I plan on replacing the bulbs when I take the dash cluster out to paint the gauge needles. I would like to put LED's in. I have found a source for the two backlighting bulbs. Can someone tell me size/type of bulb for the idiot lights (brake light, high beam, glow plug, etc) I would like to try to replace them with LED's too.

Thanks,

Glenn

The model and year of your car might help folks tell you what you need. You might add your car to your signature.

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Sorry......

1983 300D

T-5 base LEDs for all the small bulbs, T-10 for the large cluster illumination bulbs (and brake idiot light if I remember correctly). Just pull the little bulbs out of the base and slide the new ones in re-using the old base.

I swapped the reserve light back out to incandescent because the narrow beam of the led didn't illuminate it well. I also left the battery idiot light incandescent.

For the cluster illumination I got some t-10 base bulbs with about 8 leds on them to get spread pattern needed to work well.

Very happy with the results!

-T-

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'83 240D

Thank you!!

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2012 Mercedes ML350 Bluetec 91K (hers)
2005 Corvette 55K (fun car)
2002 VW Jetta TDI 231K (mine)
1998 Volvo S70 T5 Turbo 196K (kids)
1994 Ford F150 4WD 249K (firewood hauler)
1983 Mercedes 300D 376K (diesel commuter)

I'm not sure that you can replace the alternator light with an LED on the 123, someone here probably is though.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Did you use colored LEDs, or just the white ones for the idiot lights/turn signal indicators?

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2012 Mercedes ML350 Bluetec 91K (hers)
2005 Corvette 55K (fun car)
2002 VW Jetta TDI 231K (mine)
1998 Volvo S70 T5 Turbo 196K (kids)
1994 Ford F150 4WD 249K (firewood hauler)
1983 Mercedes 300D 376K (diesel commuter)

suggest using the same COLOR LED as the Lens.
(I.E. Red Lens /Red LED)

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'84 300SD sold
124.128

I used white ones for everything and there is no wash out in color. In fact I'm a bit color blind and the GP light and Seat Belt light used to look the same to me and now the GP light is very green and the Seat Belt light is very red.

It really did seem to intensify all the colors to me including the high beam indicator and turn signals.

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'83 240D

Thanks!!

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2012 Mercedes ML350 Bluetec 91K (hers)
2005 Corvette 55K (fun car)
2002 VW Jetta TDI 231K (mine)
1998 Volvo S70 T5 Turbo 196K (kids)
1994 Ford F150 4WD 249K (firewood hauler)
1983 Mercedes 300D 376K (diesel commuter)

Is there any trick to getting the polarity of the LEDs right, besides trial and error?

If they're not marked, nope. What I did was put all the bulbs in the cluster and then plug it in with only the multiplug on the back connected then turn the lights on. For the lights that are not illuminated you can just turn the socket on the back 180 degrees... or until they light. You don't have to pull the socket and turn the bulb itself around (unless you want to, of course).

If you want to check polarity before you put them in you can just use any 12v (or there-abouts) wall transformer. Just bend the wires down and touch one to the inside and one to the outside of the transformer plug, which is + and - will be marked on the part that plugs into the wall. I did that for one that I was convinced wasn't working but it ended up I just didn't have a good connection in the cluster socket. I think I used the power cord from my router.

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'83 240D

Does anyone have any pictures of what they did? Sure would be nice to see the replacements before installation and after.

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1998 W202 C230 - The money pit of late.
1984 W126 300SD (356,800 miles) Gone to the wrenchapart
1984 W123 300D Gone to the wrenchapart
1972 W108 280SE 3.5 (sold but not forgotten)
1986 Buick Grand National 3.8l Turbo (86k miles)
1966 Glassic Model 'A' Replica http://www.glassicannex.org

http://banners.wunderground.com/weat...Round_Rock.gif

we all know how the dash looks before. I'll post mine once I get all the lights in.

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the sooner you start... the sooner you'll get done If it ain't broke, don't fix it.. Its always simpler to tell the truth...
2007 Honda Accord EX
2007 Honda Accord SE V6
96 C220
97 Explorer - Found Another Home
2000 Honda Accord V6 - Found Another Home
85 300D - Found Another Home
84 300D - Found Another Home
80 300TD - Found Another Home
Previous cars:
96 Caravan
87 Camry
84 Cressida
82 Vanagon
80 Fiesta
78 Nova
Ford Cortina
Opel Kadet
68 Kombi
Contessa

Anybody have a suggestion for a source of these and an idea of cost?

Thanks.