LED Gauge Tutorial
 

Today, I changed the lightbulbs in the dash of my 86 911 Cab from the immeasurably dim stock bulbs to LEDs. Since this forum has been extremely helpful to me, I thought I would pay it back some with a detailed tutorial on how to change them quickly. I am a garage idiot and it took me about 30 mins, so it should take the average person half that time.

I wound up ordering LED bulbs from both ETARGA and ROTHAUS (Pelican forum names). I PM'd them and a couple of cheap Paypal transactions and two days later and I had my LEDs. I decided to use Etarga's bulbs for the colored bulbs and Rothaus' for the illuminating bulbs. Rothaus' bulbs had LEDs that shone both forward and to the sides. I chose bright white for the color. Anyway, here goes:

Step 1: Disconnect the battery and remove the gauges.
Disconnecting the battery is self-explanatory, but the latter isn't. Forum posts say that by gently pulling on the rim of the gauge, it will pull out cleanly and easily. I couldn't move jack ****. Instead, I opened the hood, took a broom, and pushed on the back of the oil/fuel gauge and popped it out. (cleanly and easily I might add).



Step 2: Once you have the oil/fuel gauge out, remove the rest of the gauges.
Once the first gauge is out, you can put your fingers behind the next one and push it from the back while you pull from the front.


Step 3: The dreaded Tach gauge…
…wasn't so dreaded at all. Posts state that you have to remove the steering wheel to remove the tach gauge. If the steering wheel is out, then that would be an opportune time to change the bulbs, but since I finally got my steering wheel straight, I didn't want to fool with it if I could help it. It turns out that all I had to do was wiggle the gauge here, push up on the dash there, and within one minute it was out. I should not that I have a Momo steering wheel with the hub which may have made all the difference.


Step 4: Pry out the light bulb socket.
The illuminating bulbs have a red plastic connector on them. I tried pulling on the red connector the wire enters, but it just sprang up and down. Then, I got a small screwdriver and pried up the metal-rimmed socket and that did the trick.


Step 5: Remove the light bulb from the socket.
You have to twist the bulbs until little ridges on the bulb line up with the lines in the socket. A quick twist to the right or left and it should remove easily.

Step 6: Insert the LED bulb.
The Rothaus bulbs should be inserted so that the LEDs on the side of the bulb face to the left and right, not up and down (per his instructions). The Etarga bulbs are shorter and forward facing only, so they can be inserted either way.


Step 7: Repeat steps 4-6 for each gauge.
The larger gauges have two illuminating bulbs. If I recall correctly, the clock only had one bulb.

Step 8. Reinsert the gauges.
The gauges just push back in. Align them how you prefer. I don't like the redline positioned straight up and down like some do. I mostly granny-shift, so by that logic I should rate 2500 RPMs to the top which just doesn't make any sense. I mean really? My favorite time of day is 8:00 when the kids go to bed, but I didn't rotate 8:00 to the top of the dial. Oh well, to each his own.

Step 9: Reconnect the battery and try them out. Voila! Damn, I can now see that I granny shift at 2500 RPMs at night, too! (I always hoped that I was a bit more 'Fast and Furious' at night, but it turns out I drive like a 60 year-old librarian all the time.)

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Quick question for you, do you remember how many 2 terminal lamp holders there are in the cluster and if they are the large bulb or small? I took a peek at my Druck gauge and it has a broken holder, I did not have the time to pull each gauge to see how many other have the 2 terminal holders.

Danke
Chas

I enjoy the vintage vibe of the yellow incandescent bulbs
Nice pictures and good tip on the broomstick.

Nice write up, thanks

Are there LEDs to change out the highbeam and turnsignal lights? Those are rally weak in my car.

Great. Can you tell me the number of bulbs required and the type please.

Thanks

LED Gauge Tutorial
 

Check out Engelbert's Garage link below:

Engelbert's Garage - Porsche 911, BA7s LED Instument lights

If I recall correctly, I used ETarga's bulbs for the turn signals and possibly the highbeam and used Rathaus' for the clear gauge illumination. Unfortunately, I'm away on vacation for the rest of the week, so the car is not nearby for me to double-check. I believe that there was one terminal holder per gauge, but I could be wrong.

Since I can't pull them out to see, you could certainly message etarga and rothaus for info. They could tell you for sure.

I CAN tell you that it was definitely worth it and the difference was so stark that I am busy pursuing LED replacements for every light in the car!

Does installing the relay update increase the headlight brightness, as well?

Nice write-up. Most of us figured it out by trail and error. Never disconnected the battery until when switching out the bulbs in the 914 I shorted one somehow and fried a couple of wires. Doh! The dash lights are fused and I disconnect the battery.

It certainly doesn't hurt to disconnect the battery. However, aren't the instrument lights switched positive (unfused from factory, many are fused aftermarket), so unless you turn on the light switch, there should be no power to them. Are other connections at risk for short circuit? Eventually you need to apply power to them. I do not disconnect battery if working on switched circuits unless I'm in a tight, complex space. BTW, I have been burned once or twice.
Dave

Set ordered.
Went for high beam and indicator bulbs too

Headlight brightness
 

I had installed more modern headlights (much brighter) on mine an they required the relay upgrade. I'm no electrical engineer, but I think that the brighter headlights require the relay. I don't think that just installing the relay would make your existing headlights brighter.

As an aside, I plan on installing even brighter LED headlights this year (as part of my new LED obsession) which don't require the relay.

I changed the high beam and the low fuel light to LED. I like the incandescent glow in the others. I found that taking out the old incandescent bulbs and putting in new ones made things a lot brighter.

I did try LEDs in the other back-lighting areas, but at the time wide angle LEDs were not available, and they did not work too well. I have not tried again with the new LEDs becasue I like the warmth of the old type.

LED headlights are really cool. I have them on my Saab Aero and love them. They are on my list for the 911.

Relay install may very well reduce resistance in the headlight circuit, thereby delivering more nearly battery or alternator voltage to the headlights. That could make them brighter.
Dave

Nice detail, thanks

Relay install helps protect the headlight and high/low beam switch by greatly reducing the amperage going through them. The direct connection to the headlamps from the battery will help with voltage drop as well, so it's all good.

Just installed the "Vintage White " LED for my gauge lights on my 67-912--What a difference! Now ordering a set of the same set of lights for 69-911...Now I can see my gauges at night!

LED Gauge Tutorial
 

Thread bump!

Just updated all my tired oem bulbs with the leds and love them. However, I'm having a helluva time getting the rubber gasket around the tach to sit properly around the gauge when it's pushed back in. Short of cutting into my dash to widen the gauge "hole", any tips? Swapping the bulbs took no time, getting that tach back in and looking normal with the rubber gasket is turning into a pita.


John