Instrument Cluster Mod, adding LEDs

[flaatr@yahoo.com (EUROROC II)]

So here is the first set of pics on my modifications to the instrument 
cluster. This is the easy part, installing the 5 new LEDs.

http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/flaatr/lst?.dir=/Instrument+Cluster+Mods/01)+LED+Installation&.src=ph&.order=&.view=t&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/bc/flaatr/lst%3f.dir=/Instrument%2bCluster%2bMods/01)%2bLED%2bInstallation%26.src=ph%26.view=t

Sorry for the mile long URL... It's a yahoo thing. If it doesn't work let 
me know...

I assume most of you can disassemble the cluster so I skipped that part and 
I am also doing this in conjunction with my MFA update so the pictures so 
the MFA display but the LED carrier on non-MFA clusters are identical to 
the one I show.

The title of the pics basically tell ya what to do but here is the 
simplified instructions. Anyone wanting to actually publish this stuff on a 
tech note in a web page feel free I can supply photos and stuff as I go along.

1) take the cluster apart and get the LED carrier.

2) remove the black retainer that holds the 5 LEDs in place and also has 
the 5 fake LED lumps. Do not drill the rivet looking things out (two 
places). This holds the retainer in place and the retainer is a snap in 
part. Use a small screwdriver to pry and pop off the retainer out.

3) find a drill bit that fits snuggly into one of the 5 existing LED holes 
and then drill out the 5 fake LEDs from the back side. I recommend using a 
smaller drill to drill thru the LED and make a nice pilot hole for the 
larger drill to go thru dead center.

4) remove the bit from the drill and spin it by hand in the holes a few 
times to remove any plastic burs left behind.

5) The LEDs have a shoulder that needs to fit into the retainer, the 
original holes have a step cut into them for this. Using a larger drill bit 
(I can provided sizes later) drill a counter sink into the retainer. Do 
this by hand and only as deep as you need to get the LED to fit into the 
retainer completely.

6) Install all the LEDs into the LED carrier (MFA display incorporates the 
carrier, non MFA is the carrier and clock). The Blue LED, well it's not 
really an LED but we'll look past that for now, has a much larger hole 
right? A regular T1 -3/4 LED will sit over this area and not sink in so 
don't worry about that if you plan on replacing the blue thing with a 
regular LED as I plan to. Snap in the retainer over the LEDs. The retainer 
will fit two ways but if you make sure the original holes with the molded 
steps go on top over the original LEDs then you'll get it right.

7) Install the newly modified LED carrier into the cluster and take a look. 
You may notice that there is a difference in how my LEDs look in my photo. 
This is not from my process but from my LED selection. I used many 
different LEDs for this test install and some a longer and sorter and 
redder than the others. If you plan on doing this I recommend buying all 
new LEDs so they all match. I'm looking into clear frosted lens LEDs in all 
locations. A Good sources to buy LEDs is Digikey. I'm currently talking to 
Chicago Miniatures for another project (work related, believe it or not I 
really do have a job, and I really liked the parts I got from them ) I'm 
going to see what they have that I can use for this project. Finding clear 
frosted blues and multicolor LEDs that all match is not as easy as you 
might think.

Next step is how to modify the flexible PCB to connect up to the LEDs. Some 
of the wiring is already there so this will help but nothing is simple 
right...

Stay tuned.
-Raffi