S4 Instrument light bulbs - Page 2

**Gubi** · #16 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 07:57 PM

Damn, that's weird. That's got to be a typo or something. If that's correct they'd run crazy hot in a car.

Check the black printing on the glass - what does it say?

**DavidH** · #17 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 08:08 PM

Black print on the bulbs: "12/1.2"
Hmmm again.

**Gubi** · #18 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 08:09 PM

Well, that's correct then: 12V/1.2W. So the bulbs are fine, but it appears the labeling on the package is fubared.

**DavidH** · #19 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 08:16 PM

Now, anybody know a reputable source for them at less than Autozone's price of $2.50/bulb. At that rate, it would run more than fifty bucks to replace all 22 bulbs in the instrument cluster. Ouch.

**radamm** · #20 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 08:19 PM

Think ebay.

**Tifosi** · #21 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 04:25 AM

Did I mention a junkyard?

'Course if you were truly evil, you could scan the used car ads for private sale vehicles in your area, take one out for a test drive, and pull all the dash bulbs while out there by yourself.....

FrancosAlfa · #22 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 05:21 AM

Ok watched you guys ping-pong on the bulbs, but I have a more essential question, how do I get into the back to change the bulbs? Is there an easy way? I have one bulb that is out, but there's enough ambiant light from the others that I haven't attempted the change.

KKKKFL

**Tifosi** · #23 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 06:28 AM

On dual pods you take the speedo and tach out of thier pods and reach behind the dash from the passenger side for the triple gauges in the console.

On mono pods, you remove the cluster as a whole from the front after taking off the trim/retaining rim.

**DavidH** · #24 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 07:05 AM

I see on ebay some pretty inexpensive LEDs that appear to pop right into the place the 2721 incandescent bulbs go. Has anyone used them in this application? Is there any downside to replacing the incandescent bulbs with these LEDs? Are they so bright such that they'd mess up your night vision? Are they controllable -- or even compatible -- with the rheostat (the dimmer)?

**Tifosi** · #25 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 07:14 AM

A reostat can control LED's quite well. (I've got one in my shift knob and a couple others here and there that operate on that circut)

The lifespan of the things is practically eternity compared to an incandecent bulb, but they're not all that cost effective IMO (unless you pull them all out to use in another car once you're done with the one they're in)

I priced out such things for mine via Autometer's offerings a bit ago, and it came to something just over $120 to do almost all of the gauge and console bulbs. (some they just didn't have replacements for, so conventional bulbs would have to remain)

'Course they draw less juice, so if your ultimate goal is to save a volt or so, they would indeed be of use toward that end.

Kilgore Trout · #26 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidH

Now, anybody know a reputable source for them at less than Autozone's price of $2.50/bulb. At that rate, it would run more than fifty bucks to replace all 22 bulbs in the instrument cluster. Ouch.

**Tifosi** · #27 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 07:17 AM

Oh, and if you do get some LED's, and your backlights are normally colored/tinted when on, buy them in that color shade, not white in the hopes that the filters in the instruments will correct for it.

'Cause they won't.

FrancosAlfa · #28 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 07:23 AM

Anybody have a picture of the trim ring off and the instrument panel pulled forward?

KKKKFL

**Tifosi** · #29 (**permalink**) 11-03-2009, 07:24 AM

There might be one in JohnM's 'how to fix your slow reading speedometer' thread.

Kilgore Trout · #30 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrancosAlfa

Anybody have a picture of the trim ring off and the instrument panel pulled forward?

KKKKFL