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In 2017 I'd like to treat my OB (pre-S with S2 engine, S4 running gear and many other fun upgrades) to an LED makeover - all interior lights and instruments.
I have Ed Scherer's excellent PDF but this is geared towards later cars. Search yields a ton of threads but did anyone ever put together a detailed bulb list and how to for an early car? Mine is an MY 80.
Cheers and merry christmas and a happy new year to all rennlisters!
For the pod warning lights I bought push fit Leds and soldered them into the original bulb holders but you can spend a bit more and get the holders included.
For the pod warning lights I bought push fit Leds and soldered them into the original bulb holders but you can spend a bit more and get the holders included.
Hi,
I have also bought that kit with the prisms but not installed it yet! Does it work ok? Do you have some pics?
Thanks
superbrightled's site has a great car selector tool.
Use his guide, with theirs, and you'll get 90% of what you need easy.
Careful with their selector tool. I ordered using it and didn't get what I was looking for. Customer service said sorry, I just a guide you have to confirm each bulb fit yourself. So I ended up buying more bulbs than I set out to.
Has anyone found any Pod switch LEDs that actually fit properly? I've tried several, all allegedly 74 base, and they all fit poorly, in different ways. Currently I've managed to get all of them to stay put except the white odo reset...that one just won't stay put, maybe I dremel'd off too much...
Hi,
I have also bought that kit with the prisms but not installed it yet! Does it work ok? Do you have some pics?
Thanks
IMHO, you dont need new prisms...simply CLEANING contacts:
1) Alternator
2) Alternator & ABS connection point if you have ABS
3) Jump Post connections
4) Underhood ground points
5) CE Panel fuse connections
6) CE Panel hot points on the top (2)
7) Ground points above the CE panel
8) Test/Replace and/or clean ground strap connection points
9) Pod connections, including where the lights touch the film
10) CLEAN the baked on dust from the bulbs themselves
Everything in the car is better, runs better, softer, AND my dash lights up like mad now too.
The Pod switches, yes the LED's take a bit of fiddling and filling to get them to fit correctly in the sockets.
As for the main instrument, I don't mess w/ the prisms anymore, just replace the lamps w/ dimmable LED's.
Hi,
I have also bought that kit with the prisms but not installed it yet! Does it work ok? Do you have some pics?
Thanks
Hi,
Really easy to fit, on my year the right hand bulb (looking at the rear of the pod) has the positive at the top and the other two at at the bottom. I tried taking a picture but it's difficult to capture the effect. I was worried that there would be bright spots at the bottom but the light spread is even and the dials appear much sharper and brighter without looking like the car's been pimped.
The dimmer still works which I didn't expect.
Ill try again to get a decent picture with a tripod.
I tried several for the pod switches. After dremeling, filing, sanding etc. I came across these at Superbright LEDs they go into the socket deep enough and don't pop out. I did take a piece of sandpaper to each edge, at the base, just to know off the sharpness and they fit perfectly.
74 LED Bulb - 3 SMD LED - Miniature Wedge Retrofit (114)
Part Number: 74-xHP3-CAR
The term "OB" was coined to mean "old bugger", and refers to the first couple years of production of US cars. Particularly, it described US cars with CIS (K-Jet) fuel systems. The definition muddies when we consider that non-US cars came with K-Jet well into the early 1980's. Maybe it needs to mean non-S cars with CIS. There's a ton of discussion on the term, none of which includes input from the OB (Jay Kempf) who coined the term in the first place.
In the context of the dash lighting, there are several generations that coincide loosely with the series of the cars. That's where this thread can add value I think, with each year's needs defined.
Photo comes out more blue than reality but you get the general idea, in the case of my pod the light tubes (they're not really prisms) had lost most of their silver coating and the light was leaking out. I've seen guys sticking foil to them as an alternative.
Agree that electrical issues should be sorted as a low voltage across the bulbs indicates resistance somewhere which means heat.
Has anyone found any Pod switch LEDs that actually fit properly? I've tried several, all allegedly 74 base, and they all fit poorly, in different ways. Currently I've managed to get all of them to stay put except the white odo reset...that one just won't stay put, maybe I dremel'd off too much...
The ones I ordered inadvertently from super bright LEDs fit fine. No modifications at all, if anything they are too bright.
12-29-2016, 04:41 AM
LED upgrade guide for OBs
