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    LED lighting dash and filter caps

    Just ordered some led lights for my dash and was wondering what you good did when you swapped. I bought green leds for the dash backing light. Did you guys keep the filter on or did you leave it off?

    I tested on my spare 87 dash and it seemed without the filter it seemed to work better. I was wondering what works best in actual use?

    Thanks!
    -Erik

    '78 LTD | '87 Grand Marquis | '89 Crown Vic (RIP) | '91 Grand Marquis (RIP) | '94 Town Car (RIP) | '97 Town Car (RIP)

    #2
    I used 5 way leds in the speedometer. I had no choice but to remove the filters as they leds wouldn't fit other wise. Regardless I would not leave the filters in if you have colored leds to put in there as you say you have in your possession.

    From memory you will have to un bolt the actual speedometer from the plastic housing in order to remove some of the filters from the assembly.
    ~David~

    My 1987 Crown Victoria Coupe: The Brown Blob
    My 2004 Mercedes Benz E320:The Benz

    Originally posted by ootdega
    My life is a long series of "nevermind" and "I guess not."

    Originally posted by DerekTheGreat
    But, that's just coming from me, this site's biggest pessimist. Best of luck

    Originally posted by gadget73
    my car starts and it has AC. Yours doesn't start and it has no AC. Seems obvious to me.




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      #3
      The filters are a blue color. They work out OK if you want bluish light with white LEDs, but don't do so well otherwise.

      I'm actually giving serious thought to converting mine back to stock from the blue LEDs it has now. The vague green color is easier on the eyes.
      86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
      5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

      91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

      1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

      Originally posted by phayzer5
      I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

      Comment


        #4
        old man you.
        ~David~

        My 1987 Crown Victoria Coupe: The Brown Blob
        My 2004 Mercedes Benz E320:The Benz

        Originally posted by ootdega
        My life is a long series of "nevermind" and "I guess not."

        Originally posted by DerekTheGreat
        But, that's just coming from me, this site's biggest pessimist. Best of luck

        Originally posted by gadget73
        my car starts and it has AC. Yours doesn't start and it has no AC. Seems obvious to me.




        Comment


          #5
          I got all the filters out without removing the speedo from the housing, there's just enough room to get the little bubble cover filter things out.
          1989 Country Squire - Twilight Blue, 347 stroker


          2005 Crown Victoria Sport - Black - Stainless Works full exhaust with Borla Pro XS mufflers, BBK 75mm TB, Accufab plenum, CVPI airbox, Heinous control arms, etc...

          Comment


            #6
            I picked up the 5 way LEDs.

            I saw the caps were blue in the spare I have. At first I thought they were just faded from green or something but I guess the yellowish light from the stock bulbs mix with the blue to give you the green look.

            The new bulbs should be here tomorrow. I'll let you guys know how it goes.

            Good to know I should be able to get the filters out without completely taking the dash apart. Thanks for the info!

            '78 LTD | '87 Grand Marquis | '89 Crown Vic (RIP) | '91 Grand Marquis (RIP) | '94 Town Car (RIP) | '97 Town Car (RIP)

            Comment


              #7
              Mixed results... I snapped the speedo face of my stock speeedometer trying to get the caps out. Just be careful.
              ~David~

              My 1987 Crown Victoria Coupe: The Brown Blob
              My 2004 Mercedes Benz E320:The Benz

              Originally posted by ootdega
              My life is a long series of "nevermind" and "I guess not."

              Originally posted by DerekTheGreat
              But, that's just coming from me, this site's biggest pessimist. Best of luck

              Originally posted by gadget73
              my car starts and it has AC. Yours doesn't start and it has no AC. Seems obvious to me.




              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by gadget73 View Post
                I'm actually giving serious thought to converting mine back to stock from the blue LEDs it has now. The vague green color is easier on the eyes.
                Much better since I switched back...and yes I'm old...and grumpy!


                sigpic

                I'd rather be a failure at something I love than a success at something I hate.
                George Burns

                Comment


                  #9
                  So taking the filter should just give white/clear light? Never was back there but sounds like the filters give the green appearance. Mine are all original and seem to all be intact. Could be brighter so thinking my headlight switch might be "funky" as it is also original. Have it turned up all the way but at night still have some issues with reading the dash well. Oh, yeah...I have "old eyes" too!!


                  "Hope and dignity are two things NO ONE can take away from you - you have to relinquish them on your own" Miamibob

                  "NEVER trade your passion for glory"!! Sal "the Bard" (Dear Old Dad!)

                  "Cars are for driving - PERIOD! I DON'T TEXT, TWEET OR TWERK!!!!"

                  Comment


                    #10
                    yeah... you gonna take the cluster apart (the film is mounted near the bulbs at top between the face plate and gauges on the box merc clusters up to 89).

                    Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
                    rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)
                    Originally posted by gadget73
                    ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.
                    Originally posted by dmccaig
                    Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      These are what the caps look like when taken out of the dash if anyone's interested.
                      Attached Files

                      '78 LTD | '87 Grand Marquis | '89 Crown Vic (RIP) | '91 Grand Marquis (RIP) | '94 Town Car (RIP) | '97 Town Car (RIP)

                      Comment


                        #12
                        mine (MGM) doesn't have those... it has strips of blue film.

                        Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
                        rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)
                        Originally posted by gadget73
                        ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.
                        Originally posted by dmccaig
                        Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Hmm.. mine might not either then actually. That's one of the filters off the extra '87 CV speedo I have. I probably won't dig into my '89 speedo until tomorrow night to see what I have.

                          '78 LTD | '87 Grand Marquis | '89 Crown Vic (RIP) | '91 Grand Marquis (RIP) | '94 Town Car (RIP) | '97 Town Car (RIP)

                          Comment


                            #14
                            The strips are a newer style thing. The 89- at least have the domes.

                            Its like ZipLok bags. Yellow + blue make green.
                            86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                            5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                            91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                            1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                            Originally posted by phayzer5
                            I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Following up...

                              Yes I had the domes.

                              Yes it's very bright with new LEDs installed without the caps on. They don't even fit with the filters on.

                              And yes it's possible to remove the filters with the speedometer still installed if you're VERY careful with the filter by the shift indicator. The rest come out okay, that one you need to pry up on the face of the speedometer very carefully and hope it's not too brittle where it will crack.

                              I'm digging the results. Full write up is in my sig.

                              Here's an image for those that down the line don't feel like searching:
                              Click image for larger version

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                              Link to post: http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthre...l=1#post726557

                              '78 LTD | '87 Grand Marquis | '89 Crown Vic (RIP) | '91 Grand Marquis (RIP) | '94 Town Car (RIP) | '97 Town Car (RIP)

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