW FAST WAS I GOING OFFICER? Los Angeles Hating GM Dealership Service Dept.'s Since Sept. 2004
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
To my knowlege, no one has done this.
The gauges are illuminated by two small, flouescent, black lights (one at each end of teh cluster)... I would think you'd need a large number of LED's to reproduce the lighting affect...
I'd sure be interested if someone has done it though....
Check out www.spdkilz.com for an awesome write up by Carleton.
Look under Tech Tips
The gauges are illuminated by two small, flouescent, black lights (one at each end of teh cluster)... I would think you'd need a large number of LED's to reproduce the lighting affect...
I'd sure be interested if someone has done it though....
Check out www.spdkilz.com for an awesome write up by Carleton.
Look under Tech Tips
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,007
Likes: 2
I really want to do this, but there's no way I'm pulling my cluster out on my own (don't even have the tools to do it). A local shop quoted $600 just to remove the cluster and solder a couple of LED's in. 
The link myvettedream posted is a good one and contains detailed instructions.
http://www.spdkilz.com/techtipleddic.html
http://www.spdkilz.com/techtipledhvac.html
The link myvettedream posted is a good one and contains detailed instructions.
http://www.spdkilz.com/techtipleddic.html
http://www.spdkilz.com/techtipledhvac.html
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 6,276
Likes: 226
From: Farmington CT
Cruise-In VII Veteran
the cluster comes out in 15 minutes, 7,13mm sockets, and T15 is all that's needed
the cluster is backlit w/ 2 UV lamps, one on each side, i doubt LEDS are going to throw enough light
the cluster is backlit w/ 2 UV lamps, one on each side, i doubt LEDS are going to throw enough light
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,898
Likes: 5
From: Plainfield, IL
Guys maybe you didnt understand him right. You cant put in LED's because they wont do anything. Our gauges are FRONT lit using U.V. tubes. Even if you did find a way to get some LED's behind the gauges they wont shine through. Just trying to clarify.
JT
JT
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,654
Likes: 5
From: Silver Spring MD
Originally Posted by JTS97Z28
Guys maybe you didnt understand him right. You cant put in LED's because they wont do anything. Our gauges are FRONT lit using U.V. tubes. Even if you did find a way to get some LED's behind the gauges they wont shine through. Just trying to clarify.
JT
JT
I don't think is it possible, and I have done a lot of LED mods!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,744
Likes: 9
From: FL
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Originally Posted by JTS97Z28
Guys maybe you didnt understand him right. You cant put in LED's because they wont do anything. Our gauges are FRONT lit using U.V. tubes. Even if you did find a way to get some LED's behind the gauges they wont shine through. Just trying to clarify.
JT
JT
Not possible. There is NO BACKLIGHTING. They "glow" from the FRONT blacklights projecting onto the faces... An LED cannot reproduce the same effect.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 824
Likes: 5
From: Chicago Illinois
Originally Posted by FixedRoof
Not possible. There is NO BACKLIGHTING. They "glow" from the FRONT blacklights projecting onto the faces... An LED cannot reproduce the same effect.
Then again, I haven't been 100% impressed with the UV LEDs I have fiddled around with!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,744
Likes: 9
From: FL
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Originally Posted by SpdKilz
Not unless they are UV LEDs Then again, I haven't been 100% impressed with the UV LEDs I have fiddled around with!
Then again, I haven't been 100% impressed with the UV LEDs I have fiddled around with! It would take a TON of the UV LED's and still be better off using a blacklight.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 14,604
Likes: 3
From: Glendale, AZ
Originally Posted by SpdKilz
Not unless they are UV LEDs Then again, I haven't been 100% impressed with the UV LEDs I have fiddled around with!
Then again, I haven't been 100% impressed with the UV LEDs I have fiddled around with!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,654
Likes: 5
From: Silver Spring MD
Originally Posted by Togo
i would believe YOU before i'd believe most others about this - as you have done the mod - however, i MUST ask - are we CERTAIN that this cannot be done with a simple bulb switch?
Not to insult your intelligence, but this isn't a possible mod!! If you've ever looked at the cluster, which I have many a time, there are two 3" blacklight TUBES that light the cluster FROM THE FRONT!! There are no bulbs in there, nor can you hook LED's up to the tubes connectors and still get enough ambient UB light to provide good lighting, and if you're changing out the UV tube for some UV LED's, there's no point!! Sorry to be harsh, but please read the above posts and you'll realize this can't be done! Oh, and Carleton (SPDKILZ) hasn't done the mod, no one has!
Sorry for the poor picture quality, but had to shrink it down from paint...
Anyway, this is where the UV tubes are located!
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 14,604
Likes: 3
From: Glendale, AZ
you have not insulted my intelligence at all - i thought spdkilz had done it - and i didn't know it couldn't be done. i appreciate your response, as i hadn't planned on taking my cluster apart until i got the part numbers for the bulbs (which now i'm getting....can't be had in LED form)
the arrows you have point toward the DIC "buttons" and spdkilz DID those with LEDs - did he not? or are those too linked to the UV bulbs?
what idiot came up with UV bulbs in a car?
the arrows you have point toward the DIC "buttons" and spdkilz DID those with LEDs - did he not? or are those too linked to the UV bulbs?
what idiot came up with UV bulbs in a car?
Originally Posted by CUlookin
Not to insult your intelligence, but this isn't a possible mod!! If you've ever looked at the cluster, which I have many a time, there are two 3" blacklight TUBES that light the cluster FROM THE FRONT!! There are no bulbs in there, nor can you hook LED's up to the tubes connectors and still get enough ambient UB light to provide good lighting, and if you're changing out the UV tube for some UV LED's, there's no point!! Sorry to be harsh, but please read the above posts and you'll realize this can't be done! Oh, and Carleton (SPDKILZ) hasn't done the mod, no one has!
Sorry for the poor picture quality, but had to shrink it down from paint...
Anyway, this is where the UV tubes are located!
Sorry for the poor picture quality, but had to shrink it down from paint...
Anyway, this is where the UV tubes are located!
Racer
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 391
Likes: 1
From: Enterprise Al
i switched to the white faced guages and i now use leds to lights my guages. i have 6 5mm blue leds in the console(one for each guage).the two on the sides i mounted by drilling into the clear plastic cover and they are hidden when put back together. the leds for the speedometer and tach are mounted into the top of the housing and aimed straight down. if you wanted to be picky and look really hard you could see them during the day but nobody ever notices and it looks really good at night. i left the uv lights in because although its not enough to see the gauges clearly enough to drive it still looks good. ill take some pics tonight and figure out how to post them.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,654
Likes: 5
From: Silver Spring MD
Originally Posted by Togo
you have not insulted my intelligence at all - i thought spdkilz had done it - and i didn't know it couldn't be done. i appreciate your response, as i hadn't planned on taking my cluster apart until i got the part numbers for the bulbs (which now i'm getting....can't be had in LED form)
the arrows you have point toward the DIC "buttons" and spdkilz DID those with LEDs - did he not? or are those too linked to the UV bulbs?
what idiot came up with UV bulbs in a car?
the arrows you have point toward the DIC "buttons" and spdkilz DID those with LEDs - did he not? or are those too linked to the UV bulbs?
what idiot came up with UV bulbs in a car?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 824
Likes: 5
From: Chicago Illinois
Originally Posted by j99vette
i switched to the white faced guages and i now use leds to lights my guages. i have 6 5mm blue leds in the console(one for each guage).the two on the sides i mounted by drilling into the clear plastic cover and they are hidden when put back together. the leds for the speedometer and tach are mounted into the top of the housing and aimed straight down. if you wanted to be picky and look really hard you could see them during the day but nobody ever notices and it looks really good at night. i left the uv lights in because although its not enough to see the gauges clearly enough to drive it still looks good. ill take some pics tonight and figure out how to post them.
If you take pictures you can e-mail them to me: Carleton@SpdKilz.com and I will gladly host them seeing as I am interested in how yours turned out/looks.
Togo - In response to your PM I will try to pull together a quick "cheat sheet" of information for the inside of the corvette in reguards to what you can and cannot do LED wise. I am afraid it may take me a couple weeks (I am leaving to go out of town soon) to do but it is something I will definately do! Thanks for the input!
Carleton
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 14,604
Likes: 3
From: Glendale, AZ
Originally Posted by SpdKilz
That would be great! I have been meaning to do a tech tip on changing the white faced guages to blue LEDs myself. I need to order the LEDs ASAP and get that done for you guys.
If you take pictures you can e-mail them to me: Carleton@SpdKilz.com and I will gladly host them seeing as I am interested in how yours turned out/looks.
Togo - In response to your PM I will try to pull together a quick "cheat sheet" of information for the inside of the corvette in reguards to what you can and cannot do LED wise. I am afraid it may take me a couple weeks (I am leaving to go out of town soon) to do but it is something I will definately do! Thanks for the input!
Carleton
If you take pictures you can e-mail them to me: Carleton@SpdKilz.com and I will gladly host them seeing as I am interested in how yours turned out/looks.
Togo - In response to your PM I will try to pull together a quick "cheat sheet" of information for the inside of the corvette in reguards to what you can and cannot do LED wise. I am afraid it may take me a couple weeks (I am leaving to go out of town soon) to do but it is something I will definately do! Thanks for the input!
Carleton
i'll write something up this week after it's done with before and after pics and my personal rating on if it's even worth it to do or not!
i am trying both BLUE LED and UV LED (i'll put one in each gauge for testing at first, then decide which i like better - it's probably gonna be blue!)
