DIY: Change your gauge cluster light colors!

BMWE934me · 10-10-2014, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TreyTwoEight

Looks amazing man!

Thank you. It's finally looking like a car instead of an Orange Julius float. I love to mod.

MTTH · 10-10-2014, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMWE934me

Quote:

Originally Posted by TreyTwoEight

Looks amazing man!

Thank you. It's finally looking like a car instead of an Orange Julius float. I love to mod.

if only I had the tech ability to do this

Phil325i · 10-11-2014, 08:25 AM

Welcome to the world of VW!

makkan00 · 10-11-2014, 11:02 AM

Phil
Have you looked at his work?
I have seen two cars done by him.
No disrespect, but needles are not calibrated properly.
Then on other red needle sticker is peeling off.
Both forum members were pissed off but cant complaint as they didn't pay much!!!

makkan00 · 10-11-2014, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil325i

Welcome to the world of VW!

+1

Phil325i · 10-11-2014, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by makkan00

Phil
Have you looked at his work?
I have seen two cars done by him.
No disrespect, but needles are not calibrated properly.
Then on other red needle sticker is peeling off.
Both forum members were pissed off but cant complaint as they didn't pay much!!!

I've had mine done by him! Yes, two of my needles were slightly off, but having watched him do the dis-assembly, I was able to correct this myself. So far my red needles are fine...

makkan00 · 10-11-2014, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil325i

I've had mine done by him! Yes, two of my needles were slightly off, but having watched him do the dis-assembly, I was able to correct this myself. So far my red needles are fine...

Well that is the thing.
I would never touch others car if I cannot put them into a state in which I got it.

Never mind, as far as you are happy .....its all good.

BMWE934me · 10-11-2014, 06:40 PM

Blue and white theme all complete except for the ambient lighting on the doors and rear panels. Will complete that next week when my LEDs get here.

Attachment 1103006

BMWE934me · 10-11-2014, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TreyTwoEight

if only I had the tech ability to do this

It all sounds simple in this DIY, but it is just as easy to do irreplaceable damage too. You can pull a LED pad off or break a trace in the circuit board or even burn up another component on the board with the iron. Crap happens. It can be easier in the long run to let those that can, do.

PAUL335D · 10-12-2014, 09:26 AM

looks really good a nice mod

BMWE934me · 10-12-2014, 04:02 PM

I think I finally got a shot that shows the two tone better,

Attachment 1103459

seanchen95 · 10-13-2014, 05:23 PM

Looks really amazing

lukeperformance · 10-15-2014, 03:28 PM

how did you do the rest of the car?

jellish · 10-15-2014, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lukeperformance

how did you do the rest of the car?

It's all very similar. Almost all of the gauges/switches us those size LEDs. Some use a smaller LED (hazard panel on dash and seat heater panel), but most use those. I'll try to find the sizes for the smaller ones when I get time, or you can put the bigger ones in their place with a little soldering.

Petrolhead3010 · 10-16-2014, 08:34 PM

Looks great! But I'm curious as to how you know which LED goes to what gauge/panel

GB-335xiCoupe · 10-16-2014, 08:45 PM

I've thought of doing this, it is relatively easy... but the factory Orange/Red is used because it preserves night vision. Bright blue/green is cool looking, but it ruins your night vision. You look up from your gauge cluster at night, and it takes half a second for your eyes to adjust. A half-second can mean the difference between life and death.

jellish · 10-16-2014, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GB-335xiCoupe

I've thought of doing this, it is relatively easy... but the factory Orange/Red is used because it preserves night vision. Bright blue/green is cool looking, but it ruins your night vision. You look up from your gauge cluster at night, and it takes half a second for your eyes to adjust. A half-second can mean the difference between life and death.

It also takes more than a half-second to look down at your gauge cluster. READING GAUGES KILLS PEOPLE.

dy63 · 10-28-2014, 09:49 AM

how did you get the outter of your clock looking so bright? like the semi circle around it they are brightt!!

gth758y · 11-09-2014, 02:08 PM

This looks awesome. Reminds me of my old VW. Will definitely use this as a guide if I decide to modify the 335. Thanks!

bmw325i · 11-09-2014, 03:57 PM

Here is mine it has m3 rings and needles.

Efthreeoh · 11-11-2014, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GB-335xiCoupe

I've thought of doing this, it is relatively easy... but the factory Orange/Red is used because it preserves night vision. Bright blue/green is cool looking, but it ruins your night vision. You look up from your gauge cluster at night, and it takes half a second for your eyes to adjust. A half-second can mean the difference between life and death.

Too bad all that science BMW went through to determine the best gauge light color for night driving went for not in the OP's car. It is a cool mod, but a non-orange gauge cluster in a BMW to us old Bimmer-heads is sacrilegious. Just saying.

Impressive skills OP.

jdamore · 11-12-2014, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMWE934me

Blue and white theme all complete except for the ambient lighting on the doors and rear panels. Will complete that next week when my LEDs get here.

Attachment 1103006

Please share how you do the doors! I would like to know how the LEDs are configured. I'll soon be doing my doors!

I'm hung up on waiting for LEDs too. The over head ambient lights were 4 conductor!

Here's my post.. http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1056259

10-11-2014, 08:25 AM	#25
Phil325i Brigadier General 639 Rep 3,212 Posts Drives: E92 325i MSport Coupe Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: UK South East iTrader: (1) Garage List 2009 BMW 325i Coupe [6.00]	Welcome to the world of VW! __________________ E92 pre-LCI 325i - Ohlins R&T; H&R spacers; M3 strut brace; Swift thrust sheets; 3 x chassis braces; diff brace; N53 V-brace; 034 subframe inserts; BMS clutch stop; BMS CDV; RE g/box mounts; Delrin shift bushes; Saikoumichi OCC; Cyba scoops; BMW Perf Exhaust; HEL s/steel brake hoses; M3 rear spoiler; Recaro Sportster CSs; M3 white dash LEDs; LED Angels; LED side repeaters; BMW Perf black grille; CSL reps; SSDD carbon diffuser; Monster Wrap black roof/clear front
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10-11-2014, 11:02 AM	#26
makkan00 Major General 896 Rep 9,105 Posts Drives: F83 and F36 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Essex iTrader: (56)	Phil Have you looked at his work? I have seen two cars done by him. No disrespect, but needles are not calibrated properly. Then on other red needle sticker is peeling off. Both forum members were pissed off but cant complaint as they didn't pay much!!! __________________ F36 Xdrive for her - HUD, park assist, heated steering wheel, rear camera, Apple car play F36 RWD for him - HK, M sports pack, GTS tail light, Apple car play
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10-11-2014, 06:40 PM	#30
BMWE934me Major 66 Rep 1,097 Posts Drives: '11 335i E93 Alpine White Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: New Braunfels, TX iTrader: (35) Garage List 2011 BMW 335i [10.00]	I have the blues Blue and white theme all complete except for the ambient lighting on the doors and rear panels. Will complete that next week when my LEDs get here. Attachment 1103006 Last edited by BMWE934me; 03-15-2015 at 01:15 PM..
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10-12-2014, 09:26 AM	#32
PAUL335D New Member 1 Rep 22 Posts Drives: M3 E92 Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: LONDON iTrader: (0)	looks really good a nice mod
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10-12-2014, 04:02 PM	#33
BMWE934me Major 66 Rep 1,097 Posts Drives: '11 335i E93 Alpine White Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: New Braunfels, TX iTrader: (35) Garage List 2011 BMW 335i [10.00]	Two Tone I think I finally got a shot that shows the two tone better, Attachment 1103459 Last edited by BMWE934me; 03-15-2015 at 01:15 PM..
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10-13-2014, 05:23 PM	#34
seanchen95 Private 49 Rep 58 Posts Drives: 2021 F87 M2C (On Order) \| 2011 Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: SoCal iTrader: (0)	Looks really amazing
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10-15-2014, 03:28 PM	#35
lukeperformance Private 7 Rep 84 Posts Drives: 2008 BMW 335i Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: alabama iTrader: (2)	how did you do the rest of the car?
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10-16-2014, 08:34 PM	#37
Petrolhead3010 Second Lieutenant 54 Rep 252 Posts Drives: 2021 BMW X3 M40i Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Marysville iTrader: (0)	Looks great! But I'm curious as to how you know which LED goes to what gauge/panel
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10-16-2014, 08:45 PM	#38
GB-335xiCoupe Libertarian 133 Rep 1,577 Posts Drives: 29k mi per year. Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Green Bay area iTrader: (0)	I've thought of doing this, it is relatively easy... but the factory Orange/Red is used because it preserves night vision. Bright blue/green is cool looking, but it ruins your night vision. You look up from your gauge cluster at night, and it takes half a second for your eyes to adjust. A half-second can mean the difference between life and death.
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10-28-2014, 09:49 AM	#40
dy63 Colonel 165 Rep 2,399 Posts Drives: F30 Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: United Kingdom iTrader: (1)	how did you get the outter of your clock looking so bright? like the semi circle around it they are brightt!!
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11-09-2014, 02:08 PM	#41
gth758y New Member 0 Rep 6 Posts Drives: 2010 E82 & 2011 E90 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: San Antonio, TX iTrader: (0) Garage List 2010 BMW 135i [10.00] 2011 BMW 335i X-Drive [0.00]	This looks awesome. Reminds me of my old VW. Will definitely use this as a guide if I decide to modify the 335. Thanks!
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11-09-2014, 03:57 PM	#42
bmw325i Major General 237 Rep 5,118 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 325i Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: United States iTrader: (8)	Here is mine it has m3 rings and needles. Attached Images
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