Instrument lights / lighting....

I have 914 guages in the newest car, and I need input on what was used for indicator lamps / sockets in certain locations..... The ALT, OIL, HI BEAM and Turn Signal lamps are satisfactory..... However there others which are quite dim with a standard VW lamp / socket unit.... For instance, the indicator in the center top of the speedo.. I want to use it to indicate the oil cooler fan running, but the light is so dim, its useless... Any ideas???? Wolfgang???

There was a post on instrument lighting a few months ago. Try the search function. When all else fails, North Hollywood or Palo Alto Speedometer.

I am using the indicator in the center of the speedometer on my 914 gauge and it is adequately bright.

Is yours pushed all the way in?

Different intensity illumination usually means that the sleeves mounted to the back of the instrument (the sleeve that the lamp assembly pushes into) are different lengths, which then allow the lamp holders to be inserted to different depths. There are also a small variety (at least on Porsche gauges) of lamp holder lengths. You start mixing them up and you'll get varying amounts of light displayed for the same wattage bulbs.

Try pulling some of the other lamps and comparing the holder lengths. You might also try mix-and-matching bulbs.

Also, there are at least three different lamp wattages used on older Porsche gauges. They all look the same, but vary between something like 7 and 16 watts.

The guages came with an eclectic assortment of lamps and holders..... I've mixed and matched what I have without any improvement.... I'll probably just move the indication to the "Brake" warning light location.... Thanks for the input y'all....

Ya need to replace the big handbrake light with an oil temp gauge (which was a 914 option). Wonder if you could cut the light tubes on back of gauge effectively doing what Gordon said and moving lamp closer to gauge surface (I've never done this).

http://p914.com/p914_gauges_combo.htm

That's true - shortening the stand-offs on the back of the gauge (the tubes that the lamp holders fit into) can sometimes make a BIG difference in illumination level. I wrote an article on that once, but can't remember what the different lengths were (there were 2 or 3 different lengths, depending on location on the gauge).

A buddy of mine who is a bit of a car nut (the domestic kind) had similar issues with his instruments, combined with our old eyes, and ended up wiring one of these into his instrument pod. These LED strips are OK to cut to length. I thought that if I ever had issues with my instrument lights I would just glue one of these strips to the underside of the "Eye brow" .

I did get one of these in red for a third brake light mounted under the grill on the engine cover, works great.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4/Auto/AutoCustomPerformance/NeonLEDAutomotiveLights/PRDOVR~0411511P/Flexible+White+LED+Strip%2C+12-in.+.jsp?locale=en