Instrument Cluster LED change

[K77SDH]

Due to this sh1t weather meaning the winter wheels are still on and the cars still sat in the garage after a clay, polish and wax I thought I'd give something I've wanted to do or awhile ago.
I'd seen it on an e46 forum before I think and really liked it, it's not complete but I've changed the windows switch, main light switch and the main instrument cluster (may have missed 1 or 2 orange ones).
Here's the cluster (google pic of before as I forgot... Rookie error I no).haha

After

I was going to do the LCD display but thought it would be to much.
Anyway i think it freshens it up abit,

 

[ZermattV]

Looks good - do you mean change the backlight on the odometer/ time - if so I would go for it

 

[srhutch]

Looks good - do you mean change the backlight on the odometer/ time - if so I would go for it

It will look very ///M like if you can do that as well.

 

[LukeMace]

Love the look of that! Do you have a write up you used or one that you could write up? Easy mod?

 

[Bad_Pritt]

Love the look of that! Do you have a write up you used or one that you could write up? Easy mod?

^ +1 How did you do it?

 

[K77SDH]

Cheers. Yh il take a few more pics when I strip it apart to have ago at the LCD.
Here's a few I did take, relatively easy to take apart just soldering is tricky at times.

 

[Bad_Pritt]

Looking at that, I suddenly don't feel the need anymore to change the lights :roll:

 

[srhutch]

Looking at that, I suddenly don't feel the need anymore to change the lights :roll:

I'm with you, luckily mine are already white. :evil:

 

[andysat]

Agree with the above-looks great but knowing my luck i would set off the tamper dot

 

[LukeMace]

Bing did a write up on how to take the cluster out and change the needles which doesn't look too bad of a job to do... http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=46030&hilit=Cluster

Very interested in what soldering you did etc and how you achieved this. I like it a lot!!

 

[K77SDH]

Yh that how to is brill.
I have changed the LCD backlights to white now so I'll install the cluster again tomo and post results. I also took a few pics so il post then up too.

 

[LukeMace]

Look forward to it! Thanks

 

[T2FFN]

That looks awesome.

So you had to unsolder all of the leds, replace and resolder? How much work was that?!

 

[tgurske]

For this type of project, someone would need to be very patient and have some experience with soldering. A desoldering tool would be a great help too. Maybe a good project to buy the new LEDs yourself and find an electronics repair guy to do it for a couple of bucks.

Looks great in white though! I understand that BMW uses orange because it doesn't distract the driver but I hate orange.

 

[Bad_Pritt]

I honestly like the white much better too, I know it's a little "mercedes"-like but it looks good
but it looks too horrible as a diy

 

[aquazi]

I love that aswell... But too much effort and skill needed for me

My fav instrument cluster was my mk 4 golf... Loved the blue and red!


Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

 

[Marius]

How many smd's and what side do i need ?

 

[bluestreak56]

I love that aswell... But too much effort and skill needed for me

My fav instrument cluster was my mk 4 golf... Loved the blue and red!


Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

VW do seem to do this well.

 

[K77SDH]

White LCD background, can't get a clear shot using my trusty iPhone camara but its allot clearer in person.

 

[K77SDH]

How many smd's and what side do i need ?

I bought a pack of x50 - 3258 PLCC-2