Thread: How To: B14: Installing New Cluster Gauge Lights

Kyle is right that I have not objectively measured the lights and I'd be curious how they do if measured. I'm certainly not an expert on bulbs and the skepticism is healthy and warranted. The led maker claims a 4x brighter bulb than oem, which I highly doubt to be accurate. I wouldn't put them in the b13 housing because mine doesn't have the cut off line built in (but the mazda3 does) and I'd be worried I'd blind other drivers, especially if the bulbs really are that much brighter than oem. The oem bulbs in my mazda are standard h11 halogens, so not very different in function from the 9004s I think, just a different base.

Subjectively, I did drive around with one of each bulb for a bit to compare them in real time and to me, the edge lighting brightness straight ahead wasn't much different, but to the sides and closer to the car it seemed more filled in. Objects on the road seemed to pop a bit more, which I read is likely more a function of the whiter light, not necessarily the brightness. That said, going down the interstate at night, I seem to be able to see the shoulder better, but again, not measured or repeat tested between the two. Where the leds seem to let me down is in the rain on a blacktop road, it just doesn't seem illuminated at all. I can still see stuff lying on the road, like a branch, it's just a weird feeling to have it seem like the lights aren't even on.

I'll look into the light meter and may test that, but if I'm honest the bulbs aren't the easiest to swap in that car, so I'm not in a rush to put the old ones back in for a test.

Seeing better is seeing better. I would not believe you would choose the lesser of the two products. Just the photo alone shows that your new LED bulbs are a great match for your OEM housing.

I did the same test running around with one bulb different than the other. I tried a HID in one side of my B14 and that scattered light all over the world causing people to panic attack me when we were passing opposite lanes of each other. I felt terrible and changed that after the 2nd night of mass blinking at me. It was my own fault. @speedricer did a retrofit of new equipment into old housings for my P10 and they came out great. I think I spent less than $200.00 and I paid speed0 to do the work for me and then coerced him to install with a brand new OEM B13 clutch cable and I have to say not a penny is felt wasted on that upgrade. I can finally see things at night and there is a solid cutoff with zero escaping beams of light.

thanks @speedricer for the SSS dosage of lumens.

That scatter you described is exactly what I'd be worried about putting these LEDs into the stock B13 housings. Sounds like you found the right solution to appropriately upgrade the lights for both you and your fellow drivers. That's the only way I'd move forward with an upgrade to by B13 lights, thanks for providing the details on yours!

Thanks @Kyle. I'll retrofit anything. I did my B14, my B13, my P10 also and I got myself a spare set of NX headlights to do soon as well. sSs. I usually go with the 35w DDM Kit. Theres a 50w kit which should be even brighter if you want even more lumenz, but I imagine the bulbs will need replacing every so often from the extra heat.