09 Gauges VS 08 Gauges

[Kain]

Yikes, 30+ LEDs. I assume that the blue accent lighting is just one LED per gauge?

 

[chowhoundMSP]

Oh, that's nice looking. sok07, I was playing with the idea of getting brighter blue LEDs to replace the weak accent lighting in the gauges. Your thoughts since you've taken the cluster apart?

I was thinking of trying this as well. A brighter blue would really make the gauges look nice.

 

[sok07]

To be exact, 25 PLCC-2 LEDs for the gauges and needles. Buy 30 for spares. Correct, the blue accent light is also a PLCC-2 type LED and one per pod.

 

[leadf00t]

Thats a lot of led's. but very nice mod.

 

[240ka]

yeah, thats awesome. wish you lived closer. i wouldnt mind paying you to do it.

 

[CHICO2003]

Not sure what you mean, I have a 09 and I never noticed my needles were white until. This thread. They mos def do not stand out. If they did it would be a safety issue.

Sounds like a case of someone eating sour grapes

Sour grapes? umm.... no, just simple logic. When the majority of the instrument cluster has a reddish hue to it than naturally a white needle (versus a red one) will stand out more. No knock per se.... just a fact.

 

[GoFast]

Wow that looks really good

There is a pretty good write up on the "other" forums. I just followed it. Be sure to practice how to solder and remove the mini LEDs before you start. There is a technique that you will find that makes removal easier. The most difficult part is desoldering and resoldering the 30 or so LED on the circuit board. Also the numbers on the faces are tinted w/ a slight orange film. An exacto blade and some sandpaper was used to scrape/sand the film to clear them out. After that just pick the color LEDs you want and you should be good to go.

I chose white because it looked very, very clean. I originally had lined the dial w/ a blue film, but I later reverted to the all white look. Note the modified redline. I should move that back to the original 6750 since I'm not stock anymore. Anyhow, I swapped out the white needle for a red for contrast. The white needle just blended into the white background. All blue might look good, but IMO probably be hard to see at night.


Dec06_2008
White dial illumination on the speed3 instrument cluster, white needles
______________________________________________


White gauge cluster illumination, now with red needles
______________________________________________

 

[sok07]

Thanks. I went for the Euro look. I've always liked how clean the benz and M3/M5 gauge clusters looked.

 

[GoFast]

look accomplished. Maybe ill make this a weekend project...

 

[UHATEIT]

Thanks. I went for the Euro look. I've always liked how clean the benz and M3/M5 gauge clusters looked.

hey did you happen to change the accent lights as well? Are those relatively easy to do? I think the whole cluster thing is pretty risky for me to do, but just the accent light sounds like it wouldnt be too hard to do

 

[bjjer]

Sour grapes? umm.... no, just simple logic. When the majority of the instrument cluster has a reddish hue to it than naturally a white needle (versus a red one) will stand out more. No knock per se.... just a fact.

During the day the white needles stand out too much and look awful against the black and red baclground. At night the needles look nice. To bad mazda couldnt go from red needles during the day and turn white when you turn on the headlights.

 

[UHATEIT]

anyone know if the Mazda 6 lights are REALLY as blue/bright as the pics or if thats just mazda's website pics with them trying to make it look more appealing? As the MS3 gauges look blue as hell on the mazdausa site when in person they truly are not

 

[Hank3]

Probably a good question to ask the folks in the new Mazda6 forum. Post this picture up so they have something to reference from

 

[Kain]

I wish ours were really that blue. Too much red lighting in this car, which is why I went with a blue Defi gauge.

 

[Hank3]

Awww shucks...it's Friday. I went ahead and posted the question in the Mazda6 forum

http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123744264

 

[khoney]

I wish ours were really that blue. Too much red lighting in this car, which is why I went with a blue Defi gauge.

I 2nd that, especially because I'm red/green colorblind. I can't see the speedo when the headlights turn on during the daytime (because of rain or dusk) without pushing the 'high intensity' button.

 

[02stang951]

one of my favorite things about this car is the gauges i think there pretty cool lol

 

[meicalnissyen]

I wish ours were really that blue. Too much red lighting in this car, which is why I went with a blue Defi gauge.

has anyone gone thru the process of pulling the dash to get at the stock lamps?

it MAY be possible to get a brighter lamp into the stock position

 

[Kain]

has anyone gone thru the process of pulling the dash to get at the stock lamps?

it MAY be possible to get a brighter lamp into the stock position

...

Did you read the whole thread?