Replace Cluster Bulbs! How-To

[JVT007]

Does anyone have a howto on how to replace the cluster bulb? I want to make them a blue color like the corvettes.

[Blue Flame V6]

They wont be blue if you put blue bulbs in them. They are more of an indiglo.

[JVT007]

thats crap :( oh well... how off would they be? I want to match the colors with my monsoon HU.

[Ted]

I remember when I wanted my bulbs to glow red. But at the time I couldn't find any red bulbs so I got creative and took it apart. I bought a red translucent bow and some tape and taped it all up around the blubs and put them all back in. Right after I got done I finally found the red bulbs I needed, i never changed them though. It was kind of a pita. If i were you and since your looking for blue I would just get the indiglo gauges, i think for 97 you can get the reverse indiglos or the old type ones off of ebay for 40bucks a pop.

[JVT007]

i want the reverse idiglo gauges but i heard they don't fit the camaro.

[IBJanky]

Here's a pic of my custom red backlighting on my Camaro:


Custom red backlight gauges...


Another shot of the instrument cluster

Looks good IMHO... wasnt that hard either, just need to replace the bulbs... :cool:

[MTMike]

It really isn't that hard. I have a custom setup like IBJankey's there only I just painted my factory bulbs red w/ oil-based enamel model paint. A year and a half later still no fading.

It's been so long since I took it out I can't remember just how to get into to there, but it involves taking the dash bezel out, removing the instrument cluster bolts, pulling it out, unplugging the ribobn cable and then removing the bulbs from the back of the now removed cluster.

Good luck!

-Mike

[JVT007]

Well I have athe haynes manual that tells me how to pull it out...

MTmike where did u get the enamel? Also do u have any pictures?

[JVT007]

mike........

[MTMike]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by JVT007:
Well I have athe haynes manual that tells me how to pull it out...

MTmike where did u get the enamel? Also do u have any pictures?<hr></blockquote>

I got it in the Toy Department over by all of the model cars and planes and stuff at Wal Mart for $0.97 for the small bottle of Red Enamel paint, and then got a small brush.

The bulbs look like x-mas tree bulbs when you're done.

It will stink for a few weeks, but it's worth it [img]smile.gif[/img]

-Mike

[ August 21, 2002: Message edited by: MTMike ]</p>

[Mr.Furious]

dude you can buy red 194 bulbs at walmart or checker or whatever for like 2.00 a pair thats what i did. but i used the paint on my A/C controls and stuff and on the lights on my rear view mirror and in my back seat

[redcamaro9090]

Does anyone remember how many bulbs there are in there? And is 194 the right number? Thanks

[ September 01, 2002: Message edited by: redcamaro9090 ]</p>

[BlitzPuppet]

All the lights on my car came red from the factory :D . I've kept all the lights that I've been putting on the interior red. Let me tell you, at night.....wow lol.

[MTMike]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Mr.Furious:
dude you can buy red 194 bulbs at walmart or checker or whatever for like 2.00 a pair thats what i did. but i used the paint on my A/C controls and stuff and on the lights on my rear view mirror and in my back seat<hr></blockquote>

I've used the 194 Red bulbs from Wal Mart in my old car and they were pink within 2 months. They burned off and faded away to basicly clear in that time. Major [img]graemlins/thumbsdown.gif[/img] to those.

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by redcamaro9090:
Does anyone remember how many bulbs there are in there? And is 194 the right number? Thanks<hr></blockquote>

There are 7 bulbs that light up the dash. There are 16-20 bulbs total in the cluster, but 7 of them are for illumination. The rest are for oil warning, 2nd gear start, blinkers, high beam indicator, low trac, etc. How I pinpointed which ones were which, is I took every bulb out, one by one and shone a laser pointer inside of the bulb socket and watched the front to see what lit up.

-Mike

[redcamaro9090]

I went to the store today and bought some enamel paint, and painted the gauge cluster bulbs,dome lightbulb, rearview light bulbs,glovebox,and side compartment. It look sweet at night, a little dim(the gauge cluster light aren't) but worth it. [img]smile.gif[/img]