nickelbn1

Ok, so i just took apart my Cluster gauge to see what makes it orange and how it might be changed. It already has LED's to light it up, just plain white ones. Then between the LED's and the gauges are an orange plastic filter piece and then a black plastic piece that allows the light to only show through in those certain spots where you see the orange. So, by simply removing the orange filter, it would all become bright white. Or, by finding some other color thin piece of plastic you could cut to match, you could create your own filter to change the color to something else. Only one problem, i can seem to figure out how to get the circuit board off the gauges in order to remove/replace the orange filter. the only way I see how, is too pop off the needles, but, I tried and pulled pretty hard and it would not come off. I am friends with a Nissan Master Mechanic and I called him and he said to NOT remove those needles or it could mess up their accuracy. So, does anyone know how to get the circuit board off the gauges and remove that orange filter?

thanks for any help!

KCMAXX

iTrader: (22)

You sure..?



All the chip LED's look "white" but put out actual color.

nickelbn1

that is interesting. I didnt turn it on like that. so why the orange filter if the LED's are orange? just to more evenly distribute the color? So, how did you get the gauges off the circuit board like that?

I VIK I

iTrader: (1)

LOL Nice one

2o4Max

For the longest time it seems everyone is referring to someone to replace the LED's. Does anyone know where exactly I could order the LED's to replace the OEM ones? Those surface mount LED's I can easily replace, and would rather do it myself than just sending it to someone to do it for me. I know the LED's should be available in strips and do not cost much either.

po8pimp

just do what I did and install an indiglow gauge cluster. here is where I got mine: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Nissa...#ht_3807wt_782 same seller too. They look amazing when done right.

CXJ Performance

iTrader: (3)

theres alot more involved than just changing over the leds. the orange plate is a led disfusser that spreads the focal point of the ORANGE leds lol. if you seen my threads i am the 1 selling this mod btw

nickelbn1

yeah, it doesnt seem anyone wants to share the exact LED's required for this mod. they want to keep that info to themselves. Sure wish someone would be nice enough to just tell the rest of us the correct LED's needed and where we can buy them.

anyone want to be nice??

i have found someone on here who figured out how to make the multicolored look and shared it with me, all I need to know now is the correct LED's I need and where to buy them....

nickelbn1

the problem i see with those indiglow gauges is that the needles dont light up. according to the picture on ebay anyway. I would not like that at all.

CXJ Performance

iTrader: (3)

http://www.6thgenmaxima.org/f120/led-full-mod-giveaway-how-20386/index2.html

i tried to help out as best as i could but couldnt do it alone. read page 1 and 2 for all your answers and links.

1.you'll need the disfusser so that you dont have hot spots

2. you'll need a gps to set your speed needle correct again

3. you'll need about 2 days to mod your car since its your first time

4. im not responsible if you ruin your cluster but will fix it for a fee

5 good luck you'll need it

2o4Max

Ya I wouldn't recommend this type of mod unless you have experience and real good electronics hands. Even though I have developed my soldering art to the point I can solder onto tiny pins of ASIC's. I know just by looking at this mod I can tell how much time it will take a first run. But after the first run I would imagine I could probably cut down the time drastically if I was to do it for a friend. The only real kicker right now for me is the amount of time, and investment I need to do the mod to justify if it is really worth my time...

Given the recent findings and the maintenance upkeep of my very first Nissan and it being a Maxima. Sometimes I swear I feel like giving up on owning it and selling it off, due to the amount of time and effort I need to maintain it optimally. I'm still not particularly fond of the idea that my pre-cats will need to be monitored or replaced sometime, and the racing line solution may or may not even come to fruition anytime soon...

1hawaii50

iTrader: (14)

I've got no problem sharing, and I've been trying to help all along. I sent you the info on the LEDs, and on the diffuser paper. What else do you need? I can't tell you the EXACT LED's to order...Mouser rotates their stock, and the one's I used may not be available for you. Also, if you don't want my color, then the one's you need would have a different part number. It is much more involved than just buy led's and stick them on. You can do it yourself, but it is a pain in the nuts to do...VERY TEDIOUS work. I've also shared on how I believe the best way is to get a two-toned look. Certain members don't want to share, as they charge for the mod...I understand and have no problem with this. Others charge for the mod and have no problem sharing. I'll do the mod for you for a pretty fair price. If you attempt it and mess it up, I don't want any part of trying to fix it, Cory will, but it will cost more than just having one of us do it in the first place.

cpufreak3

What's the process to fix the needle?

Is there anyway to pull the needle off with messing up the positioning?

2o4Max

You may or may not need a GPS I think to set your speed needle back. Although I have yet to take apart the dash I would think some good ol tape should be good enough to "mark" where the needle was originally, just my guess... I would agree the mod could be tedious, but more annoying if anything if you are a perfectionist...

04CleanMaxx

iTrader: (4)

1hawaii50

iTrader: (14)

No, If you remove the needles THEN YOU WILL HAVE TO REPOSITION ALL OF THEM.

Everybody wants a quick/easy/no-nonsense/cheap way to do this mod...it does not exist. Everybody wants to know what LED's to order, and where to get them. I've tried to help everybody that asks me. I cannot do this mod over the phone or internet for you. If you want me to do it, I will, but I have to charge something for my time. I simply don't have the time to do everyone's LED's for free. I have a wife and 2 children, and my spare time is very limited as it is. I'm sure Cory feels the same way...not to speak for him though.

Here is the best I can do on the internet to give people the needed info to do this themselves.

LEDs:
Obviously, you need LEDs. They can be purchased on Ebay, but you better know exactly what you are ordering, because in the PLCC-4 package, THEY ARE NOT ALL THE SAME. Also, if you order from Ebay...most of the Ebay vendors are overseas. You will be waiting 2-3 weeks for shipping. Then, if you have any problems with the LED's, good luck in resolving the issue with a company in Asia.

I source my LED's from Mouser.com, and Oznium.com. They are both stateside, and I have my LED's within 3 days of ordering. I've had 2 issues with 2 different orders from Mouser.com. One error was mine, the other error on the other order was theirs. They fixed both problems with no questions asked. This is excellent customer service IMHO...they deal with orders in HUGE numbers, but they looked out for me when I only placed a very small (insignificant really) order. You'll pay a little more using Mouser.com, but I highly recommend them for their quick shipping and excellent customer service.

You will need 4 different types of LED's for the mod. The exact number of "how many" you will need, depends on the year of your car, and exactly what pieces you are modding...can't help you there...it varies depending on the variables I just stated. The 4 types of LED needed are:
PLCC-4 (Mouser.com)
PLCC-2 (Mouser.com, or Oznium.com)
0603/0805 (Mouser.com)
3mm LED with appropriate resistor. (Oznium.com)
The resistor type depends on the color of the LED being used.

HERE IS SOME EXTREMELY IMPORTANT INFO ON THE PLCC-4 LED THAT YOU MUST READ BEFORE PLACING ANY ORDER:

http://www.mouser.com/Search/Product...E6SCU2AA5K8L1Z

If you click on the link for the data sheet for that LED and go to page 10, you'll see that it shows a top view of the LED. One corner is notched and 3 corners are marked "C", while one corner is marked "A". This is the correct package type that you will need. Others will have 3 corners marked "A", and one corner marked "C"...THOSE WILL NOT WORK!.

If you look at this one:
http://catalog.osram-os.com/catalogu...016cb90001003a

Scroll down and open the data sheet and go to page 11. You'll see that this one has 3 corners marked "A", and one marked "C". Visually, this looks identical to the other one, just the notched corner is on the wrong side. Again, THIS ONE WILL NOT WORK.

OK, now that we have that basic info, let's begin. You'll need to remove all of the pieces that you want to mod, and "breaK" them down to the bare circuit boards. I then plugged my bare circuit boards back into my car and turned my lights on so I could see exactly what LED's I wanted to swap. ****IMPORTANT**** I recommend taking MULTIPLE digital photos along the way so you can document everything should you have any questions, or need a reference.

Once you have all of your bare circuit boards layed out, you can now decide which LED's you want to change, and you can begin counting up how many of each type that you will need in whichever color you choose. You then go to Ebay/Mouser/Oznium and order the appropriate number of LED's needed. I would add 10% to the number of each needed, as you WILL screw up, or drop one or two of them. The 0603/0805 package LED's are so small that if you drop one on the floor, you will NEVER find it.

OK, so now you placed your order, and you're not sure what to do while waiting on your new LED's to arrive. Now is the time to remove all of the LED's that you will be replacing. My recommendation is to use Solder Braid to remove the LED's. Others may have other methods, but I've found this to be the safest way.

YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE TO TAKE PHOTOS AND WRITE DOWN A SMALL DIAGRAM SHOWING THE ORIENTATION OF THE LED'S ON THE BOARD. They only go 1 way, if you have the turned aound, they will not work. The PLCC-2 and PLCC-4 have notches on them to denote the proper orientation. the 0603/0805 have markings on the back of the to denote the orientation. If you remove all of the LED's and did not not the orientation for EACH ONE, then you've pretty much screwed yourself.

Onto the next step.

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE SOLDERING EXPERIENCE, PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS. These are all surface-mounted LED's that were mounted/soldered using computer-aided machines. You will be doing this by hand. A set of "helping hands" with a magnifying lens and light will help tremendously. Also you need to be aware, that if you apply too much heat to the cicuit board when de-soldering/soldering...YOU WILL DAMAGE THE BOARD. Also, If you are not careful when removing the old LED's, YOU WILL RIP THE SOLDER PAD OFF OF THE BOARD. If you do rip the solder pad off, there are a couple of workarounds. First you can run a "jumper" wire off of the previous LED in the circuit, and then onto the next one. Second, you can scrape away the wafer layer of the board next to the damage pad to expose some more foil that you can then use to solder the LED. IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE LAST 2 SENTENCES...PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DO THIS MOD. Once you have the old LED's removed, use the solder braid to remove all of the old solder off of the pads on the board. I then go over the board with rubbing alcohol to clean off the flux left by the solder braid.

OK, now you have removed all of your old LED's and are ready to replace them with your new ones. I take a toothpick and apply a VERY SMALL amount of flux to each solder pad. This allows for a nice solder flow, and also helps hold the LED to the board as you attempt to solder it on. I then place the LED on the board, position is as square as I can onto the solder pads, and solder it onto the board. You will need to used something to hold the LED in place on the board with one hand, while you solder it with the other had, otherwise it will slide out of place.

Once all of your LED's are soldered on, I go back over the board with a magnifying lens and check all of my solder joints. If any of them look suspect, I remove the LED and replace it with a new one. Once you are happy with you new LED's, go plug the board back into the car, and turn on the lights to make sure they all work. If you did everything correctly, they will all light, and you can move onto the next step.

I then go BACK over the board with a toothbrush and rubbing alcohol to remove all of the solder paste from putting the new LED's back on. Once the board dries, plug it in again, and make sure all LED's light up. If all is well, you can reassemble your pieces and put them back into the car.

As far as the needles go, if your needles are clear plastic with a red painted strip on the bottom, you can remove the painted strip and replace the 3 LED's on the circuit board at the base of each needle with whatever color you want your needles to be. If your needles are MOLDED red plastic, you're stuck with red, unless you want to hit the junkyard for new needles.

To remove my needles, I used a fork, and gently placed it under the post and pried the needle straight up and off.
***IMPORTANT***
Before removing the needles, go fill your gas tank, and drive the car for a long enough distance to get the engine good and warm. Now, with the engine warm, and the gas tank full...take some photos of where the all needles are positioned with the car idling. When you go to put the needles back on, go fill the car up again, and let the engine get good and warm. With the engine idling replace the fuel needle to where it sat with a full tank. Replace the temp needle where it sat with the engine warm.
Replace the RPM needle wherever it idled before you removed it. It should be in the 800-900rpm range. As far as the speedo goes, I had a co-worker clock me with a radar gun as I drove down a FLAT EMPTY roadway. I placed my needle on as I drove down the roadway...PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL DOING THIS. You could also use a free-standing radar sign to do this if there are any in use near you. A gps could also be used if you have one.

As far as doing a two-toned speedo cluster, there are a few methods.
Cheapest/easiest is to color your gauge overlay with a Sharpie marker. The better method is to use some type of transparency paper/theatre gells glued/taped behind the overlay to change the color. You would have to do all white LED's in the cluster and then use the transparency paper to change the color to whatever you want. If you use a red LED, you can't use a yellow paper and think that you will get a yellow color showing through...doesn't work that way. Also, for the 07-08, the speedo uses a factory "diffuser" plate. This disperses the light behind the gauge overlay to eliminate hotspots. If you have an 04-06, the factory diffuser film is orange, and you will be removing it. If you remove it, you will have to deal with hotspots. You can then purchase some diffuser film from anchoroptics.com and put this between the LED's and the gauge overlay. They come in different thicknessess. A few different guys have used them with success and said that the thickest film worked the best.

Please know, that if you attempt this, you very well COULD destroy your circuit boards. If you do, you will have to fix it or replace it. If you are hesitant about any of the steps I mentioned...PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS.

Lastly, there are plenty of people here willing to help. There is no EASY way to do this mod...there are a lot of variables involved. THIS IS A VERY TEDIOUS MOD AS THE LED'S INVOLVED ARE VERY SMALL. Good Luck to anyone wanting to attempt this, and again, if you screw up your boards, Cory is willing to fix them for a fee. If you screw up your boards, then I WILL NOT attempt to fix them, you need to call Cory.

1hawaii50

iTrader: (14)

NO, You can't just "mark" them with tape. The spindles will turn once you remove the needles, so if you just put them back where you marked them with the tape, they will be way off. If you don't believe me, go ahead and try it.

1hawaii50

iTrader: (14)

How you doing brother?....everybody wants it for free! Although Cory tried that, and everybody backed out on him...go figure!

cpufreak3

I understand it's a difficult mod, but I'm not really worried about the LEDs, soldering, etc.

Just don't like the fact that the gauges get messed up. Not as straightforward fixing the gas and rpm needles.

1hawaii50

iTrader: (14)

Exactly, It's not just a matter of "stick them back on".

CXJ Performance

iTrader: (3)

i really give it to you hawaii50. the first guy had no idea that these leds where orange when powered on. another guy thought you could just tape the needles. 1 more thought you dont need a gps to reset your mph. you went into it way father than i would have. also the led used in the cluster are far different than the ones used in the radio and heat controls. the rear door switches have to be modded using 420 ohm resistors because they are getting a straight 13 volts of current to them. the front door switches are different using plcc-2. like you said its not a simple mod to do and its just as tedious as doing a timing chain replacement. i gave the links on where to buy them you provided the disfusser sheet link and info but if everyone is looking for a how to step by step and what leds go where and how to tell that the sniped coner of each smd is negative or positive. ITS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. like he said i tried to do a full write up for the 6thgen and the 6.5 and only 1 person came thru but it was hard to hold a led with tweezers and a digital camera to take a photo of the whole process. whom ever tears of there board its all on you. i'll try to fix them but like hawaii said i would rather not. my first try on my car ended up with me buying a new info screen for $125.00 all because i put a kink in the flat plastic circuit board of the info screen for the 6thgens. i know what to look out for now and how to properly remove the leds that come with the componets but its really easy to screw your stuff up that will cost you more to replace than to just pay someone like , hawaii50 , the alliance43 or myself to do the mod. but to each its own and like i said good luck to anyone who wants to try this mod without fear

nickelbn1

1hawaii50, I thank you very much for all the help you have given to me. I was not referring to you when I wrote that about no one wanting to share. I was referring to no one telling me which LED's I need to get and how exactly they have done the multi-color look. I am sure someone in here has an 04' Maxima that has done this mod, and if so, they should know exactly what LED's I would need. I have asked other questions on here about exhausts and stuff, and hardly anyone wants to give a helpful answer, most people just make fun of me for not knowing anything and wont help me. i got made fun of on here because i didnt realize my LED's lit of orange and I thought they were white. that is my bad, I didnt plug it in to double check that. I just saw the orange filter in there and assumed that is what made the gauge orange.

i understand this is not an easy mod, I was just hoping I could figure it out and be proud of doing something on my own. I always like doing things myself. I am a pretty handy guy and I do well at figuring things out and such, but when it comes to LED's and certain things, I have not done much with that stuff and am trying to learn. Not all of us on here are super car smart, so please dont make fun of the newbies trying to learn this stuff. (not referring to you 1Hawaii50).

i appreciate the honesty several of you have just shared about the difficulty of this mod and then help and advice you have given. I will debate whether I want to attempt this myself or not. I thought about trying to find a used cluster gauge from a junk yard and use that as a practice board to see if I can do it. depending on how much they want for the cluster of course. dont want to spend too much. I sure would like to learn how to do this stuff.

CXJ Performance

iTrader: (3)

i tried to do a write up and what sense would it make on my part if i didnt help you with this. i'll work with you on this offline if you would like but first we'll start with modding the doors which is the least difficult. if you can stomach that then try your cluster. your call but remember im not to blame if you mess it up

1hawaii50

iTrader: (14)

Brad, not a problem. I CAN'T tell you EXACTLY what LED's to get, because the one's I used are blue, and Mouser doesn't carry that part number any more, so you would have to pick another one. That's what I'm trying to say...I don't know EXACTLY which LED's you will need to use. It all depends on the color you are going with, and which parts you are modding, and even then, there will be a dozen or so different ones that Mouser has that you can pick from.

I can tell you on my 07:
Rear doors used a 3mm LED with a 480ohm (I believe) resistor. If you use a different color, you'll need a different resistor...the resistor rating depends on the color used.
My front doors used PLCC-2 LEDs
My HVAC controls used 0805 LEDS (they are really tiny)
My Speedo used MOSTLY PLCC-4, with a couple of PLCC-2
My driver info screen used PLCC-4
I'm not sure on my factory BOSE radio, as I went aftermarket and didn't mod it.
My steering wheel controls used 0805 LEDs
My Airbag on/off light used PLCC-2 or PLCC-4...I don't remember w/o taking it back apart.
My power window/rear sonar/TCS switches used PLCC-2, PLCC-4, 0805, and 3mm w/resistor.

The best way to find out the "package type" of LED that you need is to pull all of your parts, break them down to the circuit board, and count them. The number you will need will vary on what you are modding. Once you have the package type (0805/PLCC-2/4/3mm) and the amount of each, you can then decide what color you want to use. THEN you are ready to look at ordering. If someone needs some help deciphering/navigating Mouser's site, they can ask me, I've ordered from them about 6 times now.

Yes, the way I described means you will have to take everything apart twice...once to get the count, and once to do the mod, but it is the most foolproof way to get a correct count on exactly what you will need.

The reason I don't want to touch a board that somebody else messed up is because I have NO IDEA what they did. They may have melted a resisitor on the board, or de-soldered something that they shouldn't have. I wasn't there, so I have no idea what they did, and I just simply don't have the time or tools to properly troubleshoot a circuit board. Not to mention that I have no way to plug in the HVAC/Radio/Info screen from a 04-06 since they are different plugs from mine. Cory is a little better equipped to deal with a damaged board from an 04-06, as he can at least plug it into his car, where I cannot. As far as cost...you can expect to pay MORE for Cory or myself to repair somebody else's mistake than if you would have just had us do the mod to begin with.

CXJ Performance

iTrader: (3)

how very true. i believe alliance43 will even let you piece it out to him section by section. my price is $250.00 which im not making a profit because more than half of that is shipping and the leds themself

CXJ Performance

iTrader: (3)

right now im about to redo my stero and put a system in so im into trades as well. speakers , subs , amps, indash monitors. ill work with anyone whos willing to do this

2o4Max

The old tape trick is not "taping" the needles it is an indicator on the actual display of where they sit. You would simply leave your car on idle at operating temperature and tape off the display(clear covering). As for doing the mod, it is tedious and the only thing that is stopping me from doing it is the cost involved even if I did it myself. I love my car but for what it is worth, LED's are the wrong place to invest it in. The work involved on replacing by no means is for everyone, but for those with experience and skill this is more than doable for them.

1hawaii50

iTrader: (14)

I see what you're saying on the tape trick. That would work for the fuel/temp/tach, but you're still going to need to get the speedo calibrated either with a GPS, or a radar gun.

As far as whether or not it was worth it...for me, it was definitely worth it. Not having to sit and look at that hideous orange everytime I get in the car was worth every penny. Not to mention that this is a mod that you don't see everywhere. I have about $100 in SMT LED's plus a couple days of my time. This was time spent sitting at the dining room table listening to the radio with a big glass of ice water. Sure beats my 92 Mustang GT where $100 spent got me 2 days of laying on my back on the floor of my garage in 95 degree weather ! Not to mention that $100 is a CHEAP mod for our cars. What else could I have gotten for $100?...LED tails $300, Exhaust $200-$600, Headers $300+, Rims $1000+...I'm thinking that $100 was a bargain for a mod that you can enjoy everytime you turn your car on!

2o4Max

hehe, believe me you would rather have it hot as opposed to severely cold. Ya the cost of the LED's turns me off because it's not much more for a y-pipe which I would have more use for. I wouldn't doubt the cost even for a y-pipe would be on par with racing line's replacement for OEM pre-cats... whenever they come out... seems as though everyone is literally waiting for them...

exit69

I have soldering experience and a steady hand... considering a similar mod...

MaximisedAussie

On the subject of the Orange lights, The Aussie 04-07 Maxima has an Orange LCD screen... Anyone know of a replacement in color that a GPS can be incorporated?

1hawaii50

iTrader: (14)

You're probably going to have to do an LED swap...I think that's going to be your only option.

5 ltr. beater

interesting thread. my M has almost the same gauge layout as the Maxima (as well as the annoying orange glow). if its this much work just to change the LED's for the max, im assuming it's a pain to do it for the M.

1hawaii50

iTrader: (14)

It can be done...you just have to come to terms with the fact that you could very well screw up the pieces and then you'll have to replace them. Once you get past that, you can do anything!

nickb300z

I have an 04 max and would like to know how much someone that knows what they are doing would charge? I saw 250 somewhere but wasn't sure. I want the gauges, the hvac, radio, info screens all done. Thanks.

1hawaii50

iTrader: (14)

PM sent.

damienjacab

i have an 08 max and i was wondering how much someone would charge to do this mod, i wanna change everything orange to a light blue or white, thanks

1hawaii50

iTrader: (14)

PM sent!

eK9aT10pSi

iTrader: (1)

quote please! 04 Max, MT, Elite , Navi. Looking for cluster, dash, & doors. TIA

1hawaii50

iTrader: (14)

PM Sent.