[chastryan]

I heard there are substitute instrument lights that are brighter than the 240Z originals. Can someone tell me what make and where to find.

Thanks,

Chas

 

[24oz]

I hear we need 4 Watt bulbs

Chas,

I know how you feel, mine are way too dim too.

I recently posted about my dim bulbs and 260DET suggested using 4W bulbs instead of the stock 3.2W bulbs. He also suggested removing the green diffusers, I can see how this would help but i like the green tint too much.

You could go down the larger Watt route but I'd like to be sure that it won't screw or burn anything up first (like melting the green diffuser). Anyone else gone for larger Watt with no prob??

Hope someone can give you the make and where to find them and also the reassurance that they wont do any damage. I would also like to learn more about this.

Good luck,

Jules.

 

[h4lights]

Re: I hear we need 4 Watt bulbs

I have sold lots of T4W bulbs. The ones I carry have a smaller glass capsule so that they do not touch the green diffusers. Going from 3.4 to 4 watts will not put any strain on the system. This has been a common upgrade in early Z's for a long time.
Make sure to clean the diffusers, they get a dark film on them and use a small amount of dielectric grease on the bulb bases for good continuity.

 

[Tyson(280z)]

Paint

Disassemble your guages, and paint all the non-visable metal inside white. I hear that helps a LOT.

 

[Tony D]

Bulb Dipper!

You don't LOOK like a guy who dips light bulbs.
Removing the diffusers and using dipped bulbs increases light output. And you can dip any color you want---red, blue, green.
Just don't dip your headlights in green, as here in Buena Park CA, "You can't have GREEN headlights!" Because "nobody would see you". Yeah....

 

[Tony D]

YES!

Painting all the reflective surfaces either flat or gloss white really picks up stray light that getts diffused by the dull gray casing or black plastic. Helps inside older, yellowed turn signal and parking bulb housings, too!

 

[luggnut73]

Re: YES!

is there another way than removing half he dash to change these spedo and tach lights on a 73 ??? Just hoping , Gary Portland Ore

 

[Tony D]

"remove the individual gauges"

The title says it all, though I can yoink the dash in less than 30 minutes, and find that EASIER than fighting through the Japanese Hand-Sized Holes with everything in-place!
Call me "Ham-Hands" but I pull and fix EVERYTHING at one time and let it all be done with it for at least one year...

 

[escanlon]

Re: "remove the individual gauges"

The only way I've found to remove the Speedo and Tach is to squirm your hand in through the back and remove the wingnuts and disconnect the speedo cable, then either disconnect the wiring connector with one hand, or if your harness will allow, pull the instrument out and then disconnect once the instrument is out.

Then with the instrument out, either replace all the bulbs without checking which ones are working, or run a wire to ground, then connect that to the side of the bulb connector, turn on the lights, and check each bulb individually.

Sorry, haven't figured out any other way.