Underhood LED
Thread Starter
Running Guns & Moonshine
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 12,564
Likes: 7,239
From: CT
Underhood LED
Has anyone swapped their underhood bulb to an LED board? I opted for the simpler one from Corvettemods and it mocked up nicely, but the instructions didn't make sense to me.
I know!! It's probably braindead simple and I'm missing something, so help me out. LOL
It says to bend and twist the brass tab on the car which the original bulb was attached to. The original bulb had rectangular adapter to go over them. The new LED has V tips which won't fit over the ends.
I'm not seeing how this will work without the metal tearing. Already tried putting a slight bend to the metal and it looks fatigued.
What I'd love here are some pictures to give an idea of how to molest the car correctly.
I know!! It's probably braindead simple and I'm missing something, so help me out. LOL
It says to bend and twist the brass tab on the car which the original bulb was attached to. The original bulb had rectangular adapter to go over them. The new LED has V tips which won't fit over the ends.
I'm not seeing how this will work without the metal tearing. Already tried putting a slight bend to the metal and it looks fatigued.
What I'd love here are some pictures to give an idea of how to molest the car correctly.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 20,030
Likes: 289
From: Wylie TX --> Less is More, except under the hood !
I got a couple female spade connectors, and attached them to the RED (+) and BLACK (-) wire on the LED panel.
I verified that the bottom electrical connector in the housing was my Positive RED wire (+).
I manipulated the spade connectors to fit over the factory male type spade connections.
Then I put some double sided 3M taps inside the housing, I pressed the LED panel onto the doublesided tape. Its stuck in there good !
Works like a champ !
Hope this helps !
Toque
I verified that the bottom electrical connector in the housing was my Positive RED wire (+).
I manipulated the spade connectors to fit over the factory male type spade connections.
Then I put some double sided 3M taps inside the housing, I pressed the LED panel onto the doublesided tape. Its stuck in there good !
Works like a champ !
Hope this helps !
Toque
Racer
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 281
Likes: 1
From: Cape Coral Florida
Im having issues with the LED board not bright when connected in the hood lite housing.....but direct to a battery. And look out!!! Major brightness.....im going to try connecting like in the last pic with those flat connectors....thanks Toque
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 20,030
Likes: 289
From: Wylie TX --> Less is More, except under the hood !
It WILL turn off when the hood is closed though.
I usually leave mine unplugged unless I need it because of this. I tend to leave my hood open in my garage sometimes. I don't want my battery to go dead.
If your LED is always dim when you connect it... try to close/open your hood. Or open your door or something.
Toque
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 367,970
Likes: 24,705
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '25
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
Thanks Toque - some good info you posted.
Thread Starter
Running Guns & Moonshine
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 12,564
Likes: 7,239
From: CT
Here's an image of the pcb I'm working with. How the triangular ends fit over the rectangular pieces, I don't get. Instructions say to use needle nose plyers and bend the fittings in the housing so this slips on. Based on the size/length of this pcb, it really only fits between the prongs... I don't think it's long enough to connect to or go over the connections in the bulb housing. I did rig it up that way as a sort of pressure-fit piece and it lit up. Just can't figure out how to make it permanent.
May just jury rig it like Toque did to make it work.
That seems to be a theme with the products I bought from this company and have installed thus far. Not what I'd hope for when I dropped about $800 on various gear.
May just jury rig it like Toque did to make it work.
That seems to be a theme with the products I bought from this company and have installed thus far. Not what I'd hope for when I dropped about $800 on various gear.
Last edited by Tusc; Nov 20, 2012 at 12:07 AM.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
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
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 6,333
Likes: 1,311
C3 of Year Finalist (stock) 2019
C2 of Year Finalist (stock) 2019
I got a couple female spade connectors, and attached them to the RED (+) and BLACK (-) wire on the LED panel.
I verified that the bottom electrical connector in the housing was my Positive RED wire (+).I manipulated the spade connectors to fit over the factory male type spade connections. Then I put some double sided 3M taps inside the housing, I pressed the LED panel onto the doublesided tape. Its stuck in there good !
Works like a champ !
Hope this helps !
Toque
I verified that the bottom electrical connector in the housing was my Positive RED wire (+).I manipulated the spade connectors to fit over the factory male type spade connections. Then I put some double sided 3M taps inside the housing, I pressed the LED panel onto the doublesided tape. Its stuck in there good !
Works like a champ !
Hope this helps !
Toque
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 20,030
Likes: 289
From: Wylie TX --> Less is More, except under the hood !
Way less heat than the original bulb !
Toque
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 6,333
Likes: 1,311
C3 of Year Finalist (stock) 2019
C2 of Year Finalist (stock) 2019
Racer
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 305
Likes: 2
Here's an image of the pcb I'm working with. How the triangular ends fit over the rectangular pieces, I don't get. Instructions say to use needle nose plyers and bend the fittings in the housing so this slips on. Based on the size/length of this pcb, it really only fits between the prongs... I don't think it's long enough to connect to or go over the connections in the bulb housing. I did rig it up that way as a sort of pressure-fit piece and it lit up. Just can't figure out how to make it permanent.
May just jury rig it like Toque did to make it work.
That seems to be a theme with the products I bought from this company and have installed thus far. Not what I'd hope for when I dropped about $800 on various gear.
May just jury rig it like Toque did to make it work.
That seems to be a theme with the products I bought from this company and have installed thus far. Not what I'd hope for when I dropped about $800 on various gear.
2nd Gear
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Montreal Que
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,234
Likes: 64
From: Gulf Coast Mississippi
St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15
Recently upgraded my underwood light and its dim as well, BUT when you turn the key on to power the radio or crank the car, it lights up to full power, it does shut off when the hood is closed, but if you don't have the key on and just open the hood it's lit up, but only at about 5%.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,761
Likes: 235
From: North Carolina
I had the same problem with the led underhood light. Resolved by soldering a small bulb from a toggle switch into the circuit so the 10 minute shut down relay recognized the LED. I do not know what the resister value of this bulb would be, but by placing this small load into the circuit the LED functions properly.
In case you blow the fuse messing around installing this led, at least on the 98's its the same circuit that handles the vanity mirror lights on the sun visors.
In case you blow the fuse messing around installing this led, at least on the 98's its the same circuit that handles the vanity mirror lights on the sun visors.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 20,030
Likes: 289
From: Wylie TX --> Less is More, except under the hood !
Recently upgraded my underwood light and its dim as well, BUT when you turn the key on to power the radio or crank the car, it lights up to full power, it does shut off when the hood is closed, but if you don't have the key on and just open the hood it's lit up, but only at about 5%.
Its all part of the timing circuit. Normally the bulb will turn off after a certain amount of time. For some reason when the car tries to turn off the LED it just goes dim instead of off.
Toque
Thread Starter
Running Guns & Moonshine
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 12,564
Likes: 7,239
From: CT
Just came across this again.
NO - manufacturer had said they would send me pictures / description and never did. In fact, pretty much EVERY product from that re-seller/manufacturer required customization on my part to make it work. When I went to a more niche supplier who does a lot of the best headlight and tail light upgrades, his few parts I purchased were all instantly plug-and-play.
The seller of this hood light, who I initially bought a large bulk order from, is one I don't intend to do business with again.
Long story short... it is not installed yet. I just got back from vacationing on the Outer Banks in NC. I am waiting on a McLeod RST, Fidanza fw and a Pfadt transmission brace as the last two parts to arrive before I begin my massive week-long projects list (all of this year's mods) on the C5. The hood light will be installed before I'm done.
NO - manufacturer had said they would send me pictures / description and never did. In fact, pretty much EVERY product from that re-seller/manufacturer required customization on my part to make it work. When I went to a more niche supplier who does a lot of the best headlight and tail light upgrades, his few parts I purchased were all instantly plug-and-play.
The seller of this hood light, who I initially bought a large bulk order from, is one I don't intend to do business with again.
Long story short... it is not installed yet. I just got back from vacationing on the Outer Banks in NC. I am waiting on a McLeod RST, Fidanza fw and a Pfadt transmission brace as the last two parts to arrive before I begin my massive week-long projects list (all of this year's mods) on the C5. The hood light will be installed before I'm done.