Reproduction Tach Dash Bezel Lens Text Not Lighting Up

[pjmoreland]

I installed a CounterPart brand tach kit recently. I drove at night yesterday evening for the first time since I installed it, and I noticed that the speedometer and gas gauge text on the bezel lens are not illuminated like they were on the original lens. Is this a common problem with reproduction lenses?

[LockDoc]

-
Looks like you have a couple of bulbs that aren't working for some reason. I would remove the bulbs and test them.

LockDoc

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

-
Looks like you have a couple of bulbs that aren't working for some reason. I would remove the bulbs and test them.

LockDoc

With my lights on, I reached up under the dash and removed each bulb, one at a time. I could see a reduction in light as each bulb was removed, so the bulbs are all good.

I just got done disassembling my gauge panel, and I have found that the green paint on the reproduction lens just isn't nearly as good as the original at conducting light through the lens. When I shine a flashlight on the back of the lens tin, the original lights up brightly, but the repro is dim. I'm wondering if there are multiple brands of repro lenses and if some are better than others.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by pjmoreland

With my lights on, I reached up under the dash and removed each bulb, one at a time. I could see a reduction in light as each bulb was removed, so the bulbs are all good.

I just got done disassembling my gauge panel, and I have found that the green paint on the reproduction lens just isn't nearly as good as the original at conducting light through the lens. When I shine a flashlight on the back of the lens tin, the original lights up brightly, but the repro is dim. I'm wondering if there are multiple brands of repro lenses and if some are better than others.

Not sure on the brands of lenses. I know there are two different bulbs available, 194 and 168. The 194's are factory but 168's are brighter.

LockDoc

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

Not sure on the brands of lenses. I know there are two different bulbs available, 194 and 168. The 168's are brighter.

LockDoc

I'll give that a try. Thanks

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

Not sure on the brands of lenses. I know there are two different bulbs available, 194 and 168. The 194's are factory but 168's are brighter.

LockDoc

I have 194s in there now. Will try 168s.

[pjmoreland]

I installed 168s, and it's definitely brighter, but the speedometer numbers and the fuel gauge text are still nowhere near as bright as with the original lens. I think I will start searching for a stock tach lens. That's not going to be easy...

['68OrangeSunshine]

Be careful handling the 52 year-old OEM lenses. The white markings and letters are highly water soluable. I was trying to clean up a junkyard lens with a damp paper towel, and the white stuff came right off. Just dust it with a camels hair brush or canned compressed air.

[Nice Orange Stepside, BTW.]

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

Be careful handling the 52 year-old OEM lenses. The white markings and letters are highly water soluable. I was trying to clean up a junkyard lens with a damp paper towel, and the white stuff came right off. Just dust it with a camels hair brush or canned compressed air.

[Nice Orange Stepside, BTW.]

Thank you for the heads up on that! That would be upsetting.

[69cam]

I bought mine from GMCPauls, lights up just fine. Not sure of the manufacturer, but am very satisfied. Maybe you got a defective one.

[Andy4639]

Did you put the spacers in between the housing for the light to shine through. I have never had problems with aftermarket lenses. The cushions that go between the panels.

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by 69cam

I bought mine from GMCPauls, lights up just fine. Not sure of the manufacturer, but am very satisfied. Maybe you got a defective one.

That's where I bought mine too

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

Did you put the spacers in between the housing for the light to shine through. I have never had problems with aftermarket lenses. The cushions that go between the panels.

Are you referring to the spacers that look like black tootsie rolls and sit between the front bezel and the lens? I did reinstall those.

[Bigdually]

An additional note in the way of lightning, 2825 bulbs are the same as 194 and 168 and even brighter yet, if you're needing more illumination.

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by Bigdually

An additional note in the way of lightning, 2825 bulbs are the same as 194 and 168 and even brighter yet, if you're needing more illumination.

Ok, thank you. The gauges themselves are quite bright at this point with the 168s.

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

Did you put the spacers in between the housing for the light to shine through. I have never had problems with aftermarket lenses. The cushions that go between the panels.

There are a bunch of little rectangular holes in the tin that clamps the lens into the bezel. I believe this is how the light from the bulbs gets to the lens. I took my gauge cluster apart last night and compared the effectiveness of shining light on these holes on my tach lens vs. the original lens. The original lens text lights up very nicely when I point a flashlight at those rectangular holes, but the tach lens does not. The holes in the tach tin look exactly the same as the holes in the original tin. It's gotta be the paint they used on the lens.

[CarlsLQ9SS]

Could it be a problem with the tin being too close to the lens?

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by CarlsLQ9SS

Could it be a problem with the tin being too close to the lens?

The original tin sits right up against the original lens, just like on the new setup. Here are some photos that show the rectangular holes that allow the light to get to the lens. I have the lens squeezed tightly against the tin, and I'm lighting it up with a flashlight. I will do the same with the tach lens after I take it apart again.

[pjmoreland]

Here are the same photos, but of the tach lens and tin. The speedo doesn't have the same glowing halo around it that the original has. Also, most of the light is from sunlight shining in a window (where the numbers look white).

[Andy4639]

I just finished replacing the tach in my ramp truck. The other one burnt up. Brothers sent me another one. When I went to put it back in I noticed the lights where dim. The ground in the printed circuit board had a gash in it. I had to put a ground into the light socket and ground it to the tin. It's all back together now and everything works fine.

I use these LED lights



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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPrq2X1JHlI

You Tube

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

I just finished replacing the tach in my ramp truck. The other one burnt up. Brothers sent me another one. When I went to put it back in I noticed the lights where dim. The ground in the printed circuit board had a gash in it. I had to put a ground into the light socket and ground it to the tin. It's all back together now and everything works fine.

I use these LED lights



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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPrq2X1JHlI

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPrq2X1JHlI

I saw your other post about these LEDs, so I ordered a set. They are supposed to arrive today.

[pjmoreland]

I saw an original tach lens at a place I visited a couple of months ago. I contacted the guy and he still had it, so I went and picked it up.

[70STOVEBOLT]

There’s an NOS lens on eBay right now but it’s pricey.

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by 70STOVEBOLT

There’s an NOS lens on eBay right now but it’s pricey.

Thanks. The green paint looks like it is crumbling. I'm happy with the used one I found.

[70STOVEBOLT]

Cool. I didn’t really check it out, I just saw it while browsing today. Glad you found one that works for you.