Electrical: Avanti dash lights............

[Hawklover]

Over the many years since 1966 I have seen a very slow diminution of brightness from several instruments on the dash. Never really became too upset as the car is almost never driven after dark, and when it was, it was not "terrible". Attending the annual Fathers Day car show at Pier Village in Long Branch, NJ some friends who lived in town invited me to stay for the night and return home the following day. We drove to a restaurant later in the evening and I did not like the illumination from the bulbs. Later that week I replaced every bulb.....waited till nightfall to check the new bulbs.........no change....I was a bit upset to say the last. It was then suggested that what was "wrong" was not the bulbs, but the light-boxes they sat in. After all the years the insides were full of dust and dirt. It made perfect sense to me......why I never considered that bothered me. I will admit that I have not dropped the dash to effectuate this procedure. I want to but will just live with it. The joy of cleaning I'll leave to the next proud owner......dropping the dash is not high on my list of "need to procedures"

[bezhawk]

Use these, and you will be amazed at the difference.https://www.superbrightleds.com/more...ofit-car/2077/

[speed_machine]

I would try to run another good ground wire from the metal portion of the dash to the frame and maybe a second one to the engine.

[Peerlessgt2]

Use these, and you will be amazed at the difference.https://www.superbrightleds.com/more...ofit-car/2077/

Brad, I suppose those LED-lights don't work with the dimmer? Do I have to bypass the resistor if I install the LED-lights, or doesn't it matter?

Marcus from Sweden

[bezhawk]

The factory dimmer ....doesn't with LEDs. Here is what you need to use to replace the wire wound resistor. https://www.autometer.com/led-lighting-dimmer.html

[Peerlessgt2]

Thank's Brad for the tips! You are an infinite source of knowledge regarding Avantis.

[JLB]

Brad,I'm not picking apart your suggestion, but as I read the instructions on the Auto Meter dimmer module, it says it will support 6 instruments.
Did you get it to control everything in the instrument cluster...........all 8, or do you pick 6.
Thanks
John

[bezhawk]

I have used these on Avantis that controls 12 bulbs. Never had any problem.

[JLB]

Excellent! Glad I asked. Thanks
John

[1inxs]

The factory dimmer ....doesn't with LEDs. Here is what you need to use to replace the wire wound resistor. https://www.autometer.com/led-lighting-dimmer.html

Rather than adding the Auto Meter dimming module you can simply leave one incandescent bulb in your Avanti and use the factory dimmer as usual.

[bezhawk]

That doesn't work. The dimmer I suggested actually switches the current the LED is turned on and off very quickly, so your eye doesn't notice it. LEDs do not dim with less voltage. Either they are on or off. It is a semi-conductor material.