Dash Lighting

[RT22]

I looked into putting in the LED lights to brighten my dim dash. I ended up not using them as they did not do that much, may be the LEDS that I can get locally, not that great. Found a cheap alternative. The stock bulbs are like 3.5 watts and I found 5 watt bulbs locally at Wal mart of all places LOL. The dash is a good bit brighter and the bulbs are like 3 bucks for a pair. I replaced all the larger ones that backlight the speedo and tach etc. I think it was like 8 bulbs total. They are wedge bulbs that just pop into the twist lock connectors. Pop one out of dash panel and size them, cannot remember the number on the bulb. But I just took one to check the size they fit and are a good bit brighter for anyone trying to lighten up the dash lights a bit. Mine were so old and darkened they looked bad.

[seang]

Good looking out, RT22! Love these little tricks for our little trucks.

[pejsa s-13]

i did the same thing lol

but i painted mine red with stained glass paint it looks awesome =]

[RT22]

I was thinking of colors, they even sell little colored covers at the parts store, but I needed the brightness so I left em clear. if they were brighter I may have gone with a blue rubber cover i saw to match the stereo, but like I said I need brightness, my eyes are not what they used to be LOL

[coupe1942]

I have a '90 hardbody Nissan truck that I just removed two of the screw in holders for the light bulbs at the instrument cluster. My dash lights were not working for the speedometer and ampmeter. When I pulled them and took them to the local AutoZone, the clerk there could not pull the bulbs out of the plastic holders. He said they were soldered in place. I could not pull the bulb out either, but I don't think he knew what he was talking about in saying they were soldered in place. He ruined one bulb in trying to pull it out. Is there a trick to removal of the bulb?

So you went to Wally World and got the replacement bulbs, that are apparently spade-type? Were they located in the section that has all the colored auto lights or somewhere else in automotive?

I can't quite figure why they were so difficult to remove the bulbs from the plastic holders. Again, is there a particular trick on doiing this. I am going to the local Nissan dealership today to order some replacements, but if I can get the original sockets to let the bulbs go or turn loose, then Wally World would likely be cheaper to visit than the Nissan dealership parts house.

Where can I get an online wiring diagram for the instrument cluster?

Thanks for any info.
Huey

[brynichols]

That is a great idea, I am going to try that tonight. Mine are so dim/dirty I have to use my cell phone to check my speed at night.

[coupe1942]

My Nissan parts guy ordered the replacement cluster bulb for me. He said it is soldered onto the plastic holder this particular model. It actually showed two pieces on the form he pulled up, but he says it is all one-piece. I ordered a couple, but I'll be checking at the local wrecking yards to see if they have a '90 model that I can pull the dash lights and holders from the cluster. The other holders and light bulbs didn't light up on my dash when inserted, so it is likely that the parts guy is correct and the little prongs on the back of the plastic holder are solder parts that make connection with the solder board of the back of the cluster. Hope the imgage loads, as I don't really know how to post pics here.

Maybe some trucks differ in what the bulbs look like and how they insert and work. Pretty complex thing, in my opinion.

Huey

[Rev_D21]

Um, your parts guy isn't very good then, or he's REALLY good selling you stuff you don't need. It's 194 bulb set in a twistlock holder and all of them have removable bulbs. Carquest sells them all day everyday.

[coupe1942]

Well, I'll see when the new ones get in, as they are already ordered, but there must be some sort of trick to removal of the bulb from the plastic holder that neither he, nor I seem to know about with them. I already put in the ones you mention and got no resulting light from them, once installed. The holder went into place, ok, but no light when I screwed it into place on the cluster. Shouldn't they light, even if the cluster box is removed from the dash or does the box somehow ground things, as well?

The parts sheet shows the light bulb as a 24855b and the plastic part as 24850g, and does not show them as a single unit in the parts picture.



If this pic loads, it is the instrument cluster with the black new plastic holder screwed down and new bulb in place. No luck in making it work and the solder strips sure make it look as if it has to contact them, as the parts guy first indicated. Any rate, with everything tight and in place, the new bulb did not work. This pic may show the cluster upside down, as I only laid it onto the steering to take a pic, but you can see the new plastic holder in black in the pic. The originals are all gray in color.

[Rev_D21]

Make sure the contacts on the bulb are touching the contacts inside the plastic twist and lock. Also make sure the tabs on the twist and lock are making good contact with the contacts on the cluster. Over time stuff loosens up and might not be touching the way it should. The bulbs should just pull right out of the base, it's a wedge type bulb held in by wedge design.

[coupe1942]

Try as I might tonight, I just could not pull the original bulbs out of these sockets. I know I ain't no weakling, but I just had no luck in removal. I used some rubber gloces and even tugged with a pair of pliars, but to no avail at all in removing the bulb from this original gray plastic unit that holds it to the cluster. I did retry tightening the black plastic one with the new bulb in it and I did get it to work this time. I plan on going to Wally World tomorrow and getting some brighter bulbs and trying them out to see if I can brighten things up a bit. I don't know if the dimmer switch may be bad, but I don't think so. Just poor lighting with the ones currently in place. Thanks for the tips and I'll see what Wally World has to offer in replacements. I'd have sworn the parts guy was right about the soldering in place, but I'll look at what comes in at the Nissan parts place and see. They only cost me about 7-8 bucks for two, so I am not out all that much, so far.

I still know there must be some sort of trick to removal of the original bulbs. Man, all that tugging just didn't work for me on them. :-(

[RT22]

You may need to get the twist locks from an older model nissan at a junkyard I know they pop out and use wedge bulbs. maybe the new ones are soldered.

[brynichols]

Worked great on my 1990, thanks for the tip!!!

[coupe1942]

I lucked out at a salvage yard today and picked up enough dash lights to keep me in stock for quite some time. I have all of them working at present, but it is indeed nice to have pleanty of spares on hand. I learned that the local Nissan Dealership is a place to steer clear of, as they do not really know what they are ordering and what works well for an older truck. I am happy as a lark to have found the stash of bulbs, big and small, for any replacement in the future. I still can't figure out how anyone can seperate the bulb from the plastic holders, but I don't really need to, as I have enough to keep me lit up for quite some time. :-)

Thanks to anyone who replied in this thread, as the information was very useful.

Huey

[dethtruk]

oh man, funny stuff! i had this exact scene in winter 2008. all the lights went out, think the speedo still worked, but not iluminated. got it down to the bulbs, ran into the same thing. they look as if they should come apart, and the nissan parts guy agreed, but even he broke one trying to pop it out. he ended up giving me like 50% off the order, and sure enough they lit back up. i'll call it a win. maybe its just an age thing on the factory bulbs? after 20+ years, i figure on plastic gettin goofy...

lets call drivin down the road with and empty hole in front of you...exciting?

[dcamp31]

On my bulbs it says just bellow the PC 158 Replace entire assy.
I'm looking for these bulbs also.
I'm trying this company:
http://www.courtesyparts.com/24855b-bul ... 217_3221&

[YeaEmailMe]

As far as the bulbs you couldn't pull out. The reason for that is because the stock ones come as One Piece. This is indicated by the color of the plastic being Grey. When you reorder them, via autozone or Nissan, they will sell you the plastic BROWN ones. In these, the bulbs ARE removable. You can go to a junk yard and pick them up...thats what i did.
I learned this the hard way. Initially i had broken the bulbs out of the grey sockets, bought new bulbs, twisted the wire around the sides of the bulb so they would contact with the metal of the grey backs like in the pictures above, and made them work. Then i wanted Red LEDS (that look awesome by the way) which Do Not have wires you can twist around the sides...(and the original grey sockets which have the bulbs fused in, have the contact points on the little sides, not the long flat part of the bulbs (hence why i originally had to twist the wire). Anyways, that is when i went to the junkyard and got the replacement sockets...or whatever the brown ones are called. On another note, does anybody know the official size of the tiny ones that light up the engine light, brake, etc on the instrument panel? There is one little spot for it behind my speedometer (that was covered with tape) and i want to replace that with a tiny red LED....it will brighten my panel up even more as i can see slight dimness around the 50 60 speedo mark without it.