Instrument Pannel Lights

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bruss01

Member
Hi again guys...

I did not see this anywhere on the site and I did a search so I'm starting this thread.

My 78 Scout terra appears to have a number of dash/gauge lights out. I'm hoping/thinking it is the bulbs. According to the manual, it takes type 158 bulbs to replace them. However I also did some research and found that many other bulbs will fit but not all are recommended. Some use more juice and produce more heat, which can end up melting the sockets. The best alternative I have found so far are the 194 bulbs. These use just a little bit more juice, but produce significantly more light, while keeping the heat down to manageable levels. The 168 bulbs are not recommended because of heat I've heard. There is a long life version of the 194. I have a box of 10 ordered, and I'm just going to replace them all while I have the instrument pannel open.

I was just curious what experience the rest of you have had with dash lamp replacement, especially with substitutions.
 
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It would be wise to also order in some of the sockets that actually hold the lamps. They are prone to cracking and when they do, contact is lost. Also, often times you can take a pencil eraser and polish the circuit board where the light sockets make contact. These often corrode and mimic a burnt lamp.
 
dealbreaker74 said:
it would be wise to also order in some of the sockets that actually hold the lamps. They are prone to cracking and when they do, contact is lost. Also, often times you can take a pencil eraser and polish the circuit board where the light sockets make contact. These often corrode and mimic a burnt lamp.
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Thanks for the tip, I went ahead and ordered several of these sockets as well. Better safe than sorry and they're pretty inexpensive.
 
rock tractor said:
ordered?
The auto parts stores around me have those in stock, just curios on why you had to order them.
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I don't have the inclination to run all over town, talking to pimply faced kids behind the counter who don't know an alternator from a brake drum without coaching from the "old guy" who is always busy because the 10 other clerks are always pestering him for what should be "common knowledge" in that industry. Only to find out that they don't have it in stock but can order it for you. These are the same kids who are working at mc d's or bagging groceries until they get canned for smoking weed on their break in the parking lot. Sorry but I just don't have the patience to deal with it and would rather just order online and have it in a few days than to run around getting frustrated in this heat.

Btw here is the article I found comparing various bulbs that will substitute for each other.
comparison of various dash illumination bulbs
There is a table at the bottom of that page listing various pro's and con's in case you haven't got patience to read the whole article.
 
bruss01 said:
I don't have the inclination to run all over town, talking to pimply faced kids behind the counter who don't know an alternator from a brake drum without coaching from the "old guy" who is always busy because the 10 other clerks are always pestering him for what should be "common knowledge" in that industry. Only to find out that they don't have it in stock but can order it for you. These are the same kids who are working at mc d's or bagging groceries until they get canned for smoking weed on their break in the parking lot. Sorry but I just don't have the patience to deal with it and would rather just order online and have it in a few days than to run around getting frustrated in this heat.
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Wow. A little judge mental.
I remember when I was a teen getting my education on things I didn't know.
 
rock tractor said:
wow. A little judge mental.
I remember when I was a teen getting my education on things I didn't know.
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Sorry, don't mean to be judgmental... I know everyone has to learn sometime and I don't even care what they do "recreationally" on their time off. But I just don't want it to be on my Time, spend an hour running around, waiting, going to a different store, waiting again, getting the same story, then having to order anyway... It's just a hassle and a drain on my time which I would rather spend doing other things, like working on my truck. If time is a luxury you can afford and you love hot weather and don't mind standing around an auto parts store... Hey, I don't begrudge anyone their amusements. It's just not my idea of a good time.

I guess my main source of frustration is that it used to be, the auto parts store paid a living wage and you had guys behind the counter who knew their stuff and could answer questions and provide a little help or guidance to the amateur mechanic. They wouldn't even consider Hiring someone unless they had a pretty good knowledge of cars, tools and basic repairs & maintenance. Now, they pay rock-bottom wages and hire people who know nothing because of course that's all they can get at that pay grade. And as well intentioned as they May be, the clerks really don't have any interest in learning anything because in a year or two they will have moved on to a better job or to college, and they are just trying to get by day to day and not really looking to invest themselves in a "career" in auto parts. That's not so much a critique of the clerks as it is a woeful commentary of the sad truths of modern economics.
 
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