Main Dash lite bulbs?

[panzerwagen]

I've been told there are 2 different bulbs used on our cars to lite up our main dash gauges, is this true? I've been also told the bases for these bulbs are also 2 different colors, true or false?

[Sidspud]

IIRC there are green ones and brown ones, but I don't know the difference.

[Pete_RS2]

I took this pic from Paul's S2Central website. It looks like the main illumination bulbs have the orange hex bulb holder. The other colours are for the warning lamps.

Orange (Hex) 1.1W, Part #4A0-919-040-C

Black (Hex) 1.2W, Part #893-919-040

Green (Hex) 2.0W, Part #893-919-040-A

Blue (Square) 1.2W, Part # ???

[Doug_RS2]

THis is something I have been meaning to do for ages.

How much are these bulbs? Do they come with the coloured holders or can we just replace the bulbs in the holders? I think I will replace them all just to be sure so I don't want to pay silly money!

Thanks

[Pete_RS2]

The bulbs come with the coloured holders. They're not very expensive. Less than £1 each IIRC.

[S2-racer]

as all the switch lights (except the rear window de-mister which is intermittant) are similarly non-functioning on the dash, are the replacements bulbs easily availiable and cheap? i know the power is there as the back light on my boost gauge runs off one of them.

sorry for going off on a slight tangent here, lol!

[Pete_RS2]

AFAIK those switch bulbs should be just ordinary 1.2W capless wedge bulbs (Lucas/Lumax No. 286) which should be readily available from any motor factor or scrapyard. Mine has got the later LED's.

[panzerwagen]

Check out 20V org.

They have a section on how to replace those switch lites.
Very helpful and informative.

[panzerwagen]

Avant S2 how did you go over to LED's?

I've heard some have done it. That would be interesting to see how it is done.

[mcandmar]

Switch Bulbs..

The panel clips off each switch, then you can pull the bulb out with a pliers. All have the same small wedge bulbs, some have a second for the "on" light. I.e fog lghts etc. I got my bulbs from radionics, cant remember how much but there very cheap.

The heater controls have three bulbs the same in behind the cover panel, to access pull the three knobs off, and then undo the three screws. Two of mine were gone and i never noticed until i had it appart....

Window switches and diff lock use tiny little bulbs that you have to solder in place.

As said above 20v.org has a good write up on this topic...

Mark.

as all the switch lights (except the rear window de-mister which is intermittant) are similarly non-functioning on the dash, are the replacements bulbs easily availiable and cheap? i know the power is there as the back light on my boost gauge runs off one of them.

sorry for going off on a slight tangent here, lol!

[Pete_RS2]

LED's

I've heard some have done it. That would be interesting to see how it is done.

Audi switched over to LED's on the later cars. I'm not sure exactly when though - see here

[Jas11n]

You can get the 12v 1.2w wedge type bulbs from fleabay. They advertise them as fruit machine bulbs, same thing as I got a load of them a couple of months ago for the switches on my 2.3e,,,,(my S2 has led's in switches.)
Link here

I also replaced the main dash illumination bulbs with led's, these come already in the hex holders,,,,,though I left the two indicator ones in at the top of the panel.... Link here These were a bit expensive, but they won't blow again, which is what I was after.

You can also get Led's to replace the above mentioned wedge type 1.2w bulbs, though i'm not sure if the holders may be a bit big to go inside the switches, so I've not tried them. Link here or here

I recently changed the bulb in the ambient temp display to an led, using Paul N's S2central site and also changed the bulbs to led's in the difflock switch (drivetrain image)..

[mcandmar]

Can you post a piccy with the LED bulbs, do they look any different?

Mark.

You can get the 12v 1.2w wedge type bulbs from fleabay. They advertise them as friut machine bulbs, same thing as I got a load of them a couple of months ago for the switches on my 2.3e,,,,(S2 has led's in switches.)
Link here

I also replaced the main dash illumination bulbs with led's, these come already in the hex holders,,,,,though I left the two indicator ones in at the top of the panel.... Link here These were a bit expensive, but they won't blow again, which is what I was after.

You can also get Led's to replace the above mentioned wedge type 1.2w bulbs, though i'm not sure if the holders may be a bit big to go inside the switches, so I not tried them. Link here or here

I recently changed the bulb in the ambient temp display to an led, using Paul N's S2central site and also changed the bulbs to led's in the difflock switch (drivetrain image)..

[Jas11n]

Can you post a piccy with the LED bulbs, do they look any different?

Mark.

Will get a pic later on when it's dark,,,,,but they look no different to the standard bulbs, just a tad brighter which if you don't like, you can dim down a bit..