silver face gauges

[GordonGekko]

This is a spinoff of the "white face gauges" thread. I finally installed my silver reverse indiglow gauges. The installation went smoothly except for one brief moment when I got shocked. (my bad)

One minor thing concerns me...when the gauges are switched to blue, there is a high frequency whine that is BARELY audible but still noticeable. Kinda reminds me of the dentist's drill, but not quite that loud. Probably wouldn't bother anyone else or be heard to anyone else, but since I have tendencies of OCD, I notice every slight little thing. When the gauges are switched to green, it is silent. Everything works perfectly except for that slight sound. Should that concern me?

If anyone is interested I'll take pics tonight so you can see how they look installed. Also, to those around the SF Bay Area, I have brand new white reverse indiglow gauges for sale. I saw the silver ones after I bought the white ones so now I have both.

[jhunhapi]

were is the proper place to splice the wires to put the power on these gauges?? i was tryin to install my white gauges this afternoon ive got everything in place but the only main problem i have .. no power i use the wires behind the speedometer .. cuz on the DIY it didnt say which wire im goin to splice.. i already PM u .. im also from the bay area.. jst give me a call if u can.. thanks..

[GordonGekko]

jhunhapi,

How is the install going? Were you able to get power? So how does it look?

In case anyone else was wondering which wire, I spliced into the driver's side parking lamp (near the parking lamp, right before the wire disappears into the fender). On mine it was a green wire, but use a test light to be sure. There are other 12V sources, but this seemed to be the most accessible.

Splicing into the parking lights makes the gauges blink with the parking lights when I arm/disarm the alarm. ;D

[jhunhapi]

tnks for the call.. u did showed me the right wire to put it on... but as for me i used the wire behind gas gauge (black plug). color: green wire w/ 1 white stripe and 1 silver dot. it work perfect cuz thats the same wire in the parking lamp. it rily have a humming sound that your talking about.. i have no idea why is doin that .. is ur silver gauge have that humming sound too?? oh can u post a pic.. tnks for the help man!!

[GordonGekko]

I got some pics of the gauges. Anyone who is interested let me know your email and I can send them to you. Better yet, can someone post them for me?

[GordonGekko]

Okay, here they are during the day...



and at night...



This is switched to blue, with about 3/4 brightness. The tach needle isn't bright enough. Does it have its own bulb? Those of you who changed your gauges, are the needles lit up nicely or are they dim?

The other needles are lit well enough, although it doesn't seem like it. The redline, km scale, and odometer are clear in person, but not in the picture.

[jhunhapi]

it look nice man.. my face gauge jst look exactly like the original.. howcome u dont have the silver gauge in the middle (between tack & speedometer) ?? were did u put the switch?? i dont know about the bulb in the neddle all i know the bulb on the fuel, speedometer, tack,& temp is #158 w/ blue film covering(but im not sure if thats the rite #).. and the rest of the bulb is #74 and im sure of that.. i hope that help u out..

[GordonGekko]

Thanks.....I'll check on those bulbs and see whats up. I don't have the silver gauge in the middle because it's not an automatic. I didn't bother to mount the switch, I just stuffed it under the panel below the steering column. I figured I won't use it much - the brightness is fine, and theres very little difference between the green and blue settings.

I was thinking, maybe the red-eye reduction of my camera filtered out the red in the picture. Because most of the red parts are gone, except for the very bright brake and battery lamps.

[s1ckdrag0ns]

hey man the gauges look great!!!!!!! awsome job . sorry i couldnt get back to you for any advice, i was away for a little. but you got it under control.

~tony

[Stod]

I love that blue!! Give me either blue (VW-ish) or red (BMW-ish) and life would be happy!

Cheers,
Stod

[GordonGekko]

Tony,

No problem! I managed to figure it out. Thanks for the help!


Stod,

Yeah, I was really going for that look of the A4 VWs.
As for the BMW red... I used to wrench at a BMW dealership so I'm kinda sick of it. It doesn't do anything for me.

[Stod]

GG,

Yeah, I agree the VW-blue is the best. I guess I'm still having "wet dreams" about my '84 BMW 533i that I lost in the 1995 Cambria flood (took out my restaurant, too, for about 2 weeks!!) .

Cheers,
Stod

[GordonGekko]

Wow, sorry to hear that!

So is that why you switched to SUVs - in case you have to deal with another big flood?

[Stod]

Nope, actually before the Sport I had the idea of being "original" and searched for a black SAAB 900 Turbo - found one after searching 4 months - bought it...then noticed there were FIVE other black SAAB 900's in my town of 6,000 people!! Loved that car for a while (handled like my ex-'75 Porsche 911S on the highway - great flat turning!)...but got pissed off that it TOOK A LONG TIME to get to highway-handling speed. MAJOR Turbo-lag!!

Dumped the SAAB after I saw a 2000 Montero Sport along Hwy 101 in San Luis Obispo. Thought, WOW, cool-looking SUV. Never thought about an SUV before that. Then the dreams of off-road, etc. started and had to have one. Been off-road many times...was hooked on the MS. On-road driving, too. Handled the best of all the 4x4s I test drove.

But, of course, in the event of really bad weather...NOW I'M PREPARED!!!

Cheers,
Stod

[sirlordoz]

Guys
I have done some werk on the needle in my sport, No matter what u do the speedo needle always seams to be dim. I have put in larger bulb in my other rides but for some reason i cant in the sport. How ever i did come up with something real cool that totaly adds to the indiglow look, take out the bulbs and replace them with led"s. Then when u remove the needles and scrape off the orange they glow the color of the led. it is tight and believe me people notice! ill try and get a pic up soon!
Lata