bingoboy

Anyone ever come accross any LED bulbs that are replacement for oem style bulbs (for tail lights, side marckers/running lights) that are worth using? My main reason for wanting something like this is that they would be less taxing on the car's electrical system, especially seeing as how FC's have problems with that. As it is, with all the lights on (headlights/fogs) and the radio on at night the charge in the system gets quite low. I also have an MSD ignition box to help suck up the extra juice too. With rain causing me to have to run with wipers and having the blower motor running on high to keep the windows unfogged...well you get the idea...

It seems like most LED replacement bulbs I have seen suck quite badly compared to the regular bubls. They seem dimmer and put out a crummier light pattern. I am basically wondering if anyone makes any high quality bulbs like this instead of the cheap stuff you find on random websites for sale.

Thanks in advance
-Scott

Railgun

http://www.ledtronics.com/ds/aut1157/

I'm pretty sure you're not going to find a better bulb, but at that price, don't think that you'll want to go that route.

The thing with the cheezo LEDs is that the elements typically only point straight out and you get a narrow angle LED, so you 1) don't hit the reflector at all, and 2) get a small concentration of light. Where I haven't used these myself (yet) based on my experience with LEDs (as hobby) these will be great.

There's also someone who's created their own LED lamp based on the '99 lights. They created a ring of about 20 or so LEDs, and it looked awesome. As soon as I find time, I'll be doing the same. I'll post a pic tonight, but I don't know who it was. Someone in CA I think.

vel525

iTrader: (4)

i think one of batman's friends did that.

rockshox

iTrader: (3)

heres the lights railgun is talking about: www.lighter.net/news.html

REAmemiya FD3S

corksport.com sells LED replacement bulbs for your dash that come in different colors:

Corksport - LED Replacement

under: LIGHTS

86GXL

I did my front signals Euro style with LED's but i left the main bulb normal.
Heres a pic.


Heres what happened to the tail lights when i tried them
Not bright enough.



heres what happened to the front signals with 1157 LED's. NOT BRIGHT ENOUGH



Here are the side markers... personaly i like them best because they FREAKING BLIND ME... haha

vel525

iTrader: (4)

has anyone tried these? and do these bulbs replace just the guage cluster or also the console area? any pics would be great too. thanks.

86GXL

Just the guage cluster. You'd have to buy more for the console. And to me they would look spotty and have dead spots because they dont light up... they just project light to a certain point.

DamonB

I replaced all the bulbs in my tire trailer with LED bulbs. That thing shakes and vibrate so much I blew bulbs all the time. LED's don't have filaments and so I don't have to replace them anymore

Be certain the LED bulbs are bright enough. Most of the LED stuff out there is sh*t.

vel525

iTrader: (4)

i'm interested in swapping out all the orange lights with a blue to see how it would look. has anyone done this? are the bulbs in the console the same as the ones in the guage cluster?

86GXL

Most are just wedge style bulbs like 168 or 194 style (basicly the same)

vel525

iTrader: (4)

thanks for the info 86gxl

bingoboy

Yeah this is pretty much the kind of thing that I was looking for although at $30+ for one bulb I don't think I will be going that route. That pricing seems almost rediculous.


What brand of bulbs did you use? I am assuming you found some that were bright enough and hopefully not $30 a bulb .


Edit: hmm their 1157 bulbs are $25 each. For an FC these are used as Tail light bulbs and turn signal bulbs. Just making the tail lights like this would use 6 bulbs and run $150. ouch ouch ouch...

RX-187

Get the Super white 194/1157 cluster wedge bulbs on eBay. I believe they are $6 a pair + $3 shipping. They are pretty good. I don't remember exactly the seller's name but it's along the line of mr2...

bingoboy

have you used those bulbs in question?

rockshox

iTrader: (3)

white bulbs behind a red lens is wasting light. it will be brighter and probably cheaper if you match the color of the lens.

Railgun

That's the one. Are you the guy that did these? If so, I sent you an email some time ago about that but never got a response. I assume that these are going to be sold?

rockshox

iTrader: (3)

yeah im the one making those. sorry about the email, sometimes one will slip through the cracks. the lights should be for sale sometime next month.

prew

iTrader: (9)

i dont think u can change the color of the fd guages. they have amber in the guage, and just use clear lights.
is this what you guys are talking about?


steve prew

bingoboy

Definately. The white bulbs from the page listed near the beginning are almost twice the price of the red/yellows and you are right about "wasted" light as well. The red lens will block all light except red, and paying for the white bulb which is listed as slightly brighter wouldn't help much.

However the ebay specials appear to be mostly white types. I have been browsing through the auctions and they appear to have several that mimic the higher quality bulbs of www.ledtronics.com with 24 led's total, 18 up and 6 radially outward at the base. I may try some of these out to see if they are any good.

DamonB

I don't remember the brand but I bought them at the local AutoZone. I asked the clerk if I could return them if they were too dim for my trailer and he said sure. I bought a pair of three way bulbs for the tail lights which control parking, brake and signals. The LED bulbs are as bright as the originals and I payed about $20 for the pair. I also bought some LED replacements for the wedge bulbs that go in all my marker lights but they were pretty cheap. In all I think I spent almost $30 on bulbs and that will certainly buy a LOT of plain incandescent bulbs but my trailer blows them often due to the vibration. It was worth it for me to not worry about if my tail or marker lights were working when I'm driving home from the track at night in a small car with a small trailer.

RX-187

Like I said, I bought the ones on ebay and they are pretty good. I don't remember the exact number of bulbs per wedge but I think at the least 6 and the most 8. I would choose these over stock anyday.

vel525

iTrader: (4)

any pics?

namasan

replacement led fd3s taillights. they go for about 600usd a pair I think. replaces the entire taillight. this car also has the re-a taillight cover.

Railgun

$600?!?!?!

HOLY CRAP!
They definietly look bright. I assume they are on in a brake application there. What about running lights?