Instrument panel lights

[patd]

Hi everybody, I took the truck out for a ride last night and noticed that I could hardly see the instrument panel as the lights are pretty dim, I removed one bulb and took a look at it and it seemed clean enough, maybe they are just wearing out? are the stock lights still available?

[Braden]

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/index.cgi?action=DispPage&Page2Disp=%2Fmini-wedge.html

 

the regular light bulbs just plain suck ass, go with the led option, yes more expensive but much brighter and lasts much longer, also available in yor favorite color!!!!!!!

[Skib]

ya stock Datsun dash lights are not very bright :rolleyes:

[patd]

Thanks for the info, That link is just what I was looking for, I think I will go with the LED lights, I can not even see the turn signal lights blinking in the day time when I use them as they are so dim. I removed all eight of the bulbs. four of them say Toshiba 158 and the other four Toshiba 161, I don't know if that means the 161's are brighter, Should I replace them with the same LED lights?

[Braden]

Thanks for the info, That link is just what I was looking for, I think I will go with the LED lights, I can not even see the turn signal lights blinking in the day time when I use them as they are so dim. I removed all eight of the bulbs. four of them say Toshiba 158 and the other four Toshiba 161, I don't know if that means the 161's are brighter, Should I replace them with the same LED lights?

 

the 158 and 161 should the same size and base bulb, the filament however is different, the 161 bulb will draw more current but not hardly a measurable amount and is brighter as well, if im not mistaken the standard 194 bulb is also the same size and base, any of those bulbs will work fine as the led bulbs draw far less current than any regular filament bulb, if you have room for a larger bulb i would try one of the wled-whp9-t located on this page

 

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/index.cgi?action=DispPage&Page2Disp=%2Fmini-wedge.html

 

whatever you do end up going with be sure and take pics of the progress and a before and after shot and post them up as i am going to do this to my cluster as well

[Braden]

as long as the description of the bulb on the website says it replaces a 194 or 168 bulb etc, you should be just fine

[banzai510(hainz)]

patd

on 510 they are LS6501 if I remeber right. I got some from Napa.

if others say they are others3s use them.

 

By the way get spare brake and clutch mast and slave as spares. These newer ones from italy and taiwan dont seem to last and you have the spares ready to go when needed. brake wheel clyliders also. Rockauto.com has the best prices that I have seen since Mr-auto-parts.com went defunct

[patd]

Thanks for all the tips guys, I ordered eight of the LED lights from the super brights link, they were 79 cents each and I ordered the 90 degree angle ones, Hope that was the right choice.

[nukeday]

Madness did a real nice write up on LED upgrades in the 521 cluster, here...

[TrevDaddy]

Does anyone know if the 620 has 8 bulbs as well? My whole panel doesn't work, and I'm going to try replacing the bulbs soon.

[Roadracer Al]

Sweet! Thanks for the link. When I dig into my dash (sooooo many problems with it, including a bad ground that makes the TS indicators flicker) I'll definitely take the time to upgrade the bulbs. Seems quite reasonably priced, too.

[Braden]

hey guys i was looking through the selection at superbright led's and they offer a UV BLACKLIGHT BULB!!!!! in the 194 style wedge base!!!! totally bad ass, someone has to try some of them!!!

[moparvwfreak]

hey guys i was looking through the selection at superbright led's and they offer a UV BLACKLIGHT BULB!!!!! in the 194 style wedge base!!!! totally bad ass, someone has to try some of them!!!

 

i would totally do that in my Jetta, but VWs have a stupid bulb holder design wich wont allow me to use 194s.... :( i have to hit the stealership if i want any guage bulbs.

[ggzilla]

Yes, the Datsun 620/1200 dash lights are the little wedge guys and indeed were pitiful even when new.

 

Worse yet, some of mine were replaced by Previous Owner with the even lower wattage Type 158 which look the same.

 

The turn signals should be bright, perhaps yours have fallen behind the mask, or have been swapped for the useless Type 158 or 159.

 

Don't use these:

Type 158 3.4W

Type 159 1.0W 6V

 

 

620 & B110 use these:

Type 161 1.7W

53 cents each RockAuto.com

Turn Signal indicator 12V-1.7W 161 26261-89902

Meter illumination 12V-1.7W (round gauge) 26711-89900

Headlight beam ind. 12V-1.7W 161 26711-89900

Oil press. warning 12V-1.7W 161 26711-89900

Brake warning 12V-1.7W 161 26711-89900

Sylvania 1445 $2.49 Wagner 1445

 

Testing, cleaning

Use a pencil eraser to clean the contacts

 

 

#7 in this photo are the dash lamps

#7 DASH LAMP with twist-lock holder (7 used in round dash)

 

620 Pickup & 1200: Seven Meter lamps fit in the seven black holders with the white dots on them

 

Btw, Toshiba was one of the lamp OEMs, along with Ichiko.

[ggzilla]

if you have room for a larger bulb i would try one of the wled-whp9-t

 

 

Will these fit in the 620 instrument cluster? 2mm bigger diameter, about 8mm taller(?). Seems getting the 360 degree ones are important (not the 120 degree ones)?

 

 

WLED-WHP9-T: 35 lumens, 35 milliAmps, Up to 40,000 hour life span

Type 161 : 12.7 lumens, 193 milliAmps, 4000 hour

WOW! More than twice as bright, and still use less power so should not overheat the cluster.

 

Price:

WLED-WHP9-T: $12.95

Type 161: 53 cents

[72240z]

Those are expensive as hell though. I would just go with the regular ones, you don't need an actual led facing each direction for it to be 360 lol.

[Braden]

Will these fit in the 620 instrument cluster? 2mm bigger diameter, about 8mm taller(?). Seems getting the 360 degree ones are important (not the 120 degree ones)?

 

 

WLED-WHP9-T: 35 lumens, 35 milliAmps, Up to 40,000 hour life span

Type 161 : 12.7 lumens, 193 milliAmps, 4000 hour

WOW! More than twice as bright, and still use less power so should not overheat the cluster.

 

Price:

WLED-WHP9-T: $12.95

Type 161: 53 cents

i actually thought of just using 2 of those to make the lot of the light and then using the lower lumen bulbs to make up the rest, somone needs to measure of of their spare clusters and find out if the bulb is short enought to go in, take into effect the base of the bulb being in the socket

[ggzilla]

I'm thinking of the same thing. Just buy two, and put one superbright in each (one in Speedometer section, one in temp/fuel section) and use standard bulbs for the rest.

[ramrod]

Where should the 12V for the instrument panels come from? Mine is disconnected and I don't see any loose wires....

[izzo]

It should be on the round plug that goes into the back of the gauge cluster. If you look at the back of the gauge cluster, you can follow where the brass lines run to and figure out which wire it is on the round plug, or a wiring diagram would show you, also :blush:

 

your dash lights don't work, do your running lights work, tail lights etc?

[ramrod]

No, I mean I think I see the plug on the back of the cluster where it Should be - but there is no wire feeding it V+.......My instrument illumination bulbs aren't working, but my Charge & Beam work, as do my turn signal indicators. Lighter does not appear to be working either. And no voltage at dome light. But all exterior lights work as they should.

[ramrod]

Also Lights and Wiper not illuminated - and washer fluid motor not working -- I haven't tested for Voltage there yet though.

[Aibast]

look @ your fuse box. The front lights work from battery directly, also the ignition swich gets direct current and goes from there to fuse box. So check these connections first.

[ggzilla]

Dash wont work if its not bolted in. it grounds thru the mounting screw to the dash frame.

[DanielC]

Old thread resurrected, but this may help with current problems, on 521 trucks.

Grounding the pin at 10:00 and applying power to the pin at 1:00 should make the dash lights come on. This should happen even if the combination meter is sitting on a bench, for testing.

 

Leave the ground hooked up, and apply power to the pins at 12:00, 2:00, and 9:00 should make those lights come on.

 

Leave the ground hooked up, and apply power to pin at 7:00.

Grounding 4:00 and 8:00 should make the idiot lights come on.

 

Leave the ground hooked up, and apply power to pin at 7:00.

Grounding 3:00 should make the fuel gauge go full scale.

Grounding 11:00 should make the temp gauge go full scale.

 

If all that happens, and the combination meter does not work in the truck, your problem is in the wiring leading up to the meter. First place I would look is at connections by the glove box, under the dash, between the engine room harness, and the cab harness.