Has any one seen the youtube video of the full blue led swap on a XJS? It's amazing. I noticed its on a facelift model though.
I'm planning on adding a led small strip in my 88 instrument panel on the speedo and rpm dials. I'm wondering though, since the early instrument panel is basically lit by a couple faint green bulbs behind the dials, if this will work. It looks as if the bulbs actually don't even shine through the numbers but simply reflects around them.
Ay thoughts??

 

Can you post the link on youtube? I would like to see it...

 

Type "xjs led" into you tube search

Does look pretty good

 

The light shines through a small gap across the front of the two main instruments, not through them as on modern dials.

Opening up the whole thing and removing the green covers, and replacing the bulbs with 5 watt ones works wonders. No heat problems.

Also, there will almost certainly be a some bulbs in there that are not working. Once they are all going, minus green things, much better.

Greg

 

Greg, I had the gage cluster out whilst changing my facia from plastic to wood and took completely apart to also replace a cracked clear plastic lense over Gage's and saw how it reflects but didn't see how to take the green blob covers off of the bulbs. I also noticed one bulb behind the speed gage but two behind the rpm. Is that typical?
And are these actual replaceable bulbs? Not some soldered in bulb?
For that matter, is the facelift instrument panel interchangeable? My friend has a 94 ans the space looks identical.

 

The space is identical but the wiring is very different, and for all I know, so are the values from the speedo, tacho, sensors etc etc. I expect someone has done it, but I think, repeat think, it is not an easy or direct swap.

Greg

 

Here is the link. It looks good


Easiest way is use something like these. Just find the one with the correct plug.

2X T5 Car Speedo Dashboard blue LED Light Bulb Lamp New | eBay

 

Go to
http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/instrument-cluster-gauge/pc74-led-bulb-instrument-panel-led/219/
you will see LED replacements you can use. No heat problems as with increasing the bulb wattage. I am replacing my 20 warning lightswith the following.
http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/instrument-cluster-gauge/b8-led-bulb--instrument-panel-led/222/
and another link.
http://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/instrument-cluster-gauge/filter/Cross_Reference_Number,B8.5D,21,4334:
I am trying out several different colors to see which I like best and the correct brightness. I want to see the warning lights in daytime driving so they need to be better than the 1.2 watt factory bulbs. The 5 instrument panel lights are 3.2 watt each, I was going to use 5 watt bulbs, but the additional heat and amperage to the circuit may be too much.

 

I forgot to tell you my XJS is a 95 coupe, so this is information is for the facelift models.

 

I've had the black bezel portion detached from the white housing and that's when I noticed the bulbs behind the gages. It looked like there was more gadgetry behind the speedometer only leaving room for one bulb. The rpm gage has very little behind it, allowing for two bulbs.
Due to the age and fragility of the 88 plastics and gages, I hesitated to go too far.
That's why I'm still thinking about simply adding the silicone led self stick 3" strip on the interior white housing. Then wire to a separate light source, probably the cigar lighter bulb as it is controlled with the headlamp switch.

I've coveted that interior on the youtube video for months but I realize that my gages simply won't look the same due to the solid metal dial and no light actually shining through the numbers.

Concerning the center switches, do they come apart to change the bulbs? I actually don't mind the green and if I can get the two dials blue, they will match my new stereo facia color.

If I can get my @#%!! Car back from painters today, I'll pull console and try a few things this weekend!

 

One bit of advice. Make sure the led bulbs are error free. I switched all of my exterior bulbs doe led and my bulb failure warning light stayed lit. They simply don't pull enough power. Since changing to error free, no problems.

 

The white plastic comes apart no bother, and is not fragile (in fact, I think it is a matter of the white plastic coming off the black front piece, now I look at the cluster again). It's the blue circuit you have to be careful with. Attached a photo of the rear of the instrument cluster:



There are in fact 5 bulbs (the holders are the black squarish things you see in the photo) and there is one each side of the speedo at the '25 to' and 5 past' positions. The standard capless bulb is 10mm diameter and 25mm long, so any push-in LED of this size will be OK. I found one on UK ebay that was this size. Some LEDs are too big to go through the holes in the white plastic.

You still have to remove the green thingies though, if they have gone black. But it might be worth trying the capless LEDs and seeing if they are bright enough with the green still in place. I do not know if the LEDs are dimmable though, someone else will!

Finally, unless you do get to the inside of the cluster, I do not think the LED strip, however bright, will illuminate the dials, anyway.

greg

 

Anywhere on this site (SuperbrightLED's) that might tell how many are required? I don't want to go and buy 6, and find out I need 7.... I also have an old Blazer that I want to replace all the dash bulbs with LED's, too and the same issue there. Before going and tearing it all apart, I would like to know how many so I don't have the dash destroyed, then put back together to order them, then tear it all apart again if I need to drive it the next day.

 

Let's all of us xjs owners try to get a facts list going for this topic as I and probably a lot of others in the future would love to shorten the time their dash is apart. How does this sound? 1. Devide the dash types in to the pre and facelift models 2. What are the correct bulbs to use as in, the proper type (number), quantity, length, wattage, price, reliability, and where is the best place to get them. 3. A general concensis of what colors work and look best in their prospective spots by weighing in persons opinions after having done their own dash, so we can know ahead of time how many of what color to buy.4. Exactly what socket on the back panel corresponds with a particular spot on the front. Short of someone who has their dash out already chimeing in, I will be able to take my panel out since the car is parked for a while anyway and for a start get that quantity count. If someone else doesn't, I will compile all the info on one post for reference. Hope to get y'all "lit up" Bud

 

Good idea Buddy. But for the HE model the situation is this, using your numbered questions:

1. Models: HE pre facelift, 6 cyclinder pre facelift.
2. OE fitment: capless 3 watt 504s, or can replace by brighter capless 5 watt T10s. Size: Length overall 25mm, widest diameter 10.5mm.
3. Original fitment: white bulbs accessible from the rear by pulling out their black bulbholders from the rear of the pack. Inside the cluster there are green 'bowler hat' covers fixed to the inside of the instrument pack, that the bulbs shine through. The green covers can be removed to give brighter light. The OE 3 watt bulbs can be replaced by 5 watt T10s, which work very well with either no green covers, or with replacement green covers. So well that the dimmer comes into use. 5 watt bulbs will not overheat the cluster. Capless bulbs can be replaced by capless LEDs which will fit into the standard bulb holders. These holders are clipped into the rear of the cluster. Replacement LEDs must not be wider than 10.5 mm or longer than 25mm or they will not fit into the cluster from the back. This size of LEDs are suitable:
   AUDI SIDE LIGHT 501 CAPLESS 12V LED BULBS XENON WHITE | eBay
4. See pic in my post above, but in words, looking from the BACK of the cluster: Rev counter; 11 o' clock; underneath volt meter; underneath temp gauge; speedo 1 o' clock and 7 o' clock. 5 bulbs in total.

For these models, a green colour is the OE colour. White looks fine. Cost of standard bulbs or 5 watt bulbs is a few pence each. LEDs a few pounds/dollars.

Greg

 

Greg, you're the man!
I've ordered the same bulbs, slightly different but same size as your suggestion, found in USA so delivery will be feb 14. I'm going with blue and removing the green covers. I have to remove the black shroud anyway to deal with the wood facia.
I think the blue will look great with the green center console and with my new stereo being blue, it ties it all in.
Any suggestions for removing the green bulb housings? I didn't look closely when I had it apart first time, are they screwed on?

 

Greg, maybe you can answer this as well.
I know, or at least I've measured and the facelift cluster looks like it will fit, although it will take some modification to install.
Since it has the same gages, could the unit be wired to 88 harness? Once wires are sorted out per function, can the harness from new cluster be spliced to old wires? Not sure if gages would run properly from same relays and sending units as older gages.

 

They can be unscrewed, I think, they are dome-shaped with a bit each side that fixes them. They can just be prized out if needed. With the LEDs, remember that they are polarity sensitive. Either trace the earth side though the blue circuit board (negative on the XJS) or bung them in and try it before finally fixing the thing in.

Greg

 

Sorry to say I have no idea what will happen if the new facelift instrument cluster is wired into the pre facelift loom. It must be doable, just a matter of patiently getting each gauge to work...

Greg

 

Pre-facelift. There is one green bulb housing behind each gauge. The two top bulbs that you see in Gregs photo. Unfortunately if you want to remove these the gauges will have to be removed. As Greg already stated there are 5 of the Gauge illuminating bulbs. These are the large socketed OEM501 and can be replaced by a T10 5 watt bulb if staying with FILAMENT bulbs. Greg please correct me if I'm wrong . The warning lights are the upper sockets that use smaller bulbs there are 17 of these, but if they are replaced by LEDs they should be white as the indicator sybols are already printed on colored plastic. I don't have information yet on these or if higher wattage is available or if so that they won't melt something either way they must be clear or white. Info will be forthcoming either by me or Greg or someone. A little at a time we'll get it all out there. When removing the sockets you'll need to tilt them sideways back and forth on their length as they are wedged between the two copper contacts that are folded in the opening on either side of the of the socket. Be gentle as the sockets can pull these contacts out with them and possibly rip somewhere and then you're screwed. A little fine steel wool on these contacts before putting in the new bulbs couldn't hurt. I've taken some pics but I'm not sure they'll upload. if they do then great, if not I'll have to try again another time for now some more info is available. Bud