W124 cluster update DIY

[Jeremy5848]

Many posters here have noted the improved lighting in later W124 instrument clusters due to better light pipes. From the local Pick and Pull I got a cluster (case only $20) out of a '91 300E and swapped it for the original in my '87 300D. The cases are identical except for the light pipes so the instruments swap with no modifications at all.

If you are going between gas and diesel you must remember to swap the right hand strip of film that has the labels for the idiot lights, so that it has a glow plug symbol instead of a "Check Engine" note. Pull out the gasser strip with a pair of needle-nose pliers and stick in the one for the diesel.

The pictures show the improvements in the light pipes.

The first two pictures show the change in the thickness of the plastic, allowing more light to be transmitted to the instrument faces. The second two pictures show how my old cluster had partially melted (PO tried bigger bulbs that got too hot for the plastic). The new case has a cutout to allow the bulbs to get some cooling air.

Finally, note the rubber piece in the last picture. There are four of them that help hold the cluster in the dash and they often fall off. You can move them from the old case to the new one. I attached them with Gorilla Glue. I'm still missing one but that's better than missing three.

Jeremy