i have an 83 300sd and i have had no dash lights for about six months. i heard about a bunch of people doing LED but i have no idea wat to do or how to get the stuff and get started

You have no dash lights becase your rheostat dimmer switch is probably failed. Replace it or solder a wire across the terminals to bypass it, and I bet you'll have lights again. In my opinion LED's are pointless, the stock lighting works fine....

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

I just did a quick search, as I remembered reading a thread on the subject before.

Just sharing: My Dash Lighting Project

My dash lights are sufficient, though I prefer the back lit look of more modern cars. LEDs aren't going to give me that, so I imagine I will stick with the stock lights.

I think you should take pawoSDs advice. That sounds like aneasy fix to at least see If you like stock.

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___________________________________________
'86 300 SDL '83 300D Astral Silver/Blue
354k miles.. 326k miles..

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...ine=1310252049

I have stock in the 240d & LED in the td...imho stock lighting is warmer and matches the other lights in the car better.

Visibility is equally lame in both. If you go with stock though, make sure to get the correct bulb. If you get one that burns too hot it will melt the prisms that disperse the
Light and you will be back in darkness

__________________

Current Mercedes
1979 maple yellow 240D 4-speed

Gone and fondly remembered:
1980 orient red 240D 4-speed

Gone and NOT fondly remembered:
1982 Chna Blue 300TD

Other car in the stable:
2013 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI / 6-speed MT

All those who say the stock lighting is insufficient must be blind or just don't have high quality German vision. I have German vision, and I can see my gauges fine at night.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

20+ years ago when the bulbs were all new and there was no dust on the light pipes the gauges were more then bright enough. Replace the lamps and clean things up and I bet you'll be fine with the brightness levels.

-Jason

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1991 350SDL. 230,000 miles (new motor @ 150,000). Blown head gasket

Tesla Model 3. 205,000 miles. Been to 48 states!
Past: A fleet of VW TDIs.... including a V10,a Dieselgate Passat, and 2 ECOdiesels.
2014 Cadillac ELR
2013 Fiat 500E.

Gehen Sie gehen Gerät-Augen!
(go go gadget eyes!)
(literal translation: Go device eyes go!)

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Thanks,
Mark in NC

"Spark plugs?...We don't need no stinking spark plugs!"
1985 300SD "Der Silberne Schlitten" 420,000 mi


Wish these were diesel:
2003 Ford Club Wagon 130,000 mi

That`s because you are young and things work good, in time, YOUR dimmer switch won`t work so good either. .

Charlie

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

What I did on mine was to clean everything inside the light cases, put aluminum wrap around it, and it does improve illumination a lot. My next move will be to put a couple of black light bulbs in to get a different effect

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[/SIGPIC]~cirrusman

1983 Mercedes Benz 300SD - Wife calls him "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"
[SIGPIC]




1983 Toyota Tercel (Tommy, The little Toyota that could)
1965 Ford F100 (Grandma Ford)
2005 Toyota Sienna (Elsa, Wife's ride)


Gone:
1988 Toyota Pickup
2004 Subaru Outback

1987 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham
1986 Volvo 740 GL Station Wagon - Piece of junk.
1981 Volvo 242 DL 2 Door - Hated to see it go. R.I.P.
1987 Pontiac Fiero GT

Wouldn't it be "Gehen Sie Gerät-Augen gehen"?

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RIP:
2011 E350 BlueTEC, Schwartz 81k (totaled by uninsured drunk driver)
1964 Unimog 404.1 (wrongfully towed by the city)
1994 E320, Brilliantsilber 208k (transmission shuffled off after sudden catastrophic fluid loss)
1982 300D, Silberblau under a blue repaint 256k (sold for parts)
1995 E320 Polarweiss, 131k (sold for parts)
1995 E300D Polarweiss, 287k (totaled by drunk driver)

Led's suck. Real men use indiglo gauge faces. You can get em for the 124, I am pretty sure they would fit the 123. As soon as I get my odometer working I am getting a set.

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http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

With my SD, the main problem was the prisms--they can get dirty and gunked up over the years. Bulbs can also melt and distort them as well.

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

HA! Amen too that!!!

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Mine: 1987 MB 420 SEL - 66K (Dec 2019)
Mine:1991 MB 350SDL - 244K (Aug 2011)- Totalled 9/14/2016
Mine:1981 MB 300SD - 326K mi (July 1997)-sold
Wife's: 2008 MB C300 Sport - 110Kmi (April 2009)

HA! Amen to that!!!

__________________
Mine: 1987 MB 420 SEL - 66K (Dec 2019)
Mine:1991 MB 350SDL - 244K (Aug 2011)- Totalled 9/14/2016
Mine:1981 MB 300SD - 326K mi (July 1997)-sold
Wife's: 2008 MB C300 Sport - 110Kmi (April 2009)