rcracer1973

need help with intelliglow needles install cant figure out on how to remove needles without breaking them

95GhostMax

Just did this two weeks ago. Took 2 hours total, including removing and reinstalling the instrument cluster. I got the "sonic blue" ones, and they look great.

The instructions with the kit were actually pretty good, and my explaination is really just a rehash of those, but here goes:

I'm assuming you already have the cluster out, and you're sitting at the kitchen table with the gauges exposed.

1) Turn the needle clockwise enough to grab the little needle-stop peg with a pair of pliars. Remove it. It pulls straight out.

2) Gently turn the needle counter-clockwise until it stops. With a pencil, make a faint mark at the tip of the needle. (Very important. You'll need this mark to re-calibrate the needle when you put it back on.)

3) Gripping the needle at the hub, keep turning it counterclockwise. (You'll think you're going to break it, but you'll be fine. Be gentle, but firm.) Turn it three full circles to loosen it, and then start to gently pull up while you're turning. The needle will come right off.

4) Install the Intelliglow LED rings per their instructions.

To re-install the needle:

1) With the needle at roughly the 4pm position, press it straight onto the spindle.

2) Turn it counter-clockwise (this will feel hard again) until it is EXACTLY lined up with the pencil mark you made.

3) Now turn it back clockwise past the needle-stop peg hole, and reinsert the peg. Let go, and the needle falls back down to the stop, and is now calibrated.

This is the same for every gauge EXCEPT the gas gause. For that one, simply pencil-mark how much gas you have, and put the needle back on at that same position.

You (or anyone else for that matter) should feel free to call me if you need more help, or want some helpful hints. 317-513-4725.

Also, if you live anywhere near indianapolis, give me a call, and I'll give you directions: You can check mine out, and we'll have a beer and install yours!

Hope that helps!

-Nathan

Sqard

iTrader: (12)

Dont you need to have clear needles for these to work?

95GhostMax

They don't have to be clear, but they need to be made of Lexan for them to work well. Often, needles will have the top surface painted. That's okay, all long as the rest of the needle is not. The stock needles on 4th gens are fine.

greg82

iTrader: (2)

So the red needles on my 97 SE will work with a sonic blue kit? Do I have to snad them or anything?

greg

delerium75

Dude...that's just so cool. Granted I'm half crocked on wine right now but for someone to offer actual help is awesome.

Sqard

iTrader: (12)

I have a 97 SE w/ red needles, also have the sonic blue glow things sitting here. I don't mind if the needles are red as long as the blue will show up behind. Do i need to sand the red off or anything?

delerium75

If I remember, art class teaches us that red plus blue equals purple. To what degree depends on what color temperature of the red and blue. Mucking up the color + color is the fact that the red/orange is painted on the back of the needle so what color actually shows thru is a conjecture at best...probably close to purple. Probably depends on what color you are looking for what what you are willing to do to get that color. If you want blue, sanding off the red and replacing with some kind of blue would be best...the blues will reinfore each other and the color that actually shows up when you turn the lights on.

Sqard

iTrader: (12)

Thats what I thought. I dont want purple but I didnt know if the glow showed up through the needles of behind them, because I wouldnt mind having a red needle with an all blue light behind it.

libradude97SE

Heya guys, can someone post pics of the finished product or post a link to some info on intelliglow needles so those of us who don't have them know what you're talking about? They sound cool... but I just put in reverse EL gauges a couple weekends ago and I'm not in a big hurry to take it all apart again, lol. Maybe in a couple months... thanx! :]

Edit: never mind - a quick google search got me the link - http://www.importcarpartsplus.com/Needles.htm

Yup, gonna be needing a set of these too... dammit, I really thought I was through with taking the gauge cluster apart! This is worth it though.

95GhostMax

The link to the vendor (Import Intelligence) is:

http://www.importintelligence.com/FM...ID=Iglow&-Edit

(The whole long string there is the link.)

Regarding Sqard's question: If the backs of the needles are painted, they won't be able to carry the light from the LED's up the needle. Sanding off the red/orange paint would remedy this. Painting them blue afterward will cause the same problem however: DO NOT PAINT THEM!

juani

iTrader: (15)

to people who have installed intelliglow....does your intelliglow's brightness on the large needle is weaker than the small ones???
just wondering because mine is. Temperature and Gas needles seem to be brighter than the others.

95GhostMax

I've heard that same complaint from a friend who wired his to the parking lights. I wired mine to the bulb behind the tach, so that adjusting the intensity of the instrument cluster also adjusts the needle intensity. In my case, they are all of equal brightness.

Sqard

iTrader: (12)

GhostMax, do you know if the needles on a 97 SE are painted? ie. do I have to sand them down or will they work ok unmodified?

juani

iTrader: (15)

maybe i should rewire them.....argh...all that hassle i have to go through...

95GhostMax

>>GhostMax, do you know if the needles on a 97 SE are
>>painted? ie. do I have to sand them down or will they work ok
>>unmodified?

Sorry. I've never looked at a 97. Just look at the needles at night. If they are any color other than the dashboard illumination color, then they are painted. For 95 & 96 years, the needles were colorless, and carried the same light green glow that the rest of the cluster had.

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

krismax

iTrader: (15)

Wouldnt it be easier to put different bulbs in the back of the cluster? If there made please tell me where to get them.

95GhostMax

Putting new (different color) bulbs in would change the color of the entire instrument cluster. The point of the intelliglow kit is to illuminate the needles with a different color light than the gauges. Look at the links above.

98se5speed

Anyone know why they say 98+ Maximas can only have the HyperRed kit?