Gauge cluster questions - covered bulbs, oil

[Damien8086]

Hi,

I am in the middle of trying to replace my AC center vent grille and have removed the glove box and gauge cluster in order to try and ease what has turned out to be a real PITA job.

Since my gauge cluster is already out I figured I would paint the needles which need a new coat pretty bad and also change the bulbs because my dash has always seemed very dark during the night. I noticed a couple of odd things after I pulled out the gauge cluster though.

1. Some of the gauge cluster bulbs have cardboard canister-like covers over them - why? Could this be why my gauges seem so dark at night?
2. There was a small amount of oil at the bottom of the gauge cluster housing near the oil pressure gauge - is this a sign of an issue?

Thanks for any help

[HO455]

The tubes are for the turn signal and high beam indicators. Without the tubes at night your dash lights will appear to flash when the turn signals flash. And the high beam indicator would also affect the lighting on the speedometer side. It is tough to say on the oil. It could be left over from a past leak. I would install it and monitor it closely for a signs of a leak.

[Stocker]

There may be brighter bulbs (or LEDs) available for the cluster. Someone might chime in, or you could do a board search for the info.

1. Those little cardboard tubes are to allow bulbs to be placed on the circuit board (like all the others) but have the light directed only where needed. They are for the warning lights, not the gauges.

Your dash may be dim because of burned-out bulbs, or a defective dimmer in the headlight switch (it rotates to make the dash cluster bulbs brighter or dimmer).

2. You have a mechanical oil gauge and the small (brass or copper?) line to the gauge has oil in it. The connection was probably just a bit loose.

[Damien8086]

Thanks for the quick responses guys, glad I didn't discard the covers

[michael bustamante]

look for the 921 LED bulbs. huge difference.

[DA71Grande]

I’ll be doing the same tonight or tomorrow..

[tdangle]

2 easy things to do to brighten your dash. first is make sure the connection to the fuse holder for the lights is clean. Mine was not making a good connection causing the bulbs to be really dim. And 2nd LED bulbs. I bought a pack from Amazon and it made a huge difference. Also they are dim-able.

[tdangle]

Here is the pic

[Damien8086]

Would these work? http://a.co/d/iQni43h

[DA71Grande]

Originally Posted by Damien8086

Would these work? http://a.co/d/iQni43h

Looks like those will be to big for the inside of your cluster they say for reverse lights.
I have these...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Stocker]

Originally Posted by tdangle

Here is the pic

That pic looks great! Did you use the same bulbs posted by DA71Grande? (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
His pic looks about the same as yours. Both very nice, and now I'm wishing I would have replaced my bulbs when I had my dash apart.


For DA71Grande: Just noticed your oil pressure gauge appears dim. Bad bulb in that position maybe? Thanks...

[72LB]

I went to LED recently, love them.

You might like this thread: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=760647

[LockDoc]

-
As far as the oil line, the compression sleeve nut on the back of the gauge could be loose or the line could have a crack in it. The nut usually takes a 3/8" wrench but I have seen a few that were 5/16". Here is a picture of the sleeve nut. The cone shaped end tightens down on the oil line to seal it when the nut is tightened up.....

LockDoc

[bozly]

I just swapped to LED yesterday as well as painted my gauge needles. I also painted the front black housing black again and the reflector that is a coral color gloss white to help light reflect better.


edit: these are the bulbs i used.

https://www.amazon.com/Yorkim-Genera.../dp/B00JRE38EA

[Sloonz]

Originally Posted by bozly

I just swapped to LED yesterday as well as painted my gauge needles. I also painted the front black housing black again and the reflector that is a coral color gloss white to help light reflect better.


edit: these are the bulbs i used.

https://www.amazon.com/Yorkim-Genera.../dp/B00JRE38EA

Is your gear indicator illuminated? I'm not sure it that's stock or did you add a light?

[bozly]

Originally Posted by Sloonz

Is your gear indicator illuminated? I'm not sure it that's stock or did you add a light?

It is a factory light. It originally had a green bulb cover over it to match the stock gauge cluster color. I have since put a piece of tape over it so it is not so bright.

[Green Monster]

Originally Posted by bozly

edit: these are the bulbs i used.

https://www.amazon.com/Yorkim-Genera.../dp/B00JRE38EA

Thank so much for sharing the bulb information. I picked up a set of the bulbs you used. The results are impressive- they're dimmable too. From what I've read, the LEDs don't typically dim much.

[HIGHWAY BY THE SEA]

Green LEDs in my 67 GMC 3500

[Green Monster]

Originally Posted by HIGHWAY BY THE SEA

Green LEDs in my 67 GMC 3500

Looks great in green too! The radioactive green glow is intense. Reminds me of slimer from ghostbusters.

[72LB]

Originally Posted by Green Monster

Thank so much for sharing the bulb information. I picked up a set of the bulbs you used. The results are impressive- they're dimmable too. From what I've read, the LEDs don't typically dim much.

How dimable are they? All I have found don't dim or are sporadic when you try to dim them.

[Green Monster]

Originally Posted by 72LB

How dimable are they? All I have found don't dim or are sporadic when you try to dim them.

They the LEDs will shut off when attempting to dim them really low. There are still two incandescent light bulbs controlled on circuit controlled by the dimmer switch (gear selector on tilt wheel and 2. bulb in 12V source (cigar lighter) so that additional resistance load may have an impact but I can't say for certain.

To help answer your question, here is a video of my LED dash lights being dimmed.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/GwhNJsoS7zn11twW8

Hope this helps.

[72LB]

Originally Posted by Green Monster

They the LEDs will shut off when attempting to dim them really low. There are still two incandescent light bulbs controlled on circuit controlled by the dimmer switch (gear selector on tilt wheel and 2. bulb in 12V source (cigar lighter) so that additional resistance load may have an impact but I can't say for certain.

To help answer your question, here is a video of my LED dash lights being dimmed.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/GwhNJsoS7zn11twW8

Hope this helps.

That's interesting. I have some not overly green LEDs in mine except the cigarette lighter and the bulb for the heater panel, mine go out when I try to dim them. It might be the make of LED, if so you got lucky. The white LEDs were a bit too bright but Those are cheap enough I might give it a shot if they dim like yours.

[Green Monster]

If the white LED dash lights were too bright then it might be time to upgrade your headlights with LEDs too.

Here's a dash photo from tonight with Hella H4 conversions headlights outfitted with H4 LEDs from Super Bright LEDs. $180 in total for the entire upgrade (LED dash lights ($10), headlight harness with relays($20), H4 conversions ($70) and LED H4 bulb ($80)) was money well spent.

[72LB]

Originally Posted by Green Monster

If the white LED dash lights were too bright then it might be time to upgrade your headlights with LEDs too.

Here's a dash photo from tonight with Hella H4 conversions headlights outfitted with H4 LEDs from Super Bright LEDs. $170 in total for the entire upgrade (LED dash lights, H4 conversions and LED H4 upgrade) was money well spent.

That is on the to do list, amazon has them for $80 a set. I have old school headlight covers on my halogens and use the high beam all the time. With the dash lights I'm just not big on them being overly bright, the wife gets pissed every time I use her car cause I turn hers down.

[EagleChief]

I'm subbing in for future info. Great info here... thanks guys!