Gauge Cluster bulb

[BarnDog296]

Alright, I pulled my gauge cluster apart and everything is going really smooth. I put in the new LEDs but now I have a question.

I understand that the main LEDs you replace are the same as a 194, I am alright there no problems. I am wondering what the other smaller ones are for the warning lights. I am going to replace them all to LED also, so they dont ever burn out and I dont ever have to replace them.

I think they are 74 bulbs, but I am not sure, are these them?http://autolumination.com/74.htm

Also, I checked out the autolumination site and it shows EVERYTHING as new and improved, its insane. Which one (if anyone knows) has the best wide angle lens - like 3 of them on there say they have the "widest" angle I dont need the brightest necessarily, but the widest for sure.


Modified by BarnDog296 at 5:57 PM 3/4/2007

[NCturbo75]

yes...the side bulbs are #74.

[BarnDog296]

alright, that helps, but does anyone know which 94 bulb is the widest and best for my gauge cluster?

Also has anyone shopped on autolumination.com - are they a pretty good place or what?

Their website makes me nervous

[positron1]

Wish I had gotten those #74 bulbs when I did my cluster...guess I'll have to open it back up. Get some Polarg hyper-white 194's. That what I swapped mine out with and they are excellent. I saw them on ImportIntelligience but I found them cheaper on Ebay.

[nissans13240sx]

post some pics when ur done please. im interested in swapping my bulbs out cause my stock gauge cluster lights suck. i just dont want to have overly bright blinding lights in there.

[BarnDog296]

Im not too worried about blinding lights because the 240s have the dimmer switch, so i dont think it will be a problem

but at the same time does the dimmer work with LEDs? Does anyone know?

[ArcherV20]

You'll have to get a special kind of LED for it to work with the dimmer.

[BarnDog296]

Its all ordered, I ordered all the LEDs from autolumination and a set of red gauges from Import Intelligence. I guess we are going to find out how good these sponsors are now huh? lol

Here is the list of parts I ordered to replace all my bulbs in the console. I also noticed that a few were missing bulbs which light up the icons for the warning lights, so i got the twist pieces for those too, so I can add them on.

5 - Amber 194 Superstar Bulbs With Metal Heat Sink2 - Amber 74 Tri-Power 3 LED Bulb12 - White 74 Forward Single LEDs3 - Twist Lock Bases1 - Hyper Red Import Intelligence Needle Set

I decided to just go all out if I was going to do it once and never touch it again.

Total Cost: $161.05 with shipping

[pandaimpreza]

do you have to put in the led bulbs in a certain way due to the polarity? Or can you just put them in and they work? I already purchased led's from autolumination and was just making sure.

[BarnDog296]

I know that its too late to answer this question for pandaimpreza, I have VER much been neglecting this forum. Yes, you do have to put them in at the right polarity, or they will not light at all. I actually put them in, then tested them and kept doing that since i couldnt tell + or - on them.... But now my gas light always stays on... so I think I have to change that around, but the rest of them work great.

After all the work on them, here is how they look now.



yes, there is a green film behind the gauges, but it doesnt stop any colors from coming through at all. The only problem I have with the setup is that I used pure white on the brake and all instead of red and they came out almost a pink through the faded red lenses. You can see that on the bottom right and the "blue" clock is also a pure white LED, but the clock has a blue film on it as well.

Let me know what you think.

[Rays_240]

I like it, Do you know if the "films" are removable?

[i240sx]

mine is orange red...just change the three light in the middle, left and right then your good to go.o yeah and when you won't pass smog cuz of your engine light is on, just remove the bulb.i did that and pass my smog test...

[X-MAN510]

Its all ordered, I ordered all the LEDs from autolumination and a set of red gauges from Import Intelligence. I guess we are going to find out how good these sponsors are now huh? lol

Here is the list of parts I ordered to replace all my bulbs in the console. I also noticed that a few were missing bulbs which light up the icons for the warning lights, so i got the twist pieces for those too, so I can add them on.

5 - Amber 194 Superstar Bulbs With Metal Heat Sink2 - Amber 74 Tri-Power 3 LED Bulb12 - White 74 Forward Single LEDs3 - Twist Lock Bases1 - Hyper Red Import Intelligence Needle Set

I decided to just go all out if I was going to do it once and never touch it again.

Total Cost: $161.05 with shipping

Hey do you think you can specify what bulbs you used for each place in the cluster... Like what kind of bulb and what color you used for the needles, speedo tach etc. because I plan on using your shopping list when I order my bulbs.

[Philipio]

The three 194 bulbs serve to light up all the gauges: tach, speedo, fuel, temperature. Everything else takes an individual 74, including the clock, air bag light (if you have an S14), gas light, seat belt light, etc. All of the little indicator lights take 74 bulbs.

I only got 194 bulbs when I did my cluster. I ordered two Polarg hyper white packages from ebay since there's two bulbs in each package. I wanted my gauges to be white and to keep the stock look of all the other lights.

I'm very happy with how it looks. I ended up throwing the extra 194 bulb in the trunk; it looks much better compared to the 12 year old dim yellow bulb that was in there.

[StandardProspect]

i bought my cluster bulbs from superbrightleds.com and they work with the dimmer switch

[X-MAN510]

Hey thanks, ya I hear you on those OEM yellow lights, they kill the whole look of the cluster... And I'm assuming the needles are also a 74 right? By any chance does anyone know what bulbs those autometer 2 1/4" gauges use? 74, 194?

[StandardProspect]

the needles dont have their own bulbs. iirc you need to change the needles themselves for a different color.

[Shift__BODOM]

I like it, Do you know if the "films" are removable?

Old thread, but this is a question I'd like to know the answer to as well. Been toying around with LEDs in my cluster and the white looks too blue. Thought about getting a cluster from the junkyard just to play around with as far as the film and even needles are concerned, but they want ~$100 for em around here.

And OP, if you're still around, that gas light is staying on because of the 194 in it. I read in one of the many "LED conversion" threads that the gas light is problematic and possibly not compatible with LEDs. Sucks, but oh well, just don't run out of gas and no one will know