need help!! guage lights, WTF?!?!

[FRITO]

ok i have a 1990 camry. i took the whole dash apart and found the 4 bulbs that light up my guage speed meter and all that. these had a green cover on them. They were 194 bubls so i went to purchase 4 194 bulbs. and the little housing units that hold them in place. since the stock lights say replace the whole ASM. well i ended up with APC 194B bulbs (blue) put them in and turned on the lights. I DONT SEE BLUE LIGHT!!! regular yellow lights shines from these things WTF!?!?! i paid a total of $21.00 plus tax for the whole setup......did i do something wrong the bulbs work they just aren't blue. the paint is blue on the bulb and looks like it would shine blue light but it doesnt. CAN SOMEONE HELP ME? (the light that comes from them is like a regular light bulb)

[Ratko]

you bought super-whites... they have a blueish coat on them, but they shine white... you need to get bulbs that are specifically blue, in which case the blue coating on them should be dark, as opposed to the light blue coating on the hyper whites.

[FRITO]

ahhhhh! yes. the package says super whites in bold letters :oops: .....i thought they would shine blue(noob at lights) im surprised the guy at advanced auto didntt know either because we talked a while and i had a special order. well i dont think there is any true blue 904 bulbs then,..... ill have to get the Victor brand red 904's THESE WILL WORK RIGHT? i really wanted blue to match my car..... THANKS FOR THE HELP!!

[tinman831]

you can try using a blue Sharpee permanent marker and adding several coats and see if that works

[kgasso]

Just remember that it's not gonna shine through as very deep blue, more of a turquiose. IIRC, you'd need a higher wattage bulb (i.e. more light output) and a darker bulb color to get this, and that would be troublesome to draw too much wattage and melt stuff behind your gauge cluster.

[mach_y]

You can go to a hobby store and buy glass spray paint. Works real well actually.

[VZV21]

I've done red on my old 88 with great success. 3 packs of 194-Red bulbs from Wal-Mart (GE-brand)

[FRITO]

hey guys, thanks for the help. i decided off to return the super whites and just get the victor brand 904 RED bulbs. I even got 10 bucks and change back..... I instsalled them a couple mins ago and turn them on....(in the shade b/c it is daylight) and i can see some nice red already shining through. i can't wait until tonight.

[VZV21]

In the daylight...it's more pink, right?

If you go on a long road trip at night, you can dim down the gauge lights a lot and still read them perfectly, with less strain on the eyes

[FRITO]

yes it more of a pink color. right now the sun is about to go down and i can see more and more, im excited.

[TRDragoon]

i remember those exciting moment on vicoria day and canada days....waiting for the sunset so we can shoot fireworks!!!

im making mine red too... :-? just had no guts to work on my car when the temp outside is below zero, know what im sayin? :wink:

[FRITO]

I cant relate. i live in FLORIDA!!!! ooh gues what the sun has been down now for about and hour and it s 53 degrees. i dont even need a jacket!! ...just messing with ya!

[FRITO]

here is the lights.