Converting GT Tail Lamps to LED (Page 1/3)
Dennis LaGrua FEB 15, 06:56 PM
Time to upgrade the tail lights to LED units as they are brighter and use less power. I purchased a pack of 10 of these 25 SMD LED light replacements and they are bright. They will fit the GM sockets but due to the slight ridge where the base meets the LED circuit board the LED jams on the plastic housing by a small amount not allowing it to be pushed all the way in place. . . Tried to slightly grind the ridge away but the bond between circuit board and base is then compromised. Does anyone know if a replacement socket is available that will accept this bulb and fit the Fiero tail light housings?


This one shows the ridge that the LED bulb has not going in the socket


Possible solution is to use the LED bulb in the glass envelop that is shaped like the OEM 2057 bulb.

[This message has been edited by Dennis LaGrua (edited 02-15-2020).]

Tony Kania FEB 15, 07:21 PM


In one year, you will begin to lose LEDs. Those are crap my good man. Not your fault, just been there done that. The things jiggle like no tomorrow, and bust solders. I went so far as to fix them once, but crapolla.

Edit: The lights have 120 solder joints on them.

[This message has been edited by Tony Kania (edited 02-15-2020).]

Spadesluck FEB 15, 07:35 PM
I changed mine over to LED's similar to that last year before taking the car across the states. All the lights made it the 4k miles but when I took my lenses off just recetly to change them out to Keith Goodyears I had a couple of the LED's coming apart. While I did not lose any lights it was only a matter of time so be prepared. I am now going to use Danyel's full LED's and ditch the old ones.

[This message has been edited by Spadesluck (edited 02-16-2020).]

Dennis LaGrua FEB 15, 08:24 PM
Thanks for the info guys but how about these LED's with the "filament" style COB strips?


or the white red color version. They are supposedly bright



Less connections possibly better reliability?

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Tony Kania FEB 15, 08:33 PM
I like the initial design better than the squared off cree design. Please let us know what you find out. I have been replacing mine with the style you initially posted just due to availability and I can solder a joint properly. It gets old though when you have to continuously check to see if everything works.

Speaking of Danyel's things...

I have his GT side molding leds from a long time ago. A very long time ago. I just recently had 3 of the lights in one of the rear marker lights go out. This is after 9 years, and nearly 50,000 miles. I am OK with that amount of attrition.
Dennis LaGrua FEB 15, 08:56 PM

quote
Originally posted by Tony Kania:

I like the initial design better than the squared off cree design. Please let us know what you find out. I have been replacing mine with the style you initially posted just due to availability and I can solder a joint properly. It gets old though when you have to continuously check to see if everything works.

Speaking of Danyel's things...

I have his GT side molding leds from a long time ago. A very long time ago. I just recently had 3 of the lights in one of the rear marker lights go out. This is after 9 years, and nearly 50,000 miles. I am OK with that amount of attrition.



How did you get those LED array units to fit the Fiero light sockets. The first ones pictured here do not fit in. The ridge between the base and the circuit board will not pass past the plastic housing.
pmbrunelle FEB 15, 10:31 PM

quote
Originally posted by Dennis LaGrua:
Tried to slightly grind the ridge away but the bond between circuit board and base is then compromised.



That's what I do; I chuck the bulb base in the lathe, then grind away at the base with a Dremel + cutoff wheel.

As required, I would reflow each solder joint with fresh flux + a soldering iron.

For the couple of years I ran this type of LED bulb (constructed from a bunch of printed circuit boards), I didn't run into any reliability issues.

[This message has been edited by pmbrunelle (edited 02-15-2020).]

Spadesluck FEB 16, 01:15 AM
I modified my plastic housings on the socket itself. Just enough to allow the bulb to seat all the way down to turn and lock it in.
Dennis LaGrua FEB 16, 09:12 AM
Thanks to all for the helpful comments. If I may be permitted one last comment, I have been using the multiple SMD LED's (the circuit board type shown in picture 1) but in a T10 size for about 7 years for outside landscape lighting. On eight lights not one failure has occurred so far but the application has been stationary. All LED's that I can find are Chinese Imports. While imported LED's can prove to be very good, the large discrepancy in quality control from manufacturer to manufacturer over there still leaves much to be desired.
theogre FEB 16, 10:06 AM

quote
Originally posted by Tony Kania:


In one year, you will begin to lose LEDs. Those are crap my good man. Not your fault, just been there done that. The things jiggle like no tomorrow, and bust solders. I went so far as to fix them once, but crapolla.

Edit: The lights have 120 solder joints on them.

Crap? That's an understatement. Most of them has to climb up many levels to reach Crap level.
All LEDs are made to meet RoHS and use Lead Free Solder that often fails. Then add most are crap on top of that. Then add even if you find good quility, LEDs can't handle very noisy power in a car w/ spikes etc. Then add White LED Is Not same as White Tungsten and behind Color Lenses can cause many issues some covered in my Cave, LED poisoning Red LED often not = to Red bulbs and even Red bulbs can have same issue behind Red lenses.

What not covered is most use Cold/Cool White, Color Temp > 4500°K and makes light output shift colors so Red Lenses look pink to purple and scream has illegal light to cops. Same problem w/ fools that use Purple Gems in taillight lenses etc. in "the old days" to give cops a reason to stop you.

Most say Cree are Counterfeit. But Even Real Cree products have many to all of the problems above.

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