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06-04-2011, 10:02 PM #1

Phempa LED Gauge Cluster - 1990's Hondas

legalize it. Had a couple requests for this DIY.

Join Date: Aug 2006
This will work in most of your Hondas, but things like the cluster removal procedure, bulb quantity, and even bulb sizes may vary by vehicle.
Location: Tucson
Posts: 913
To verify your gauge cluster bulb type, check you vehicle at the following site:
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http://www.sylvania.com/ConsumerProd...lacementGuide/

It will most likely be the bottom listing, labeled "Instrument-general". My Del Sol take 74 type bulbs.

The key is to get good bulbs with multiple diodes arranged in a way that they disperse light in a spherical manner.
This is important if you want to avoid visual "hot spots" in the lighting.
I went with 7 of these. They contain 3 radial-mounted SMD's on each bulb. From SuperBrightLEDs.com:

6 colors available, $3.49 ea.

Follow your Haynes or Chiltons manual for instructions to remove your instrument cluster.

Here is the Del Sol cluster removed:

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LED Gauge Cluster - 1990's Hondas - AZHT.net http://www.azht.net/forum/showthread.php?t=150709

In the Del Sol, remove these 7 bulbs by twisting.

The other bulbs are for the instrument signals, and should not be replaced with LED's. Doing so makes them act strange (some lights stay on
constantly when replaced with an LED).

There will be a glass bulb in each plastic holder that you must remove. You will be reusing these plastic bulb holders.
If you lose or break one, you can get a replacement from the same site you got the LED's, link.
They come with a standard LED for $1.79, but I suggest removing that bulb that comes with it, and use the same type of bulb that you used in all the
others, for color and brightness consistency.

Insert the new LED you got from SuperBrightLEDs.com into the plastic holder. Like so:

Reinstall the bulbs as you removed them, and test by plugging in all connectors and turning on your lights.

Now, you WILL initially be disappointed, as half of the lights will appear to not work.... don't worry!
These LED's will only work if installed with the polarity correct.
Unfortunately, the only way to do this is by trial-and-error.
Take note of the area that seems dull, take that LED out and flip it around.
Do this until the gauges glow evenly.

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Reinstall cluster and surround carefully!

I've done this to two of my Honda's. The quality of the final product greatly relies on the design of the gauge cluster. My accord looked MUCH better
than the Del Sol, mostly because the Accord gauges are lit by both the rear and above.

'94 Del Sol:

'91 Accord:

Thinking of changing the Del Sol gauges to ultra-white, which should make the redline area red again. Will update if I do!

06-05-2011, 02:43 AM #2

NSL Codyg Thanks for the info! Just got myself a new project for the week now!

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06-05-2011, 03:12 AM #3

aztowgod i likey

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06-05-2011, 10:31 AM #4

StreetMechanic ya very good idea, you have multiple color leds or is it just the one,
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06-05-2011, 12:58 PM #5

ineedvtec Freakin sweet!

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06-05-2011, 01:21 PM #6

Atomic-Orange- amber for JDM status LOL

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06-06-2011, 02:42 AM #7

badboss23 great write up i want to do this .

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06-09-2011, 12:13 PM #8

REJ1-94 that looks like it would be fun to do

func-shun
my lights are kinda going out if i do it ill post up pics
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06-10-2011, 03:26 AM #9

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Colten79 shit.. i'm doing mine!!! shit looks clean

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06-10-2011, 05:55 AM #10

ROCKS626 how long did it take to do this bro? nice work

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06-10-2011, 03:20 PM #11

skar1 If you've removed your cluster before it'll take ten mins, i did it on my girls hatch pretty easy, nice write up op
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06-10-2011, 08:58 PM #12

trujdm Just ordered my set of LED bulbs to bring life to my CRX cluster. I'll take before and after shots to show the difference it makes once they get here.
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06-11-2011, 09:12 PM #13

rOkaZ guess imma do this.. but what about for the climate control ?
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06-11-2011, 11:20 PM #14

Phempa Quote:
legalize it. Originally Posted by rOkaZ
guess imma do this.. but what about for the climate control ?
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Location: Tucson
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Depends on the car, but it's a similar procedure. Replace existing bulbs with LED's of the same size.
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However, from what I hear, it's not too easy to remove the climate control in most Hondas. The temperature control is usually connected to a cable that
physically pulls on a mechanism.

06-13-2011, 11:09 PM #15

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Adolfom ordered mine today should have em by end of week

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06-14-2011, 06:15 PM #16

trujdm Got the LED's in the mail today, can't put them in until tomorrow since I left my camera at work and want to take pics of the process.
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06-15-2011, 08:14 PM #17

trujdm Well I installed them but I'm not 100% thrilled with it. It sucks for those of us with different bulb types because it's hard to perfectly match the color
shade. In the CRX I have 3 different bulb sizes; 194's, 74's and a 24. I ordered them all on the same website and tried to match up the bulb model or
style (whatever you want to call it) between the sizes. What I mean is they didn't have say the Matrix for example in all 3 different sizes, they might have
a Matrix 2 for one of the sizes and a Supernova Matrix for another. It's close but not perfect, which will most likely bug me. I also ordered some LED's to
try and get the needles to light up red but they ended up a weak red/pinkish shade, so I nixed that idea. I ordered them from Autolumination.com since
superbrightLED's didn't seem to have the 24 size, they are all the Super White color. Anyways, here are some pics:

Back of cluster (brown bulb holders are the cluster lights on the CRX, there are 6 altogether)

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These are the little bulbs on top that light the front of the gauge faces that I ended up not using

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Before (Old and Busted)

After (New Hotness)

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94 Civic DX Coupe (Sold)
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88 CRX Si (Current Project)
93 Civic LX (Sold)

06-15-2011, 11:41 PM #18

Phempa Looks great in the pic, but I can understand your frustration about the color differences. Trial and error with different bulb types/brands is the only sure
way to get it right. Luckily, the bulbs aren't very expensive
legalize it.

Join Date: Aug 2006 Good job!

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06-16-2011, 06:23 AM #19

trujdm I don't know about them being cheap, altogether it was $60 shipped. Kinda pricey in my book, so I was expecting better.
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06-16-2011, 06:23 PM #20

Phempa Quote:
legalize it. Originally Posted by trujdm
I don't know about them being cheap, altogether it was $60 shipped. Kinda pricey in my book, so I was expecting better.
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Tucson
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hmm, well, the ones with radial-mounted SMD's (surface-mount diodes) should all have been consistent in color.
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If you mismatched typed of diodes (conventional LED alongside SMD's) I can see why there would be a difference.

06-18-2011, 02:41 AM #21

sn000t There used to be a DIY on CB7Tuner that showed how to retro fit light up needles and do all custom LED's but it was fairly complicated and would
probably take a few days to do....
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Quote:

Originally Posted by paulgt2164

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I hunt with piano wire.

Requires real skill. It is hard to sneak up on those damn squirrels.

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06-23-2011, 02:09 PM #22

Rolow anybody have any idea how many I need for a 92-95 civic?

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06-23-2011, 11:46 PM #23

drhonda09 Quote:

Originally Posted by trujdm

I don't know about them being cheap, altogether it was $60 shipped. Kinda pricey in my book, so I was expecting better.

how many bulbs did you use for the crx cluster??
i wanna do this to mine but i need to know how many to order of each bulb type..

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06-24-2011, 06:18 AM #24

trujdm Quote:

Originally Posted by drhonda09

how many bulbs did you use for the crx cluster??
i wanna do this to mine but i need to know how many to order of each bulb type..

thanks

3 - 194's
2 - 74's
1 - 24
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: 2Sawn My CRX is an 88, not sure if these numbers change for the 90-91 cluster.
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06-29-2011, 03:20 AM #25

azskateman Little tip. Dont waste your time on EBAY bulbs mine worked for a month or two before they lost connection
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07-01-2011, 12:43 AM #26

Trick just did my cluster, forgot to take a before pick but here are the results... i like em

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 1024x768.

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07-01-2011, 07:26 PM #27

azjared i did this to mine a long time ago with the climate control but i need to get different led's with more then one like your using to even it out
I like turtles
shitty pic, you get the idea

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07-02-2011, 03:52 PM #28

Colten79 Quote:
Drew
Originally Posted by trujdm
Before (Old and Busted)

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After (New Hotness)

How did you get more gas without moving?

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07-02-2011, 08:08 PM #29

trujdm I have a gasoline generator in my tank. It creates it's own fuel when the motor isn't running. Duh! (That or I farted a couple times in the car while
doing the install)
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07-03-2011, 04:00 PM #30

drhonda09 one question, does the dimmer still work with these LED bulbs?? just curious
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