Tachometer LED's

[dj_adamix]

Hey guys,
I want to change my LED's in my tachometer/speedometer. Now i dont feel like taking it apart to check how many and what size i need then putting it all back and goin to the store to buy em. Just too much work.
Does anyone know how many LED's i would need ? i wanna change the backlight plus needle light plus arrow lights. Im pretty sure they all SMD. but just dont know exasctly what size and how many.

Anyone who ever did that mod, can you help me ?
Thanks

Adam

[yearoftherat]

Here ya go:

http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?topic=26798.0

[seelsy]

Here ya go:

http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?topic=26798.0

ah! ya just beat me to it haha i just copied the link when u posted

[hyper7boy]

Has anyone found something like the link above for the 2010'S? I'd lovr to do this!!

[dj_adamix]

Thanks!!!
And i believe it would be the same for 2010 model. or close, but LED's will be the same, Maybe just more of them.
one thing i dont understand, how did he get while numbers and blue lines beside it when there is only one row of LED's under.

[dj_adamix]

Oh, never mind, i see there are more LEDs on the right close to the needle centre. He didnt mark those .

[Kappa]

i would so love to do this... but i drive my car everyday and am scared..

[seelsy]

i would so love to do this... but i drive my car everyday and am scared..

lol im with u kappa, i wouldnt wanna screw it up and have no tach or my speedo be off or my gas gauge screw up on me

[dj_adamix]

He He it seems easy, well ive been soldering since i was 10 years old so i have alot of experience with it.
Hey if u guys live close by i can do it for you if youre scared.

[dj_adamix]

Im looking to get an amp and woofer so i wont mind extra $$ :P. And ive been changing smd led's in cell phones (even smaller than ones in tutorial) for years.
So if anyone interested i can do it for you in cambridge/ waterloo area.

[hastiej]

wow that looks awesome..... damn.. now i want to do this.. but I'm shakey as all shit.. and would prob end my soldering my finger to my turn singal... lol

[dj_adamix]

wow that looks awesome..... damn.. now i want to do this.. but I'm shakey as all shit.. and would prob end my soldering my finger to my turn singal... lol

lol yeah you have to be careful, you cant keep soldering one spot multiple times cuz you will burn out the solder joint. then the fun start trying to find a spot and re-wire it lool. if you goin to do it practice on your old cell phone.

[dj_adamix]

UPDATEEE~!!!

So i finally got some time last sunday and decided to go for it. and i did it!!
I used blue and white combo (white needles and blue background).

For some reasons there isnt enough voltage on gas and temp needles LED to power up a white LED, so blue was only option.
Besides that it looks really good, same as the pick that were in the tutorial. Deff. worth it.

So it took me since 2pm till about 6 pm last night to finish everything. Pretty straight forward, that is if you know how to solder.

Hardest part was de-soldering that little lcd screen to gain access to two leds below it. but youre good to go if you have a soldering wick and know how to use it :P

[bman13]

UPDATEEE~!!!

So i finally got some time last sunday and decided to go for it. and i did it!!
I used blue and white combo (white needles and blue background).

For some reasons there isnt enough voltage on gas and temp needles LED to power up a white LED, so blue was only option.
Besides that it looks really good, same as the pick that were in the tutorial. Deff. worth it.

So it took me since 2pm till about 6 pm last night to finish everything. Pretty straight forward, that is if you know how to solder.

Hardest part was de-soldering that little lcd screen to gain access to two leds below it. but youre good to go if you have a soldering wick and know how to use it :P

:ttiwwp

[dj_adamix]

Ima put some pics after xmass, i want to modify it still a bit, change the screen backlight again, then ill post some pics :P

[VaderX]

How much effort is it to change just the needle colour?

I think its kind of a dumb design to have an orange needle with an orange background...

[dj_adamix]

Well either way you have to take everything out and open the clauster.

Each needle has 1 led that needs to be changed, but before you need to sand down red coating on other side of the needle.

[Flunk]

How much effort is it to change just the needle colour?

I think its kind of a dumb design to have an orange needle with an orange background...

Yes that is pretty dumb, poor contrast. They changed this on the 2010 model year cars, they now have white needles on an orange background with blue added on the higher trimlines.