Gauge lights?

[Davewjunior]

Hello folks. Just purchased an 84 Cabriolet and I'm trying to work out all the little electrical bugs. Are the light bulbs in the dash gauges replaceable? Can I get to them without removing the dash (in other words,without removing the windshield)?
Searched the forum but couldn't find anything.
Thanks guys! Just replaced the alternator today. I couldn't have done it without the tech info center.

[pete3799]

The guages are just held in by the rubber that surrounds them.
Use a putty knife or a padded screwdriver to pry them out.
The bulbs are pressed into the back and need to be pryed up (under the metal part
not the plastic)

[Davewjunior]

Thanks Pete! Now if I could just figure out where the antifreeze goes......

[jlr69s]

You do not have to take the windshield out to replace the bulbs. Last time I did it was on the '69 but I dont think the '84 would be much, if any, different. Go in from behind, hehe, unbolt the instrument bezel and you can replace the bulbs. Might have to take some of the a/c crap out to reach, though.

[dicklague]

The instruments come out very easily. The bulb sockets pull out of the back of the instrument. I would replace all the bulbs. I got them from our site sponsor. The gauge illumination are all the same. In my 73 the instruments were a bit dull. Replacing even the working bulbs makes a big difference. Those old bulbs darken and get weaker with age.

The Alternator light is specials and make sure you the right one. It is part of the alternator charging circuit as well as being and idicator. Don't run without it.

The high beam indicator and the low fuel light can be replaced with LEDs. Makes them a lot brighter. you can't just plug LEDs into the gauge illumination.

This is an easy and great do it yourself project that gives great results.

You should buy Wayne/' book 101 PROJECTS FOR YOUR PORSCHE 911. Covers this and 100 more things!!!

[jlr69s]

Originally Posted by pete3799

The guages are just held in by the rubber that surrounds them.
Use a putty knife or a padded screwdriver to pry them out.
The bulbs are pressed into the back and need to be pryed up (under the metal part
not the plastic)

Pete, arent they held in by a bolt from behind that holds them to a mounting bracket?

[John W.]

Start with the clock, once you get that out you can reach behind and push the others out, besides if you're going break a gauge what better one to break. I had a tough time getting them out the first time but I used some sil-glyde to lub the rubber before putting them back and the next time it came out a whole lot easier.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by jlr69s

Pete, arent they held in by a bolt from behind that holds them to a mounting bracket?

That was true of the early 911s. The later ones don't have the brackets.

JR

[88-diamondblue]

My gauges didn't want to come out by pulling on them and I didn't want to damage the dash or the trim bezel. Open up the trunk and use a golf club (turn it around and use the grip end) to start pushing the gauge out until you and get a holds of it and pull it the rest of the way out

[vulcan300]

There are a couple of other options for better illumination on your dash gauges. There are LED bulbs that are a direct plug in replacement for the standard incandescent bulbs. Or, if you're feeling particularly adventurous, you can try the electroluminescent wire lighting upgrade. I'm planning to do a mix of both upgrades on my gauges in the next couple of weeks.

You can use the advanced search in the 911 tech forum for detailed threads on both of these upgrades.

Take care and post some pics of your new toy!

J

[agrimmitt]

Take you time, don't force anything and you will be fine. It's a good idea to mark wires (tape or diagram/drawing) if you are taking more than one gauge at a time. And I think Pete commented to the fact>replace all of them at the same time. Here to bright nights, as bright a any early cars gauges are!
Art

[Geronimo '74]

Originally Posted by 88-diamondblue

My gauges didn't want to come out by pulling on them and I didn't want to damage the dash or the trim bezel. Open up the trunk and use a golf club (turn it around and use the grip end) to start pushing the gauge out until you and get a holds of it and pull it the rest of the way out

Good tip, Michael!!
I always dread removing the gauges because of the risk of damaging the dash or the gauges.

Thanks for the 411!

[Hodgey]

+1 John W....clock first then the rest are really easy; be careful with the tach though, you'll need to angle it down towards the steering column to get it out enough to change the bulb....I just did mine and it makes a nice difference.

Neil

[304065]

Originally Posted by jlr69s

Pete, arent they held in by a bolt from behind that holds them to a mounting bracket?

Only on the two liter cars Joe!

Be EXTREMELY careful pulling the gauges out-- make sure the battery is disconnected when you do this. There's a good chance the original wires have chafed or shorted over the years- the gauge illumination circuit (black wire with blue stripe) is unfused, and can easily short to the body sheetmetal or the brown ground wires, causing an electrical fire!

Ask me know I know. . .

[vytenis]

I have an '87 911. Purchased instrument bulbs from dealer last year. Got around to pulling gauges. Bulbs purchased have a metal base and push/twist in. My instrument bulbs are in a plastic housing. Pulled one bulb out of it's housing and it's glass with electrodes.

Did search and found:

Porsche 911 & Carrera Lights and Lenses - Page 10

900.631.132.90 m97
900.631.102.90 m44

These 2 part numbers are the ones you will need for your dash lights.
__________________
1981 911SC Euro Pacific Blue

Wayne

The link is probably outdated and searching the electrical section and the P/N's shown above didn't yield any results.

Does anybody know the correct P/N for this style of instrument bulb?

Bulb markings: OS 12/1,2.

[jlr69s]

After reading this thread I pulled mine too, moved my speedo a little so I could see 70mph. Not to hijack, but thanks for setting me straight about the post two liters cars!!

[MH911]

I used this link

Pelican Technical Article: Brighter Instrument Upgrade

To replace my bulbs with these.

Pelican Parts - Product Information: 900-631-102-90-M44

They gave me a little more light, but not enough.

I would love to hear more about the LCD direct replacements.

[vulcan300]

Check out these 2 threads for more info on LED direct replacements and Electroluminescent wire. The EL wire looks like it gives better results but it is a bit more work than the LED bulbs. I ended up ordering LED bulbs before learning about the EL wire and in the end ordered EL wire as well. I hope to do my gauges in the next couple of weeks.

White LED dash gauge illumination photos

El-Wire, Alternative to OEM and LED Lights for Gauges

[byfdinky]

I had a bad socket on one of the four hvac lights. One got hot at one time and would no longer hold a stock light. I pulled out the harness from behind and replace all four lights with L.E.Ds and made a new harness to hold them. Then plugged back into the hvac unit and looked great. Found the L.E.D source from a former post here; Superbrightled.com, I belive.

[SpeedracerIndy]

Originally Posted by targamaniac

Check out these 2 threads for more info on LED direct replacements and Electroluminescent wire. The EL wire looks like it gives better results but it is a bit more work than the LED bulbs. I ended up ordering LED bulbs before learning about the EL wire and in the end ordered EL wire as well. I hope to do my gauges in the next couple of weeks.

White LED dash gauge illumination photos

El-Wire, Alternative to OEM and LED Lights for Gauges

Still rockin' the EL wire here and loving it!!! I will never go back to LED's or incandescent. It was a lot of work but well worth it, and cheap too.