Red instrument cluster needles

[Spoolpigeon]

i've seen a few old threads about coloring the needles red with a sharpie, or just coloring the tip of the needle red to stand out against the rest of the cluster. well i didn't really like the coloring of the needle itself so i tried a different approach. took the cluster apart , and colored the plastic tabs that channel the light to the needles with a red sharpie. then used plain clear 194 bulbs for the cluster lights. now the needles are still white when not lit up, and red with the headlights on. i'll probably get some wide angle LED's later on to make it a bit brighter.

it all took less than an hour and it was free. here are the results...

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n315/spoolpigeon/DSC02118.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n315/spoolpigeon/DSC02121.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n315/spoolpigeon/DSC02119.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n315/spoolpigeon/DSC02123.jpg

enjoy!

[CrimsonRockett]

Hah, that does look pretty good.

[SoSideways]

That's hot!

[Taniguchi_Is_#1]

why hasn't anyone thought of this before? that looks pretty good.

[Ceepo]

People have no one has posted it up till now, good job man looks awesome!!! i may have to try this on my car...

[nrgotenks]

import intelligence sells the kits by the way...

[SoSideways]

import intelligence sells the kits by the way...

You're telling me you're actually willing to pay money for the same shit when it'll only take you a few minutes out of your life to color some shit with a Sharpie pen?

[5t341tH]

hey thats a cool mod. i wonder if the sharpie ink will last though....

[ThatGuy]

Sharpie fades and your needles will turn pink. :keke:

Might wanna try something like this instead?
http://www.hobbylinc.com/gr/tes/tes1605.jpg

[Spoolpigeon]

Sharpie fades and your needles will turn pink. :keke:

Might wanna try something like this instead?
http://www.hobbylinc.com/gr/tes/tes1605.jpg

yup. i'll use that whenever the sharpie starts to fade

[Zilviasr20]

I wonder if it will still light up red if u change the color of the bulb

[vtund777]

I wonder if it will still light up red if u change the color of the bulb

You make a good point.

[M11's]

mine were red when i got my car. always thought it was stock.

[ThatGuy]

I wonder if it will still light up red if u change the color of the bulb

Blue bulb + red lens = Purple needle

Yellow bulb + red lens = Orange Needles

Green bulb + red lens = Either an off shade of brown needle, or your cluster magically turns into a Christmas decoration.

[Zilviasr20]

Blue bulb + red lens = Purple needle

Yellow bulb + red lens = Orange Needles

Green bulb + red lens = Either an off shade of brown needle, or your cluster magically turns into a Christmas decoration.

Yea i figured that would happen lol. im guessing the best way to have two colors and keeping the needles red is to sharpie the needles

[M11's]

get red leds and red lens

[punxva]

i did this a long time ago, except i did the needles as well, i think its been almost 2 years with no fade as of yet.

[1ZlowZ]

call me crazy but i thought they were all red... Unless I've had luck with my 2 s13s?

[ThatGuy]

In an attempt to clear up confusion...

FAQs to the rescue!
http://zilvia.net/f/archive-faqs/156493-gauge-clusters.html#post1952327

[racepar1]

Huh, good idea... I never actually noticed that the needles would look better red. Hell, to be honest I don't think that I ever noticed what color they were in the first place... LOL!

[racepar1]

In an attempt to clear up confusion...

FAQs to the rescue!
http://zilvia.net/f/archive-faqs/156493-gauge-clusters.html#post1952327

I must say that I'm not sure that I believe Kevin (mr. meph.) that the JDM kouki clusters require re-wiring to work. Every other s-13 guage cluster ever produced will plug into any s-13 ever produced with no drama. I don't see any reason that the kouki cluster is any different, especially considering that the kouki cluster looks to be identical, just with different colored needles. I hope that Kevin can come clear this up (since I can't post in the archived thread) because I personally would rather just get the kouki cluster with the red needles already in it then take mine apart and color my needles...

[Taniguchi_Is_#1]

kouki s13 clusters are significantly different from 94-older cars, mostly owing to the digital odometer display and i think something about the fuel level sender or some other sensors or what not, i forget. they require a lot of rewiring is the bottom line, so a neat little like coloring the lens/needle is good for style points. kouki clusters do look a lot nicer, though.

[racepar1]

kouki s13 clusters are significantly different from 94-older cars, mostly owing to the digital odometer display and i think something about the fuel level sender or some other sensors or what not, i forget. they require a lot of rewiring is the bottom line, so a neat little like coloring the lens/needle is good for style points. kouki clusters do look a lot nicer, though.

Huh, it was pretty dumb of nissan to do all that re-wiring to an existing chasis for something as dumb as a digital odometer or some small sensor change. Bastards...

[mrmephistopheles]

I must say that I'm not sure that I believe Kevin (mr. meph.) that the JDM kouki clusters require re-wiring to work. Every other s-13 guage cluster ever produced will plug into any s-13 ever produced with no drama. I don't see any reason that the kouki cluster is any different, especially considering that the kouki cluster looks to be identical, just with different colored needles. I hope that Kevin can come clear this up (since I can't post in the archived thread) because I personally would rather just get the kouki cluster with the red needles already in it then take mine apart and color my needles...

I can appreciate the questioning of my words (as I am far from perfect, and screw up quite often), but I humbly as for a modicum of research to be conducted before so doing.

Kouki 180sx clusters vary significantly from chuuki/zenki clusters, and are neither a direct-plugin or a simple rewire. You need different parts to make that cluster work completely (such as an S14 speed sensor, and IIRC an S14 fuel level sender).

If one is interested in installing one of these clusters in to their USDM S13s, they should consult this thread (http://zilvia.net/f/tech-talk/186792-wiring-180sx-kouki-type-x-cluster-help.html), which I have bookmarked for when I get around to rewiring my kouki cluster.


Huh, it was pretty dumb of nissan to do all that re-wiring to an existing chasis for something as dumb as a digital odometer or some small sensor change. Bastards...


It wasn't just simple baubles like that - keep in mind that airbags and other things were added as well. Nissan was modernizing the car, and had to make a concerted effort in order to make the change obvious so that the result would be marketable as such. In addition to that, the utilization of S14 speed sensor meant they could minimize the amount of older parts needed to be produced, as it shared usage in the S14 of the same era.

[ta2maki]

Blue bulb + red lens = Purple needle
....

You sure? The digital clock in early 90's hondas use blue florescent displays with red lens for white numbers.

[lflkajfj12123]

oh man i'm for sure doing four different colors

[ThatGuy]

You sure? The digital clock in early 90's hondas use blue florescent displays with red lens for white numbers.

It all depends on the saturation, but yeah, last time I checked my Kindergarten art class knowledge. Red and Blue make purple (violet, magenta, whatever).

http://www.wiu.edu/art/courses/design/RGB.gif

[180love]

Hey, OP you should probably get gas pretty soon. haha but awsome mod ill be doing this to my 180.

[usdm180sx]

I must say that I'm not sure that I believe Kevin (mr. meph.) that the JDM kouki clusters require re-wiring to work. Every other s-13 guage cluster ever produced will plug into any s-13 ever produced with no drama. I don't see any reason that the kouki cluster is any different, especially considering that the kouki cluster looks to be identical, just with different colored needles. I hope that Kevin can come clear this up (since I can't post in the archived thread) because I personally would rather just get the kouki cluster with the red needles already in it then take mine apart and color my needles...

Kouki cluster has digital odo, airbag, etc. It will NOT plug right in...

[racepar1]

I can appreciate the questioning of my words (as I am far from perfect, and screw up quite often), but I humbly as for a modicum of research to be conducted before so doing.

Kouki 180sx clusters vary significantly from chuuki/zenki clusters, and are neither a direct-plugin or a simple rewire. You need different parts to make that cluster work completely (such as an S14 speed sensor, and IIRC an S14 fuel level sender).

If one is interested in installing one of these clusters in to their USDM S13s, they should consult this thread (http://zilvia.net/f/tech-talk/186792-wiring-180sx-kouki-type-x-cluster-help.html), which I have bookmarked for when I get around to rewiring my kouki cluster.

Yeah, I was a little lazy... It doesn't sound too complicated though, thanks for the link...

It all depends on the saturation, but yeah, last time I checked my Kindergarten art class knowledge. Red and Blue make purple (violet, magenta, whatever).

http://www.wiu.edu/art/courses/design/RGB.gif

Hehe, kindergarden art.....

LOL!

Kouki cluster has digital odo, airbag, etc. It will NOT plug right in...

A little late to the party aren't you???

[usdm180sx]

Yeah, I was a little lazy... It doesn't sound too complicated though, thanks for the link...



Hehe, kindergarden art.....

LOL!



A little late to the party aren't you???

You are right. I LOL'ed...REALLY :)

[ta2maki]

It all depends on the saturation, but yeah, last time I checked my Kindergarten art class knowledge. Red and Blue make purple (violet, magenta, whatever).

http://www.wiu.edu/art/courses/design/RGB.gif

Um that's red light + blue light, not blue light + red filter. There is a difference.

[MrFairlady]

You Need the Harness from a Maxima (if its not included & rarely is) to splice/re-pin into the Wiring on the S13.
S14 Speed Sensor (is supposedly diff) and S14 Coolant temp sensor....possibly Fuel Sensor.
I guess because that car came out after/when the S14 was in production they used leftover parts from that car for it to work.
The Cluster I had didn't have the harness' so I went to Pull a Part and Found ones that Matched,..but Never did the Conversion.Its quite a bit of work But Looks great w/ the Grey Backgrounds to the Gauges.

[fueled by hate]

just finished a little custom led project

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o59/giynmgs/008.jpg

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o59/giynmgs/007.jpg

[icedsole]

^ details please, tryin to do that to my s14 cluster! LOOKS SICK!

[fueled by hate]

Used superflux leds (cree for white and red-orange lumileds). attached the red ones to the plastic rods for the needles and then put electrical tape around them to prevent the red from bleeding through. Then I put the white ones all around the gauges and used like 8 for the big ones and 3 for the small ones. Wired everything up to a voltage regulator running at 10.87 volts max, which also powers the leds in my dcc. I'm going to take another shot after I install it tomorrow.

[usdm180sx]

Just did mine using Tamiya acrylic clear red. Super legit!

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c5/ncarpio1/redneedles.jpg

[2fast4y0u]

/\ pic no work