dash bulbs

[Guest]

can anyone please tell me what kind of bulbs I will need to replace the ones in my instrument clusters. I have found a place that does replacement led bulbs of the osram twist fit variety and was going to purchase some but need to know if they will fit first.

 

[924nutter]

Elv, its you again isn't it?
First off, those super bright led aren't that good. Read the 944 forum on poor illumination. I must say that I am happy with the level of illumination on both my '24 and '31 although the early type of heater controls are renowned for being a bit dim.

There are many different kinds of instrument lamps (bulbs grow in the garden) in the 924. The most numerous ones are capless slide in, 12v 1.2 watt, which illuminate all the switches, and the ash tray and the auxilliary driving light main beam warning. In the voltmeter, oil pressure gauge, and clock are the twist in type some with two wires, and and some with the connection for the second wire(earth) truncated which relies on an earth contact on the instrument, so be careful not to interchange these. There are also a couple of lamps on the back of the multigauge instrument, for the fuel reserve and oil pressure warning (below 2 bar) that are different again. The PET cd shows 4 different lamps in the illustration of the multigauge.
The steering wheel and column shrouds need to be removed then disconnect the speedo cable and plugs to access the main dials, and in addition to the obvious phillips screws, there are two hidden hex head self tappers under the ledge of the centre instrument panel securing it to the framework of the centre console. You may be able to get to these with pliers, but a six or seven mm o.e. spanner is the best bet. I am working from memory so I cant remember the size but we are talking small spanners.

 

[Guest]

I resolved my dim dial illumination eventually, by making a led light bar. In the thread, it shows the prototype one which I put in my car. Subsequently, I'm making up led Dial Illumination Kits. They will fit 944(oval dash) and 968. I'm not sure what the set up is on the 924. Do they have opticals or are they backlit?
So not of much use probably, but a free bit of advertising!

 

[Guest]

Yeah me again!! Thanks for the info guys. Not sure if your led light bars would fit flamingeye but I think the instruments are opticals as opposed to backlit so may well do. Over to you nutter[]!

 

[924nutter]

I think the 924 is as early 944 with direct back-lit lighting. The only place on the 924 that relies on transmitted light is the illumination of the early heater controlls which had a lamp clipped in place over a peice of perspex that turns through three right angles before shining on the the places to be illuminated. Light does travel in straight lines (rectilinear propogation- don't you just love that?) but it can be bent with total internal reflection. Look at the properties of a fibre optic.
This post has GEEK written all over it, but I'd rather be a science geek than an anorak!