505 Instrument Panel lights

B

baldrick56

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Hi All,

pleasantly surprised today by how easily the instrument cluster was removed from the 505, suspected I'd be fiddling around with clips that had lost their 'spring' over thirty years but the mildest pressure from a screwdriver each side and out it came. Where I've got stuck is trying to get the smallest bulbs out of their holders - there appear to be fourteen of these, so far I've tried two, neither of which wants to come out of the holder. The larger ones (five thus) appear to come out without too much of a fight, but the small ones just wobble a bit and stay put. I've tried contact cleaner sprayed into the holder and tweezers gripping the globes around a cloth but no dice so far. Anyone got any tips?

Regards,
Rob
IMG_2100.JPG
 
I've not dealt with a 505 cluster specifically but assuming they're a standard push-fit "wedge" type bulb I'd try wrapping a piece of duct tape/electrical tape around the exposed part and pulling it out that way.
 
The bulb (#74) can be prised out of the socket with a pin.

FWIW, I bought LED replacements complete with holders a few years ago and replaced all the warning lights. Much nicer, but there was fiddling involved to get polarity right. Other LED replacements I've bought needed traces cut to avoid short circuits. Bit of a pain.

Anyhow, a simple LED won't work so well for the dashlight as they'll pretty much ignore the dimmer.

Have fun,

Rob.
 
Thanks Tom and Rob,
the sticky-tape trick worked a treat - bulb came out with the tweezers gripping the tape. I've now replaced all the warning lights (with standard tugsten bulbs - 'Philips' brand so hopefully they'll last a bit). The illumination lamps I've held off for the moment as I have some LED's heading my way but I have enough 'T10' aka 'W5W' to do these as well if the LED's turn out to be too bright / undimmable Had to try two stores locally to get sufficient numbers of each type. Online shopping for LED's before I'd got the old ones removed was "inconclusive" to say the least, different suppliers had different dimensions for the same type - none of which matched the dims. I took from the holders. Eventually I found some I was convinced would fit, few dollars per bulb, filled the basket to be told shipping would be $153, er, no thanks, found local supplier this am for the same things. The cluster is now loosely back in the dash while I wait for the LED's - not altogether convinced I've got the connector plugs in the right way around (dang, why didn't I photo the thing :confused:) but I guess I can reverse these if not enough lights appear with ignition switch on.
Regards,
Rob
 
The connector plugs should only go on one way around. Take em off and have a good look at the shape using a torch.
 
Pack of LED's turned up, in the meantime I'd decided that the hassle of fiddling around with the polarity for the "warning" lights (being 'T5' or 'W1.2W' size) - all fourteen of them was too great so replaced all these with standard tungsten filament types. It would be necessary to trace each sensor then 'short' it to fault condition, see if the light lights, then turn the holder 180deg. if not. There isn't enough room to get at these without undoing the plugs each time and I doubt the placcy 'film' stretched over the sockets is up to that sort of treatment after thirty years.

For the panel illumination (being 'T10' or 'W5W' size) and four off I'd got a range of coloured LED's. Irritatingly the amber ones wouldn't fit (instead of a "wedge" base these had a "spade" base of same thickness all along and wouldn't go in the holder), however the red ones had the correct profile. I had a 50/50 chance when installing these and in both cases no light until I dismantled and turned the holder around 🤬 Originally I was going to fit reds to the inner two, and ambers to the outer two locations but with the fitment difficulty as above I've reverted to tungsten (white) T10's in the outers. Point to note - you only need the Blue plug closest the centre console connected to 'test' the illumination lights.

incidentally there's a fifteenth warning light (being a 'W3W' - same as 'T10' size), not having a replacement for this I left the old one alone after testing it.

Best of all the dimmer switch appears to work with the red LED's - I now have a bit of a 'BMW' vibe going on in the panel. I'll post a photo when everythings fully back together.
Happy fixing,
Rob
 
Gawd this classic car caper is great fun isn't it? Dano is getting me worried searching for an original 203 air cleaner hose though.
It's looking a bit like you might have to sacrifice a principle on this one though Dan. However, I have a vague memory of one coming over from Tassie in Poubelle's box of bits. I shall have a good look and let you know the outcome but make no promises. 🤞 🤞
 
Hi Rob, any chance of posting up links to where you bought the LEDS esp the ones which worked with the dimmer? Would be very helpful. My illumination lights are very, very dim and the dimmer just makes it worse - not sure what's going on, maybe a bad connection. Would be good to put some blue LEDS in there. Thanks.
 
Please post more details abouth the LEDs you bought (that worked).
I have a late model 504 (which you didn't get in Australia) & looking for better lighting too (to hell with the dimmer, I always have it on max brightness)
 
Hi Nisspug / Doush,

I got my LED's here:

The LED Shop Australia® Low Voltage LED Lights | 6v, 12v 24v

The LED Shop Australia sell Low Voltage LED lights 6v, 12v and 24v globes for Cars, Trucks, Motorcycles, Caravans, RVs and Boat / Marine. 12 Month Warranty
www.ledshoponline.com.au

they have an email: info@ledshoponline.com.au

My order was:
Order details Product
12 volt T10 (194) AMBER LED wedge bulb 360° 225lm
×5
12 volt DC T10 RED LED 120° × 5 12v T5 WHITE 40lm × 2
12v T5 BLUE LED bulb × 1
12v T5 RED LED × 1

As I said in the post the Amber LED's didn't fit the holders! - the description for these says they are "CANBUS" ..... - not sure if its the 'CANBUS' bit that prevents the fit as the "T10 Red LED" fitted perfectly & there's no 'CANBUS' in the description for that one.

Also be aware that for night driving its better to have your dash illumination toward the red end of the light spectrum (the more important if your eyes are as ancient as mine :rolleyes:) rather than blue - hence BMW's red spectacular when you turn the lights on.
Happy fixing
Regards,
Rob
 
Thanks for the link Rob. There seem to be many different designs of T10 LEDs on that site, so just to confirm do your Red T10 LEDs look like the ones in this link?

www.ledshoponline.com.au

12 volt DC T10 RED LED 120° | The LED Shop Australia®

12 volt T10 168 9.3 mm RED LED wedge bulb/globe using single 1w Chip from Samsung. Viewing angle 120° overall length 25 mm.
www.ledshoponline.com.au

Jaycar also has some T10 LEDs which are cheaper but of course you don't know if the dimmer will work with them until you try.

T5 Wedge Replacement LED Globe (White) | Jaycar Electronics

LED GLOBE T5 WEDGE WHT 12VDC
www.jaycar.com.au www.jaycar.com.au
 
Hi Nisspug
these are the red LED's which fitted OK (& were 'dimmable')

https://www.ledshoponline.com.au/product/12v-t10-red-led-120/. their part number is 'SKU 2263'

IMG_2124.JPG


the Amber ones which wouldn't fit in the holders are: 'SKU 2246'
I also bought 'T5' sized white (SKU 2400); blue (SKU 2403); Red (SKU 2401) but didn't use these 'cos of the faff of getting the polarity correct though the bases look as though they should fit the T5 holders.
Regards,
Rob
 
Thanks Rob. I sent an email to ledshoponline and they don't have Blue LEDs of the same design as your RED ones, so I'll have to buy a Blue one of a different design and try it. I prefer Blue LEDs as to me 'Red' means 'warning!' and 'Blue' is more relaxing for driving at night. My wife has a Golf and I like its Blue illumination. From memory, don't the illumination lights of a 505 get their Red colour from little plastic coloured 'lenses' sitting in front of the bulbs, and the bulbs themselves are white? I could be wrong as it's been many years since I've looked at one.
 
nisspug2 said:
Thanks Rob. I sent an email to ledshoponline and they don't have Blue LEDs of the same design as your RED ones, so I'll have to buy a Blue one of a different design and try it. I prefer Blue LEDs as to me 'Red' means 'warning!' and 'Blue' is more relaxing for driving at night. My wife has a Golf and I like its Blue illumination. From memory, don't the illumination lights of a 505 get their Red colour from little plastic coloured 'lenses' sitting in front of the bulbs, and the bulbs themselves are white? I could be wrong as it's been many years since I've looked at one.
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Yes the 505 cluster is all white light behind, with the colours created by lenses between bulb & exterior. I got the coloured 'T5's' intending to enhance the intensity of the "warnings" for ignition / oil pressure / main beam - particularly as I've now got red 'T10's' for half the illumination in the cluster.
R
 
nisspug2 said:
Hi Rob, any chance of posting up links to where you bought the LEDS esp the ones which worked with the dimmer? Would be very helpful. My illumination lights are very, very dim and the dimmer just makes it worse - not sure what's going on, maybe a bad connection. Would be good to put some blue LEDS in there. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Would be dust.
 
Yes worth checking, although I don't remember the inside of the instrument assembly being very dusty when I last removed it - it's pretty well sealed in there. I've got a feeling the rheostat may be oxidised and need spraying with contact cleaner as well.
 
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