#2209720 - 01/10/08 08:48 AM
How-To: 99-00 Si Gauge Cluster Color Change
|
Buzzbomb
Sr Member
Registered: 11/02/01
Posts: 1197
Loc: Bryan, Ohio, USA
|
Below is a brief how-to on changing your Si gauge cluster color. This is meant as a companion to the Changing Climate Control Colors on Civics by: Neo Noodle, which goes into more detail on LED wiring, resistor selections and voltage requirements.
Disclaimer:
This how-to is not for beginners, this mod is not reversible and you have a very good possibility of ruining something. You also need to have some experience soldering. This mod should not be rushed. I did this mod while my car was in storage over the winter and I took my time. Now on to the how-to.
Begin by removing and disassembling your gauge cluster. I'm not going to go into how to do this as there are many resources out there that outline this procedure. Anyways, if you can't do this first step without directions and pictures, then you shouldn't do this mod anyway.
The first thing I did was remove the colored backing on the gauge faces. Behind the black lies orange coloring that needs to be removed for the alternate color to show through. The best thing for this is an automotive paint reducer. You can find this at an automotive paint supply store. I used DuPont 7175S Basemaker. I tried using nail polish remover but it was just way too slow. The reducer works very fast and did not melt the plastic.
Originally I removed the area under the redline protion , but when I tested it, it didn't light up evenly. So I painted over it.(which didn't affect anything because that area never lit up anyway)
Next are the LEDs. When I first did this mod, I used standard LED's. A couple years later, I started seeing what is called "Inverted" LED's. If you're looking at a profile, the top is squared off instead of rounded. They also have a small inverted cone on the top.
These are MUCH MUCH better than the standard LED's as they actually disperse the light in all directions vs. concentrated in one direction like that standard LED's (I would suggest using the inverted type in the climate control also)
(Since I didn't want to completely redo my cluster, I took out my Dremel and cut off the tops of my round LED's. It produced the same results as the inverted ones. So if you already have rounded LED's here's a cheap solution.)
I created chains of LED's to sit behind each gauge. I pointed the LED's down as to try and keep "hot spots" from forming and have more even light dispersion.
I then wrapped each chain in blue saran wrap to help further the light dispersion, however I do not believe this to be a requirement.
Power and ground wires were fished through the back using holes where the bulbs used to be and tied together. Tap into the stock wiring harness for power. The ground go to the back of the cluster itself. Find a screw with a (-) sign next to it.
I removed all light bulbs EXCEPT for the two that are on the top of the cluster that illuminate down onto the gauges. This helps keep the gauge needles lit at night.
Test, re-test, then test again to make sure all LED's are working and you have even light distribution throughout the cluster. Reassemble the cluster and test again. Install and go.
Interesting Note:
When I first started the project, I thought that the blue LED's would mix with the red of the "Si" logo and red tabs on the gas and temp sides to make a purple color. So I tested this before going any further. Oddly enough, this didn’t happen. The “Si” logo and red tabs glowed red just fine. This made it much easier to do since I could use all blue LED's instead of two colors.
Edited by Buzzbomb (02/23/08 07:19 PM)
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#2474355 - 03/25/08 11:17 PM
Re: How-To: 99-00 Si Gauge Cluster Color Change
[Re: Buzzbomb]
|
NCSkylineR33
Newbie
Registered: 03/25/08
Posts: 74
Loc: Hubert, NC
|
that is some nice work, props!
_________________________
95 Skyline R33 93 RX-7 Type RII SE 
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#3390199 - 01/14/09 07:19 PM
Re: How-To: 99-00 Si Gauge Cluster Color Change
[Re: Buzzbomb]
|
Japanman2009
Newbie
Registered: 01/14/09
Posts: 49
|
Nice where did you get the LEDs?
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#3773103 - 05/28/09 10:40 AM
Re: How-To: 99-00 Si Gauge Cluster Color Change
[Re: Buzzbomb]
|
CivicRacerExR
Post Master Sr
Registered: 11/05/99
Posts: 8856
Loc: Landisville, PA, USA
|
wow that is nice. I did the original remove the paint from the backs of all the numbers and had the hotspots (back in 2001), hated it so much I got new ones. So purchased all new gauges and just removed the Si 
_________________________
Sponsored by: KAM Racing Sports, Falken Tires, Progress Technology, Brady's High Performance, Taggart Performance Engineering, Rotora Brakes Autocross is: 90% driver, 5% car, & 5% CRAZY MOJO!Autocross Help PageBuy my Civic parts!
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#9235987 - 01/21/18 09:18 PM
Re: How-To: 99-00 Si Gauge Cluster Color Change
[Re: ]
|
Andada
Andada
Unregistered
|
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
Moderator: Dr. BrokenLimits, Professor Paki
|
|
