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Need to replace instrument cluster bulbs. How do I do it

Started by jpaulwhite, May 15, 2021, 01:01:53 PM

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jpaulwhite

I've pulled the top dash pad, and the bottom cover. Only way my meaty hands will fit is by removing the speedo cable and going in through the radio hole. Is there a better way to get to those bulbs, mainly the Generator bulb? I was thinking of pulling the cluster but I can't see the bottom bolt on the drivers side.

Any assistance is greatly appreciated!!!

"Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364

Cadillac Kid-Greg Surfas
Director Modified Chapter CLC
CLC #15364
66 Coupe deVille (now gone to the UK)
72 Eldo Cpe  (now cruising the sands in Quatar)
73 Coupe deVille
75 Coupe deElegance
76 Coupe deVille
79 Coupe de ville with "Paris" (pick up) option and 472 motor
514 inch motor now in '73-

jpaulwhite


"Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364

In all seriousness if your hands won't fit I suggest you have someone with smaller hands do it. That's about the most room you can get and
Pulling
The cluster is a lot of unnecessary work especially if you are "hamfisttedly challanged"
Greg Surfas
Cadillac Kid-Greg Surfas
Director Modified Chapter CLC
CLC #15364
66 Coupe deVille (now gone to the UK)
72 Eldo Cpe  (now cruising the sands in Quatar)
73 Coupe deVille
75 Coupe deElegance
76 Coupe deVille
79 Coupe de ville with "Paris" (pick up) option and 472 motor
514 inch motor now in '73-

jpaulwhite

Yeah that's normally what I do but I'm trying to start doing everything myself now

Poncholover

If you have room to lay down, things are much easier. Consider pulling to front seat first, never know what is hiding down there!
Flattie Caddy

jpaulwhite

That's exactly what I did lol. Pulled the front seat and went up by the A/C controls.  Replaced the beverage bulb with an LED and the light stayed working. Followed troubleshooting steps in the service manual and putting in a new alternator as we speak.

Trace

Greg is correct; if it is only one bulb, I'd leave the instrument cluster in place. I have a set of extra long needle nose pliers and one needle nose vice grip that will take care of gripping and turning those bulb sockets  (mine is a '68). A pivoting mirror would be helpful as well.
   And if memory serves, the lower bolt on the 68's cluster was just to the inside of the air vent.
Blessings, Tracy

Reviving my Dad's 1968 Deville Convertible
1964 Impala SS Convertible w/409 -SOLD
1964 Thunderbird Convertible - SOLD
1969 GTO Convertible - SOLD
1958 Impala - SOLD
Luke 12:31,32
Heb.10:36

Andrew Trout

One thing that may help is having a spotter watch from outside the car looking down through the windshield. They can help direct you to a specific bulb instead of blindly thrashing around.
Rochester, NY
1961 Convertible

"Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364

 Not on topic but after changing tail light bulbs on my '66 with the bumper in place ANY other bulb is easily changed.
Greg Surfas
Cadillac Kid-Greg Surfas
Director Modified Chapter CLC
CLC #15364
66 Coupe deVille (now gone to the UK)
72 Eldo Cpe  (now cruising the sands in Quatar)
73 Coupe deVille
75 Coupe deElegance
76 Coupe deVille
79 Coupe de ville with "Paris" (pick up) option and 472 motor
514 inch motor now in '73-

scotth3886

Quote from: "Cadillac Kid"  Greg Surfas 15364 on May 16, 2021, 03:28:05 PM
Not on topic but after changing tail light bulbs on my '66 with the bumper in place ANY other bulb is easily changed.
Greg Surfas

I JUST came in from doing that.  I replaced the rear bumper with the help of grandkid.  And even though I marked which bulb went into which socket, I got one side backwards.  Kid had to leave so we had to get bumper aligned and I was going to have to deal with the bulbs after he was gone.  Gawd what a SOB to do.

I'm still confused whether the middle and top bulbs are supposed to do the same thing.  With the turn signals they blink up and down and I don't know if that's correct.

I know the bottom, green wire, is backup lights

Cadillac Fleetwood

#11
The 1969 (and 1970, also) instrument cluster has thirteen bulbs in the cluster, twelve if you do not have a power operated trunk  Seven (or six) are to the left of the speedometer cable, one is above the cable, and  five are to the right.  All are accessible with the instrument panel top cover off.  Removal of the clock (two phillips-head screws and a plate) increases your working room and visibility, especially for the bulbs to the right. The ones to the left can still be removed from above, but are easier when you remove the steering column lower cover and reach up from below.

The idea of having a "spotter" as suggested by Andrew, looking through the windshield to guide your fingers as you remove the bulb sockets is EXCELLENT advice. And of course, do ONE AT A TIME so that lamps of correct candle-power are inserted in the appropriate places.

There is a "stabilizing strut" of stamped steel which is bolted to the lower left corner of the instrument cluster assembly and extends to the forward edge of the climate control chassis. Sometimes it is helpful to remove this to gain a little more working room.

My hands are of a size and proportion where people have questioned my ability to perform tasks such as this, where space is somewhat limited.  Yet I had no difficulty with this chore.  Good luck!

-Charles Fares

Charles Fares
Forty-Five Years of Continuous Cadillac Ownership
1970 Fleetwood Brougham
1969 DeVille Convertible
1989 Fleetwood

"The splendor of the most special occasion is rivaled only by the pleasure of journeying there in a Cadillac"

dn010

Quote from: jpaulwhite on May 15, 2021, 01:01:53 PM
Is there a better way to get to those bulbs, mainly the Generator bulb?

If your intent is to change all bulbs to LED, you'll want to keep the alternator/generator light bulb as incandescent otherwise you'll keep having problems with that one staying on, being on dim, and so on if you change it to LED. You can use LEDs anywhere else in the cluster without issue except that particular alt/gen light. LED bulbs don't have enough resistance on their own to excite the alternator in order to turn that light off; if you really want to use a LED bulb there, you'll have to figure out what size resistor to use with it, wire in a diode and hope you don't wire it backwards. For me, it was too much extra to do instead of simply using a good old incandescent bulb there.
-----Dan Benedek
'57 Cadillac Sedan Deville 6239DX
'81 DMC DeLorean

jpaulwhite

Hey Dan THANK YOU! I was thinking that may be part of my problem lol. Will change that one back out. I also noticed one of the bulbs next to the Generator bulb didn't have anything in the socket. Anyone know where i can get one of those stickers that the bulb snaps into?

Godfather Eldorado

I know this is an old topic but can anyone confirm the bulb type for the instrument cluster/ speedometer backlight. I believe I need 168s. 1816 bulbs for the climate control, headlight switch and clock according to the service manual
I need to replace the bulbs in my 69 Fleetwood Eldorado. The service manual doesn't really specify instrument cluster. It lists "panel"
"Turn signal indicator ""water temp" and "low oil pressure" telltale lamps use the 168.
Nobody is perfect.
But if you drive a Cadillac
you're pretty darn close!!

Cape Cod Fleetwood

Quote from: Godfather Eldorado on December 22, 2023, 06:01:55 PMI know this is an old topic but can anyone confirm the bulb type for the instrument cluster/ speedometer backlight. I believe I need 168s. 1816 bulbs for the climate control, headlight switch and clock according to the service manual
I need to replace the bulbs in my 69 Fleetwood Eldorado. The service manual doesn't really specify instrument cluster. It lists "panel"
"Turn signal indicator ""water temp" and "low oil pressure" telltale lamps use the 168.

All of the bulb types are defined in your service/shop manual.
There are 2 kinds of cars in the world, Cadillac and everything else....

The Present -1970 Fleetwood Brougham

The Past -
1996 Deville Concours
1987 Sedan De Ville "Commonwealth Edition"
1981 Coupe De Ville (8-6-4)
1976 Sedan De Ville
1975 Sedan De Ville

The Daily Driver and work slave -
2008 GMC Acadia SLT *options/all