Custom Blue LED Instrument Cluster w/Gauge Rings

[cooljess76]

Some of you might remember my blue LED mod a while back where I swapped all of my orange interior lighting to blue LED's. Well I've sinced swapped my engine and as a result am now running an M3 instrument cluster. So, I have the infamous "Blue" OBDII 4cyl cluster that many people drooled over which I'm now offering for sale! It's pre-wired with one of the coolest mods EVER!!! During the day, it's stunning and beautiful with chrome gauge rings. At night however, a spectacular hue of cool blue LED's illuminate your gauges resulting in pure sex! I'm serious, you'll find yourself looking for excuses to drive at night. The blue is a soft, easy on the eyes tint, similar to that found in Volkswagens. The best part, it looks completely stock! Here's your chance to stand out without standing out! This cluster is from my '97 318ti sport. It may or may not work in '95 models, I'm not certain as they are OBDI.

It last read 14x,000 miles when removed, therefore it would be best for someone with higher mileage so you can recalibrate it with the cluster test function to adapt to your car's current mileage and not have the manipulation dot illuminated. If you install this in a car with less mileage, it'll take on the higher of the two. If you put it in a car with higher mileage, it'll take on the higher of the two as well, but the mileage will be correct for your car. Either way, the manipulation dot will remain illuminated until you reset it with the cluster test function at which time it will take on the higher of the two mileages. I will find and post the cluster test process(no tools required) however I do not want this to become a discussion thread.

Unfortunately I only have a couple pics of it illuminated since I no longer have a means to hook it up(my car is undergoing a motor swap and there is no battery/wiring installed). Neither of these pics accurately depicts the color, it's a darker shade of blue than was captured by my camera and it's not blotchy. It's one solid/uniform color, you'll have to take my word on it but I'm positive that you'll be pleased Anyway, heres the pics:

[cooljess76]

Yours for the low price of $125+shipping from 93001(shouldn't be more than $15 for priority mail, probably less)

[Maverix]

Dibs!

[cooljess76]

Originally Posted by Maverix

Dibs!

Sale pending to Joey. Someone's getting the deal of a lifetime

[Maverix]

Haha thanks! Expect money within the next 2 days, hopefully.

[cooljess76]

Originally Posted by Maverix

...hopefully

Hopefully I don't come to my senses and change my mind within the next 2 days

[Maverix]

I have $90 to my name right now, but I have less than a 1/6th tank left. As soon as I get the money from the springs, I'll immediately send it. xD

[THAT318]

thats nice. i wouldnt mind that in mine. nice job with the dibs mav, i saw it and drooled!

[Maverix]

Sold to me!

[THAT318]

we know buddy congrats

[THAT318]

that seemed kind of sarcastic. it wasnt. they are nice lights your a lucky new owner. oh and jess, how hard was it to make the lights like that? is there a D.I.Y on this? i think they are neat and wouldnt mind changing the cluster color on the e39 530 my dad might be giving me.

[cooljess76]

Originally Posted by THAT318

that seemed kind of sarcastic. it wasnt. they are nice lights your a lucky new owner. oh and jess, how hard was it to make the lights like that? is there a D.I.Y on this? i think they are neat and wouldnt mind changing the cluster color on the e39 530 my dad might be giving me.

I spent over 5 hours soldering and scratching my head. The LED's focus light in one direction rather than spread it 360 degrees like the regular bulbs. So I had to wire 12 LED's throughout the entire cluster vs. the 3 regular bulbs that normally illuminate it. Basically I wired 4 LED's and resistors per bulb socket to acheive adequate lighting of the gauges. It took several trial and error attempts on my part to finally figure out where the LED's needed to be placed within the cluster. On top of that, there was an orange backing on the backside of the gauge faces that needed to be removed. This part is so delicate, the slightest mistake could easily ruin it.

It's such a painstaking process, I didn't do a DIY because I didn't want everyone to screw up their clusters.

[tiFreak]

are you going to do your M3 cluster too? do a DIY write-up, there's a disclaimer on the bottom of the page that protects you

[cooljess76]

Originally Posted by tiFreak

are you going to do your M3 cluster too? do a DIY write-up, there's a disclaimer on the bottom of the page that protects you

I'll probably do it to the M3 cluster later down the road. Seriously it's such a PITA I don't think I can do a comprehensible writeup. I'll try to give some pointers and I'll definitely take some pics, but that's way later down the road.

I sent the cluster out via Priority Mail the other day Joey, you should get it really soon. Whatever you do, DO NOT OPEN IT!!! You'll never be able to get it back together. I glued the LED's in place with clear epoxy and had to resolder a couple connections that broke when I was moving the lights to be glued in place. After I got everything back together, I tested the lights with a couple AA batteries, everything worked perfectly and it should last forever since everything is glued down or soldered and can't vibrate loose. Definitely post pics once it's installed. I'm sure you're gonna love it, if not, I'll be more than happy to buy it back. Anyway, once you plug it in, it's gonna read 14x,000 miles and the manipulation dot will be illuminated. Here's a link to the cluster test instructions on how to cancel the manipulation dot. It will take on the higher mileage, so as long as your car has over 150k, you won't tack on any extra miles.

http://www.unitedbimmer.com/forums/b...functions.html

[cooljess76]

Joey, did you get a package today?