My 88 IROC has horrible lighting on the hvac controls. How many bulbs are back there? Upgrade ideas...if any? thanks

 

1 I think, and mine sucks also...Any ideas guys??????

 

I hear ya all, mine's dim as hell, guess you could always try a bright LED

 

Some people upgrade to the later thirdgen firebird HVAC controls. They are orange when illuminated.

Other choices would be LEDs or something custom.

 

Super White LED lamp(wide angle).BTW firebird Hvac use 3 tiny(#74) lamps.They are also slightly taller & shorter than camaro Hvacs.

 

The Camaro uses one 194 bulb (pass side of the HAVC head). A higher intensity 194 will help, but not as substantally as we'd like.

JamesC

 

Higher intensity? How would you know by looking at the package in the store?

 

If you want high intensity try xenon bulbs.Forwarned though they can/may melt your sockets.Believe i know ive tried it.The are VERY bright though, but get EXTREMELY hot.Ive seen some at walmart though that are lower wattage then the ones i bought on ebay & they are xenon, but i dont have any first had experience with them.If that is not a alternate route.You can try a nine LED lamp(see pic), but you may have to enlarge the opening or the lamp may be too long.Ive got one of these in my OH console map light,very bright!

 

doh: heres the pic

 

Mine are Xenon. I haven't experienced any problems with them whatsoever; however, I don't drive all that much at night either.

JamesC

 

I lined the lamp cavity with aluminum roofing tape(also did the same with the instrument cluster).It's made a big difference in the amount and quality of light with the cluster.The lighting in the HVAC contol head is better but I think I'll try one of the Xenon bulbs in there.

 

xenon combined with reflective tape could be the answer. thanks alot

 

Here's an old link that may be helpful (check the end for some bulb info):

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/body...r-cluster.html

JamesC

 

i use xenon bulbs in my hvac, tranny temp, and shifter plate, and they light up a little better than stock.

i used to have them in my cluster also, but i guess i had bad luck as they slowly burnt out, one by one, until i had 3 left. I then swapped in some plain jain 194's.

....I do drive around w/ my parking lights on though, so that's probably part of the reason i had premature death of my xenon bulbs.

look online too, i got mine for about a dollar a piece, beats paying more than twice that at walmart.

 

I need to get a few new bulbs for my hvac and my shifter plate... I didn't even know they made xenon 194s... Are they really worth the extra money?

 

Another draw back to the higher wattage xenons is they may overload your headlamp switch.If your going to buy get them a cheap as possible.Try ebay!I taped aluminum foil to the back of the metal gauge bezel.

 

that looks really sweet 84, just foil and a xenon?

 

No, no xenons anymore too much heat.They warped some of my sockets & partially melted others.All my interior light are LEDs.Only the warning lights,the 2 turn signals(arrows) & hi-beam indicator are standard 194 bulbs.Since those are seldom in use.The foil is used on the black metal trim bezel that surrounds the gauges.

 

Has anyone swapped to the 4th gen controls??????? Would like to hear about the swap...Thanks, Tom

 

Once again thanks 84 1LE

 

I ended up going to walmart and bought GE "Nighthawk" bulbs which claim to put out 20% more light than standard 194's. I wrapped the inside "socket" where the bulb sits with foil and can honestly say there is a difference. Why GM didnt put another bulb over by the fan speed switch...

 

Aren't the 194's too big for the HVAC and shifter plate?

Any one know the LED #s for the trunk light, (3?) HVAC lights, the light above the HVAC, and the light in the center console?

 

^BUMP^ anyone?