Been looking around, and I'm having trouble finding anyone who has done a write up on modifying a cluster for brighter illumination, specifically on an SI cluster? Here's an example of what I'm referring to.

 

http://www.superbrightleds.com/

Replace the stock bulbs with LED lights and you will get the result you're looking for I'm sure. Because that's how it looks to be in the pictures you just posted.

 

some people take it out and replace bulbs with LED thingys.

 

I PM`d that guy who sells that awhile back. I believe he swabbed it with some liquid to make it a little more transparent

 

I don't think it's that easy. Otherwise everyone's modified cluster would look like this, and they don't.

 

Yea, the LED's are great, but the light dispersion of them is not nearly what you get with an incandescent bulb. I have seen a write up on D-series.org, but the outcome was not nearly as good as those in my pictures.

 

http://www.d-series.org/forums/diy-f...i-cluster.html

You can see clearly that removing the paint wont get you close to what the ones I posted look like.

 

There will be paint behind those specific parts of the gauge face where light doesn't shine through (like the Si part). Take a q-tip with some acetone (nail polish remover) to the paint to remove it.

 

I replaced my 97 civic cluster with a 2003 that has led's and it lights up at least twice as bright. I also found a blue one as I think they look much better than red/orange.

 

yup thats what it was. he swabbed it with acetone. I actually PM`d him to see if he got some SI clusters he can swab and match my mileage

 

Take a EF cluster's lights and ad them to your cluster. They were illuminated from the front, not rear like a EG/EK, etc.

 

Where do you swab though? All the shine through points on the tach and speedo?

 

bump

 

bump for anyone who knows how to mod clusters.

 

Good luck with that.

 

LED replacement bulbs are probably your best bet.

 

There's more to it than just bulbs.

 

LEDs a dremel and 2 hours of free time.

all there is to it. at least for me. it does have one or two dull spots but they are barely noticeable. also IMO because the del sol cluster has so many divisions inside it so the light doesn't go elsewhere. i have seen plenty of dull spots in other dashs though.

or buy the strips wrap them around on the inside then wire them up.

 

What I did with my Si logo and Redline was take some nail polish remover, put it on a cotton swab and rubbed the back of the gauges, specifically behind the si logo and redline, now they are brighter. I'd assume you can do that with the rest of the numbers as well since it worked for my redline.

 

That was already stated but with Acetone. The OP bumped the thread any way. Don't know what he's looking for. If it's a step-by-step you won't find it OP. Buy a spare cluster and practice on that.

 

Lol that's as "step-by-step" as it gets, unless he wants pictures as well. It's REALLY simple.

 

I'm not really asking for pictures, although that would be awesome, I'm just trying to get more opinions by people who have done this. I'm sure there is more than one take on how it should be done. But after reading everything I have a pretty good idea of what I need to do now.