Well I know others here have taken apart the clusters and solder in new LED's. I also know everyone is going to say contact BlackCatCustoms to get a Cluster made which I plan to do later for a 140 cluster, but I just don't have that much layin' around. I do however have two 2000+ Cavalier clusters with tach's layin' around I'm not sure what I was saving them for, but I think this might be what I use to learn how to do them for myself. I know how to solder so I don't see that being the problem, but I have both the front and back covers off of one cluster. I ran into the problem of the needles on these clusters. I know in the older cluster the needles are able to be taken off to put on overlays. I also know that the 2000+ overlays are made to slip over the needles. So lets blow this out of the water, let the cat out of the bag, or just come out and tell me...
I think it has been to long. If I have to I will brake this thing apart or just cut it all to hell tryin' to find out how.
Yea yea mike... Anyone eles?
I pulled mine off, they feel like they are going to break, but they pop off. When I re-installed it is tricky but can be done. When the needle pops off, there is a pin they slide on. You can turn them with your finger all the way to the left and then push needles back on. I have done this 8 times and they all read correctly when done. Some say this is wrong, but I have had luck so far. Then the overlay is glued on
Hey I went a head and pulled the needles off just like I did before on the older clusters and they came off perfect! Well I guess I'm going to have to order some LED new from Superbrightleds.com. I'm not sure what LED's to use, but if anyone eles wants to help with that I would be thankfull. I count6 LED's to swap out, and while I'm in there I'm coving up the darn Shift up light for sure. I hate that darn light. Thanks. I might take pic's for all those that might want to see what is there. So after I get some time on my hands I will get some new ones put in fast.
BTW make that 7 cause I pulled back the od meter to see what was behind it, and a reg light bulb was there. So I'm going to do that one also. I didn't want to undo the thing so I hope if I just bend it slowly back down I don't brake any of the connections, but hey I have 2 extra for now.
I have been trying to find a cluster for my 01, and I can only find the sunfires and I dont' want red and the guages don't line up, I will keep looking, when you get it working, post some picks, and if you can, some how to's would be sweet, wondering about polarity with the led's
Well I will find out soon. If you want I have a 2000+ Cavy cluster w/tach as a spare still. Let me know I can toss it in my car to test all the lights. I've yet to do that since I've got it.
I replaced my bulbs in my cluster with LED's, but I cheated. I went to AutoZone and picked up a couple packages of "LED ACCENT LIGHTS" (pre-wired LED's with gromets). I then cut the bulbs off the cluster, drilled holes to the correct size in the bulb locations, and pushed the leds in. I then wired the power and ground wires to the cluster illumination wire and ground wire. Turned out pretty good.
Only down side, the LED's I used where Bright, but narrow band LEDs... which makes some spots in the cluster brighter then others. Its not a huge deal though.
SPD RCR Z -
'02 Z24 420whp
SLO GOAT -
'04 GTO 305whp
W41 BOI -
'78 Buick Opel Isuzu W41 Swap
Any pic's of this Brain... if you wanted to you could sand down the tip of those LED's to help them spread the light around with some like 80 grit.
speed racer... what year cav is that that you replaced the led's "the safe way" , always wanted to get the LED's changed, but didn't want to break the cluster... my question is.. which wire on the cluster is the illumination wire for the cluster...
I have some pics of how it lights up (there is a reverse indiglow gauge face on the gauges).... its in my photobucket (and I posted it up before in an interior forum thread)
I forget what wire was the illumination wire..... think it was a brown wire..... but IDK. Use a test light or DVOM to find it. (mine dimmed with the dimmer)
SPD RCR Z -
'02 Z24 420whp
SLO GOAT -
'04 GTO 305whp
W41 BOI -
'78 Buick Opel Isuzu W41 Swap
pictures pictures pictures
ive been wanting to go to the salvage yard and find a 00 gauge to figure this out with... i want to change mine to blue
i like the blue
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2000 Cavalier z24-5 spd, 2.4L
stock....for now, no big things in mind just intake....muffler....short throw shifter...clear climates........supercharger!!!(if i ever get the money lol)
Keep in mind I have reverse indiglo gauges on there..... but the LED's are lighting up the needles.
SPD RCR Z -
'02 Z24 420whp
SLO GOAT -
'04 GTO 305whp
W41 BOI -
'78 Buick Opel Isuzu W41 Swap
I tried all kinds of LEDs. No matter what I did the light was way brighter in some spots than in others. I finally got so sick of it I decided the best way was to put a peice of
translucent blue vinyl over between the black overlay and plastic frame peice. I spray painted the needles red for a litle contrast and at night they look like they glow.
Daytime pic
Nightime pic
FORGET GIRLS GONE WILD WE HAVE GOVERNMENT SPENDING GONE WILD!
now that i have an extra cluster, i really want to try this... just wondering for those who HAVE soldered the LED's in what visibility range did u use for the cluster... 90 degree, 180 degree, and also what size LED's did you use...?
I did it myself. If you would like info on how to do it just let me know it was actually very simple.
FORGET GIRLS GONE WILD WE HAVE GOVERNMENT SPENDING GONE WILD!
I wanna know how you did it. I don't know how to solder and I think that looks pretty good!!!
[IMG]i189.photobucket.com/albums/z101/gfunk22_2007/Hpim1016.jpg[IMG]
SpeedRacerZ that looks really goood!!
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2000 Cavalier z24-5 spd, 2.4L
stock....for now, no big things in mind just intake....muffler....short throw shifter...clear climates........supercharger!!!(if i ever get the money lol)
please share you knowledge
SpeedRacerZ wrote:
Keep in mind I have reverse indiglo gauges on there..... but the LED's are lighting up the needles.
just where can i get those reverse gauges?????????????????????????? they look cool
there can be only one
Well everyone if you go to Blackcatcustoms they have a DIY kit for about 30 bucks on how to do the led's. I bought one kit, and I'm going to see how hard this really is.
