Author Topic: Mk2 LED Dash Lights? (Read 19584 times)

92A2VWJTD · « **on:** October 27, 2005, 02:37:19 pm »

I have a burnt out speedo light and was wondering if anyone knows about possible upgrade options to an LED setup for Mk2 Jettas? In my experience with LEDs they are truly superior. I've searched the net but can't find any kits or what have you. Any knowledge to be had from anyone here? If not relative to LED's, maybe someone knows a good source for blue standard dash guage replacement lights. Thanks

entuzijast · « **Reply #1 on:** October 30, 2005, 01:50:16 pm »

Here, just follow the link's, and you' l have it...It is on german language but you'l get it from the pictures..There is also how to change illumination on switches...
http://www.blauetachos.de/doc/index.htm

mortskeg · « **Reply #2 on:** October 31, 2005, 01:48:50 am »

92A2VWJTD-
Just wanted to let you know that I've had issues with the speedo dash light going out on my audi 4000 and did solve it using a led. I had some 10mm 'white' leds off the 'bay that came with a resistor already soldered and shrink tubed in so it was just needing a 12v hookup and was good to go. I also used these 10mm LED's to solve the vw pickup licence plate light problem for good.

This is similar to what I used:
http://cgi.ebay.com/10-sets-10mm-12v-Ready-White-9000mcd-LED-LEDS-CAR-PC_W0QQitemZ7558341726QQcategoryZ66952QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Hope this helps.

zagarus · « **Reply #3 on:** December 12, 2005, 09:02:08 pm »

i've converted all my switches on my dash to blue LEDs, looks really cool. I still plan on doing the gauges but have to decide how im gonna do that first, i want it lit from behind so i have to make the numbers somewhat transparent. If you want a pic of what the dash looks like send me your email, they aren't the easiest pictures to take but you'll get the idea

zyewdall · « **Reply #4 on:** December 13, 2005, 12:23:46 pm »

ledsupply.com is about the best internet source for LED's that I have found. They have 1/2 watt and 1 watt ones in several colors at good prices ($5 or $9), which are 10 to 20 times as bright as the superbright 5mm ones. They also have all the drivers you need to run them on 12 volts, etc. Remember to heat sink the 1/2 watt and above LED's, or they'll burn out.

Zeke

detour1999 · « **Reply #5 on:** December 23, 2005, 03:54:09 pm »

Quote from: "92A2VWJTD"

I have a burnt out speedo light and was wondering if anyone knows about possible upgrade options to an LED setup for Mk2 Jettas? In my experience with LEDs they are truly superior. I've searched the net but can't find any kits or what have you. Any knowledge to be had from anyone here? If not relative to LED's, maybe someone knows a good source for blue standard dash guage replacement lights. Thanks

http://www.h2ovw.com/html/gaugefaces/mk2.html scroll down to the bottom of the page.
I plan on getting these... the $12-$18 investment seems worth it to see how well they work.
-d.

89VWdieselGolf · « **Reply #6 on:** December 23, 2005, 03:58:33 pm »

Theres a DIY on the vortex somewhere....i'm trying to find it for ya

Jeff

TADA: http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2225178
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1300337
Thats all I could find, hope that helps (i think the first one is the better way to go, the 2nd one is just hacked together, but it works, up to u man)

dubCanuck1 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 26, 2005, 02:00:26 am »

Here's a pretty good one too. This will be the one I use for mine.

http://www.vwot.org/community/modules.php?set_albumName=albut32&op=modload&name=Gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php

92A2VWJTD · « **Reply #8 on:** March 04, 2006, 12:49:45 am »

Thanks a bunch for all the replies!
I'm sure there's a solution here somewhere. I've been running with the burnt out Tach light now for so long it seems normal, but the truth is that I don't have a space to work on my car where I can take the time to pull my dash apart without half freezing to death. It's COLD up here! I picked up some basic green replacement dash lights, but can see that I should look into the LED plan some more....cheers!

- 89VWdieselGolf - Nice! (read=cheap and good) I think I can even handle the equations if i snoop around some of the AME's electronics manuals at work. Thanks for the lead.

92A2VWJTD · « **Reply #9 on:** April 26, 2006, 01:15:15 pm »

It took awhile for the weather to warm up enough to be able to work on my car outside, but I've finally completed my LED dash light project. The work itself wasn't overly difficult, it just took longer than expected (about 1 week, 2-3 hrs. / night). I ended up going with blue for all rocker switches and gauge flood lighting, and bright red for the digital clock. The clock looks bad-ass! I used 3mm LED's throughout, all of them sanded flat on the end for better light diffusion. Results are quite good, easily as good as OEM. I haven't got pics yet (not dark til after 22:30 these days), but will add them to this post soon. Anyone wants more details, PM me. Very much worth the effort!

Here's the VWVortex post that helped me out the most:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1448352

Pic is the best I could get. There's very little spotiness in real life.

zagarus · « **Reply #10 on:** April 28, 2006, 06:29:18 pm »

awesome!! i didnt think the gauges would look that great, but yours are awesome!! im gonna do that now!! sanding the LEDs to diffuse the light is a brilliant idea, why didnt i think of that! good job man!

zagarus · « **Reply #11 on:** April 28, 2006, 08:27:47 pm »

how did you set up your blue LEDs for the guages?

hillfolk'r · « **Reply #12 on:** April 30, 2006, 01:32:06 am »

idont wanna mess y'all up,but as a little tip regarding dash lights and stuff,,,ive used the vinyl interior spray paint for years on bulbs,,its cheap,,igot my 79 dash/speedo w/ red painted bulbs,,it doesnt burn off like paint,,at first i see a little smoke the first time you turn them on,but i use a power supply,and let them "heat cure " first before installing,hell half the time i power em up,and lightly start to fog them,,try different thicknesses of spraying,,,have fun,thats what its all about

92A2VWJTD · « **Reply #13 on:** April 30, 2006, 12:58:21 pm »

in the end, i went with LED's cuz they match the efficient turbo diesel theme so well. i love the intense color and light they put out, which certainly can't be matched by an incandesent solution. i fully respect the minimal/dirt cheap VW style, but i lean more towards the top notch German factory style. way i see it, anytime a fella does his/her own mechanical work, it's money in the bank no matter how you slice it, not to mention the experience gained and the ability to appreciate the fine engineering that has gone into our beloved VW's.
never accept anything that you can imagine being done better .

hillfolk'r · « **Reply #14 on:** April 30, 2006, 08:53:17 pm »

Quote from: 92A2VWJTD

in the end, i went with LED's cuz they match the efficient turbo diesel theme so well. i love the intense color and light they put out, which certainly can't be matched by an incandesent solution. i fully respect the minimal/dirt cheap VW style, but i lean more towards the top notch German factory style. way i see it, anytime a fella does his/her own mechanical work, it's money in the bank no matter how you slice it, not to mention the experience gained and the ability to appreciate the fine engineering that has gone into our beloved VW's.
never accept anything that you can imagine being done better .

oh i agree,,this tip was more a thing i remembered we did back in the day,,the led's nowadays are 10X better,we(hillfolk) dont dirtball everything :? only reason my car is crappy looking is it was crapX10 when i began,now its down to a crap3 factor, we resurrect old pieces of crap so they can live for a little longer..i have a nice car, a 91 jetta 2 door 1.9/ 1.6 head,na diesel,,its a cherry in and out and i do the clean euro thing on that car , like the single round front(crystal clears/red led city lights),and m3 tails, removed rear muffler,added dtm tip,nice +cleen,its slow right now, its a pimpin car,but im gonna do a stock turbo install on this car,its gonna be so clean you will think its factory.this rabbit (race)bucket isnt worth it to bling it out... say no to bling+rust