John Etnier

Been unable to raise Darryl via PM since this post, so I'm posting here to say I found what seems to be a completely suitable product at an arts supply store. It must be aluminized mylar, with a transparent adhesive.

I'll be working on installing it and new bulbs very soon and will have LOTS of shiny sticky stuff left over if anyone needs some.

odurandina

after changing the bulbs behind my instruments and still hating the result, i frontlit my instruments by picking up a hot wire behind the AC outlets and running it through to the front of the instrument panel. then using a band of blue-white LED lights, and epoxy i mounted them directly behind the lexan cover framework.... (i dumped the lexan cover some time ago). amazing result... the instruments are lit perfectly ! don't have the photographic equipment to make an acccurate photo but, i'll post the product i used (18" light band that can be trimmed available at autozone), in a few minutes.


this to go of course, with my 240-LED-interior-light cluster.

(car lights up like a UFO when you open the door, but you can still drive ok if someone turns it on).

Jacks911

I just finished replacing my Odometer gears and while I was in ther I pulled out the Blue Led units and put in Sylania 194 bulb. For the first time since I have owned this car I can see all the Guages (in the Dark) I may even need to use the Dimmer? I had already replaced the reflective surfaces with foil tape - but the Blue LEDS just did not give enough light. ... and the Odometer works again! Me and the 968 had a good day today. I am also enjoying the promax 7100 chip I got from Raj. Tomorrow we go on a 400 mile road trip to wine country in Oregon with the club - should be much more fun with all thiese new fixes.

odurandina

do you have more power with the chip ?

FRporscheman

A friend has LEDs installed by drilling holes in the clear plastic reflectors (the parts with the silver that wears off) and slipping in the LEDs. The LEDs point right at the gauges so there's no more optics or reflection, just light. It's not totally even (3 huge light spots... they overlap a lot so it's alright) but it is a simple setup.

Jacks911

?do you have more power with the chip ?

Hard to say... I just to the car on a very "spirited drive" with the local cub and the car felt good. But then in similar drive last year it always kept up with the the big cars given a twisty road and only the newer 911s (or Turbos) can pull away. If I where to make a guess I would say there is more touque below 3000 rpm that I believe is noticable and the car is a bit smother pulling away from rest. This is all subjective - but a fellow 968 owner documented this same chip adding 11 Bhp and 11 Pft Torque in a coupe in a write up in Excellence Magazine. When you think of that, it is good numbers, but less than a 5% increase. Is that noticeable ? By the way - I checked the gas mileage - and with the Spirited driving and about 100 of the 359 miles on the freeway - we used 17 gallons of gas. That is in a Cab with to two moderately heavy souls (luggage and a case of wine on the way back).

John Etnier

Does anyone remember: if the bridging resistor goes across the steering wheel airbag connection, should the airbag continue to check-light with the ignition partly engaged, or would it be off?

Also, just verifying: there is a washer reservoir warning light which should also be verifying at that time, right?

and: there's an indicator light area roughly over the left gauge cluster: symmetrically equivalent to the high-beam indicator over the right cluster. Is this an active light for us? What's it do?

JDS968

I have to imagine that if the resistor convinces the airbag system that the airbag is still there, then all the lights should operate normally...

I just checked and I don't get a washer reservoir light.

The high beam light actually has the high beam pictogram printed in white. The one on the left side has nothing printed on it, so even if it lit up, it would have no image, right?

John Etnier

As to the washer reservoir light-

I checked the "Service Information Technik '92" book, which appears to detail changes from the 944 to the 968.

It, and my owner's manual, show a washer reservoir light at the top of the oil-pressure/voltmeter gauge cluster. The owner's manual says it will light when a liter of fluid remains in the reservoir.

But- check out that 2nd image: "there is no telltale lamp."!

If there is none, why have that sensor in place?

So I dunno.

I'm wrestling with washer pump problems now, and found this stuff while I was doing research, so I thought I might as well post it.

968 GUY

John, I have done the instrument panel lights on both my 968's on the 6-spd, I bought some light blue LED's and I do not like them as much as the white ones I put in the tip. The white ones just have a better overall look, and the dimmer switch still adjusts them/dimmer works on the other LED's also, just not as good a range./ Plan on buying more white ones and putting them in the 6-spd and 951. I also bought extra instrument bulbs and checked each bulb and replaced as needed. I am fairly certain I know who put the bug in your ear abt LED's being too bright. The knowitall from the other site/I quit that site because I was sick of his B/S.../ but I have tried several types of bulbs, redid the reflectors, etc. The white LED's have been the best for me.

John Etnier

I installed 194's and am completely happy with them. They will last at least as long as the remaining life of the car.

JDS968

Bull****, the car is less than 20 years old and there's no good reason these cars shouldn't be able to last 50 years or more if properly maintained. People are still driving '60 or earlier 356s, and those weren't even galvanized.

John Etnier

Well, then, my #$%& grandchildren can change out the 194's.

And you using a word like that is totally inappropriate. Back off.

JDS968

Sorry if that came out wrong? I didn't mean it that way, no intonation on the internet...

John Etnier

Understood and accepted!

BTW: No way my car's going to last 50 years- it gets hard daily driving winter and summer, in Maine.