How to make the Instrument Lights Brighter

[crafty]

Instrument panel is quite dull when driving at night. How do i go about turning up the heat. (dimmer switch is working and is on full.)

I bet it is not as simple as replacing with a bigger wattage globe?

Thanks,

Glenn.

[mdrburchette]

You could try replacing the bulbs with LED bulbs. I changed my fuel gauge light to one and it's a whiter light than the original but I couldn't get the bulb to fit the other sockets so now I'm running around with one bright light.

[Curly]

It could be a dimmer switch problem. Use a multimeter to test whether the resister in the dimmer switch is allowing the full voltage to get to the globes. You could also check it by bypassing the switch altogether with a wire connected to a power source and checking the brightness again.

[mbouse]

three words

BROWN WIRE SURGERY

guarunteed results.

http://flumichigan.italiancarclub.com/T ... urgery.pdf

[manoa matt]

Make sure the gauge panel is grounded. There should be one wire that runs to the ground pod under the dash, next to the ignition switch.

[racydave]

I had my dash apart, and totaly cleaned the instrument lenses and bulbs. It helped alot.

[ventura ace]

I took the 2 dash-mounted rheostats apart recently and lightly sanded the tarnish off the contact arm and the coiled wire wraps (the older cars have 2 rheostats -- 1 for the instrument panel lights and 1 for the windshield wiper speed). Now, they work like real rheostats, and made a big difference on the lighting and the wipers.

Alvon

[bradartigue]

three words

BROWN WIRE SURGERY

guarunteed results.

http://flumichigan.italiancarclub.com/T ... urgery.pdf

On a real 124 you don't have to remove the back seat. I'm kidding about the "real" part. Early Spiders with the battery in the front you do the same thing but run the wire through the firewall.

[crafty]

Thanks so much for all of your responses.

I went to pull the instrument console out today. I took out the four screws that hold it in place but couldn't seem to bring it out more than a centimetre or so. Do I have to remove the gauge trim for it to come out? Was loath to try anything until I sought some advice.

cheers.

[Curly]

Reach underneath the dash and undo the speedo cable from the back of the speedo. If your car has been converted to right-hand-drive there could also be other issues with connectors or short wires that are preventing the facia panel from moving outwards.

[mdrburchette]

If you're trying to remove the instrument gauge panel you'll have to drop the steering wheel down. Under the steering column is a plate with some bolts. Remove the bolts and the steering wheel will drop enough to pull the panel away from the dash. In order to remove the gauges, you'll have to disconnect the wiring connectors. Make sure you have a wiring diagram and label the wires or you'll be in for a real treat!

[mbouse]

thanks for the clarification, Brad. Yes, i wrote the article with a rather biased presumption...didn't I?

if you drop that steering column, be sure you don't pinch a wire when you bolt it back up....extremely difficult to find shorts in the wiring circuits that way. (been there done that)..