hopwood

And so it begins...

hopwood

Guys I need help. I've installed the wedges and now I'm doing the bulbs. Problem is my LEDs are fixed polarity (as most are) and while Ed's amazing guide shows the layout and required polarity for the digidash models, I can't find a reference to OBs (mine is MY 1980).

Even just knowing where the car puts current on the 3 x 12 ribbon tracks on ignition on would help, as I can then simulate that and test that way. But maybe somebody has already documented this?

Cheers,

Joel

Ducman82

I used a 9v battery to power the lights on the dash on the bench. Then just plugged away....

mskar

I just did my gt, there were two blue/black wires headed to the hazard, one was the supply and one supplied the defrost. make sure the resistor is between the supply and hazard. Wasnt sure about what else the "return" supplied so i connected that upstream of the hazard resistor, then put a separate resistor before the defroster. if you check the wiring diagram, the single supply resistor might be enough for both switches. Hope this helps

hopwood

But how did you know which way round to put the LEDs in? I can power them up on the bench with my 12V DC supply but the bulbs work either way round, and the LEDs don't.

M. Requin

It's not easy, but you can follow the ground traces to determine polarity. I did mine that way and only had to repeat it a couple of times to get it right... It would still be good to bench test it before reinstalling the pod.

hopwood

Yeah I think I'm getting there. Will photograph the back of the cluster and post it up when I know it's right so a guide is here for posterity.

Ducman82

i just put it in, "nope not that way" then flipped it around and it worked. then marked it.

Michael Benno

I did the LED replacement using the respective colored LED's from Superbright.com and and I found a few of the locations not appropriate for LED for a variety of reasons:

1. High Beam - far too bright for driving at night. Edit - fixed this by putting some painters tape over the LED which lowered the brightness level

2. Central Warning Indicator "!" - a little too bright given how often it is illuminated. it is difficult to distinguish the ! from the red background. Edit - fixed this by putting some painters tape over the LED which lowered the brightness level

3. Turn Signal Indicator - may need to be incandescent for hazards and blink function depending on if you did the blinker lights in LED. Edit - LED works fine

4. Some of the pod switches the LED's are so bright that is shines through the thin paint on the switch. Edit - fixed this by putting some painters tape over the LED which lowered the brightness level

Ducman82

i have LED on my turnsignal. no issue at all

hopwood

Michael, did you do the bulbs at the bottom of the fuel, volts, oil and temp guages? I have managed to expose those yet, I think I need to take the cluster apart even more

Good point on the highbeam and ! lights. Especially the high beam since by definition you only use that when it's very dark outside.

Michael Benno

i did not replace those bulbs. I beli be those are soldered into the gauges.

Ducman82

they should all be replaceable. the only one i had to re solder is the ! switch and AC button lights

DoC928

Where did you take those silver gauge trim ??

Michael Benno

those came from garage9 they were installed by the po along with the cheasy blue lights