Honda Civic / Del Sol (1992 - 2000) EG/EH/EJ/EK/EM1 Discussion

Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs

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Old Sep 26, 2012 | 06:25 PM
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Default Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs

I replaced the bulbs in my cluster that had a blue plastic/rubber cover over them. The AutoZone replacements didn't have a blue cover and now the cluster lights have an orange color that I don't care for.

Can I buy replacement blue bulb covers somewhere? At Honda I need to buy the cover, bulb, and holder as a unit.
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Old Sep 26, 2012 | 06:47 PM
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Default Re: Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs

replacements bulbs will be white.

honda oem come with that blue tinting. Its impossible to get off, so either buy the honda bulbs for 5x the cost...or break out the high temp paint.
or the other option of course is led's



found this online...honda left...replacement right

Last edited by redm3turbo; Sep 26, 2012 at 07:09 PM.
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Old Sep 26, 2012 | 06:49 PM
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Default Re: Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs

Originally Posted by redm3turbo
...or break out the high temp paint.
Is this^ an idea or tested in practice?
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Old Sep 26, 2012 | 06:56 PM
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Default Re: Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs

ive seen it done....to a degree of success. those little bulbs get pretty hot, not exhaust hot, but hot enough.

Ill find out what kinda paint has been used and let you know. sad part is, paint will probably cost as much as a set of LED bulbs at this point. Jars of Paint in ny start at 7 bucks bare minimum. I just picked up a quart the other day and thought the cashier made a mistake when they said 11 bucks...
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Old Sep 26, 2012 | 07:00 PM
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Default Re: Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs

Originally Posted by redm3turbo
ive seen it done....to a degree of success. those little bulbs get pretty hot, not exhaust hot, but hot enough.

Ill find out what kinda paint has been used and let you know. sad part is, paint will probably cost as much as a set of LED bulbs at this point. Jars of Paint in ny start at 7 bucks bare minimum. I just picked up a quart the other day and thought the cashier made a mistake when they said 11 bucks...
I may just buy the bulbs from Honda.

I read that the light from LEDs doesn't diffuse well, producing very bright and dark areas in the cluster.
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Old Sep 26, 2012 | 07:04 PM
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Default Re: Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs

yep..hot spots are the problem with leds...
its combated with led strips...but then I think its too bright

working on the other....give me a second, still looking
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Old Sep 26, 2012 | 07:06 PM
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Default Re: Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pack-T-1-Bul...item3f1bff3186

ah..they do make em....call em condoms, that why I couldnt find it, lol. obviously wrong bulb type, but they are out there.

http://www.narva.com.au/products/bro...-globe-sleeves
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Old Sep 26, 2012 | 07:12 PM
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Default Re: Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs



painted light. need a good acrylic paint it says on another forum. Im certain anything that can handle a bit of heat and was a bit more transparent would work. anything more would cut light way down.

unfortunately ---it's going to be cheaper/less headache to just order from honda and pay now. they should last another 10 years. Any type of paint/sock/condom will cost as much as the oem bulb and not last as long.
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Old Sep 26, 2012 | 07:20 PM
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Default Re: Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs

Autolumination.com had them the last time I looked...
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Old Sep 26, 2012 | 07:21 PM
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Default Re: Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs

I'm torn between the condoms and Honda bulbs.
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Old Sep 26, 2012 | 07:22 PM
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Default Re: Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs

Originally Posted by 98civdx
Autolumination.com had them the last time I looked...
Bulbs with blue covers?
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Old Sep 26, 2012 | 07:22 PM
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Default Re: Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs

hey man, I am a HT sponsor and sell LEDs on here! shoot me an email or PM at LightsOnLEDs@gmail.com and I will get you setup!

Check www.facebook.com/lightsonleds
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Old Sep 26, 2012 | 07:24 PM
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Default Re: Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs

Originally Posted by RonJ@HT
Bulbs with blue covers?
the covers seperatly. .49 each.

http://autolumination.com/74.htm All the way down.
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Old Sep 26, 2012 | 07:28 PM
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Default Re: Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs

Originally Posted by 98civdx
the covers seperatly. .49 each.

http://autolumination.com/74.htm All the way down.
Nice! That's what I was originally looking for.

Thanks to everyone for the help.
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Old Sep 26, 2012 | 07:32 PM
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Default Re: Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs



Redm, I've gotten them off the OEM bulb in the past but it's not very easy. You've got to be pretty careful to not tear them.
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Old Sep 26, 2012 | 08:16 PM
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Default Re: Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs

Originally Posted by afesposi
hey man, I am a HT sponsor and sell LEDs on here! shoot me an email or PM at LightsOnLEDs@gmail.com and I will get you setup!

Check www.facebook.com/lightsonleds
--- Don't do LEDs... You will regret it if you fancy OEM anything. Not to rag on a sponsor, just can't allow it to be advised.


Originally Posted by 98civdx


Redm, I've gotten them off the OEM bulb in the past but it's not very easy. You've got to be pretty careful to not tear them.
--- This is what i have done before. You can work them off, just be careful, and maybe get it warmed up a bit. I rolled them off instead of like... peeling them off. The bulbs get hot and usually fuse it together a bit. They do come off though, especially if there aren't many hours on them. I also go to the junkyard and just pull clusters when they are there and take the bulbs if they are oem.
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Old Sep 26, 2012 | 10:42 PM
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Default Re: Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs

Originally Posted by Mfoehrkolb
--- Don't do LEDs... You will regret it if you fancy OEM anything. Not to rag on a sponsor, just can't allow it to be advised.




--- This is what i have done before. You can work them off, just be careful, and maybe get it warmed up a bit. I rolled them off instead of like... peeling them off. The bulbs get hot and usually fuse it together a bit. They do come off though, especially if there aren't many hours on them. I also go to the junkyard and just pull clusters when they are there and take the bulbs if they are oem.
crush the old OEM bulb.

the sock will remain intact after cleaning out the bits of glass. then re-apply carefully.
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Old Sep 26, 2012 | 11:05 PM
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Default Re: Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs

Ron, I find that if you take a little WD40 and a precision flathead screwdriver you can work the blue plastic cover off the old bulbs without tearing them with a little patience. Barring that, I'd say dip them in high temp blue paint or just pony up for the bulbs from Honda... those replacement bulb condoms (lol?) on ebay look promising, though.

I had the same dilemma a while back when putting new bulbs in my climate control panel. I just reused the old covers after I figured out the WD40 + tiny screwdriver trick.
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Old Sep 27, 2012 | 12:30 AM
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Default Re: Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs

Thing about wd-40... It deteriorates polymers/rubber.
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Old Sep 27, 2012 | 01:12 AM
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Default Re: Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs

Originally Posted by Mfoehrkolb
Thing about wd-40... It deteriorates polymers/rubber.
I've never had that problem with WD-40. Aerokroil or PB Blaster maybe. WD-40 seems pretty mild. You could always use dish soap too, I guess. My point is to lube it with something, then gently and carefully work it off with a tiny screwdriver (like the ones for eyeglasses)
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Old Sep 27, 2012 | 01:27 AM
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Default Re: Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs

I undertook what you were getting at. It's a delicate piece of rubber and wd40 does break the delicate old brittle cap. Was just a warning
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Old Sep 27, 2012 | 01:52 AM
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Default Re: Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs

Good LEDs will give a good dispersion pattern. I swapped my cluster bulbs out for blue LEDs from superbrightleds.com, and absolutely love the color. The light pattern has zero problems, and hits all of the corners of the cluster. It's the cheap ones you have to be careful of.
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Old Sep 27, 2012 | 02:28 AM
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Default Re: Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs

Originally Posted by Mfoehrkolb
I undertook what you were getting at. It's a delicate piece of rubber and wd40 does break the delicate old brittle cap. Was just a warning
The "does WD-40 hurt rubber/plastic?" debate is still raging, I see. I'll defer to the experts on that one. I'll just say I've never had a problem with it, personally. Silicone spray is another option too.
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Old Sep 27, 2012 | 04:59 AM
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Default Re: Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs

first off, i cant recall ever seeing ronj asking for help lol. just sayin.

and on another note, ive never had issues with led bulbs. you just got to pay attention to quality.
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Old Sep 27, 2012 | 08:01 AM
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Default Re: Blue plastic covers on stock cluster bulbs

Good LEDs will give a good dispersion pattern. I swapped my cluster bulbs out for blue LEDs from superbrightleds.com, and absolutely love the color. The light pattern has zero problems, and hits all of the corners of the cluster. It's the cheap ones you have to be careful of.
Do you remember which LEDs you used?
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