I realize I haven't posted in a while since I've been super busy lately with my work, but I did a 3rd brakelight conversion into my car a couple weeks ago or so, that went from the standard filament-based 3rd brakelight to LED type. I never had time to build the webpage for it until this morning, but here it is. I just figured some of you guys MAY want to see it, in case any of you may want to do it on your guys' cars? It was really easy. The biggest reason I wanted to switch to LED 3rd brakelight though, was because after I put in the LED main taillights onto my car, then that made the 3rd brakelight look 'lazy' to the eye since it would begin to illuminate a split-second later than the main brakelights would at that moment when you hit the brake pedal. It looks like it SHOULD now.
Check out the pics at:
I think it turned out very nice. The reason I used the donor that I did, was because I found a good deal on these aux LED modules for like 15 bucks each (which I thought was very reasonable). But anyways, I just thought I would share my how-to, let me know what ya'll think.
And then I measured the resistance of the original resistor for the string of 4, and then used some slight speculation as well, but to be SURE my current was finally the same as in the previous strings of 4, I used a multimeter set onto milli-amp (mA) mode and hooked it in series to the string of 3, and then checked it the same way to one of the original strings of 4 to verify that the diode I had finally selected would provide 15 mA of flow for the string of 3 as it had done with the string of 4. Does that make sense?
PS- We just had a Lancer Evolution come into our shop yesterday, and I had to put on a full 3" stainless exhaust kit from front to rear (gosh it was terrible! - I'm totally jk'ing), and the owner also had me install this special boost control/ wastegate valve onto it at the same time. And WOW, let me tell ya, those cars got some spunk! (especially after doing the mods) I really enjoyed driving that car a lot (baaaada$$). This particular one was bright banana yellow, and boy, does it sure catch everyone's attention no matter where your at. Anyways, I wish the guy would have let me keep it overnight, because I wanted to see the pattern on the HID that it had. I assume those come as OEM standard (since it is like a 30+ thousand dollar car)? I never asked him if they were OEM. Oh well... Anyways, Is that what you own? I assume so, as per yer name. Anyways if so, nice pic of choice for a car. If you haven't already done so, increase the boost and put exhaaust on and you wont be disappointed! Man, I sure wasn't. Makes my Contour feel like a gutless turd. I wish we'd get more cars like that to work on everyday. It's nice to be able to do clean work on tight cars
Woops, I meant, to verify that the RESISTOR I had finally selected would provide 15 mA of flow for the string of 3 as it had done with the string of 4.
Sorry for the confusion
Yes, it kinda does. Thanks a lot! but i was also wondering when you put the resistors on, did you just kinda test how how much resistance you needed? Thanks again!
PS- We just had a Lancer Evolution come into our shop yesterday, and I had to put on a full 3" stainless exhaust kit from front to rear (gosh it was terrible! - I'm totally jk'ing), and the owner also had me install this special boost control/ wastegate valve onto it at the same time. And WOW, let me tell ya, those cars got some spunk! (especially after doing the mods) I really enjoyed driving that car a lot (baaaada$$). This particular one was bright banana yellow, and boy, does it sure catch everyone's attention no matter where your at. Anyways, I wish the guy would have let me keep it overnight, because I wanted to see the pattern on the HID that it had. I assume those come as OEM standard (since it is like a 30+ thousand dollar car)? I never asked him if they were OEM. Oh well... Anyways, Is that what you own? I assume so, as per yer name. Anyways if so, nice pic of choice for a car. If you haven't already done so, increase the boost and put exhaaust on and you wont be disappointed! Man, I sure wasn't. Makes my Contour feel like a gutless turd. I wish we'd get more cars like that to work on everyday. It's nice to be able to do clean work on tight cars
Yes it's OEM HID,my friend bought one recently,and apparently the fasted in the northeast (12.4). With a test pipe,manual boost controller,upgraded blowoff valve,piggyback fuel controller,and K&N cone filter (off his old Talon) he ran 12.7s. Dropping the stock exhaust and running just open downpipe got him a 12.5,with the 3" exhaust a 12.4...interesting how it gained a tenth with an exhaust. Some shop in Canada saw him run and got him an updgrade turbo at their cost...I foresee his clutch needing replacement soon.
Yeah WOW! I now seen the light buddy! I had never before seen a four banger with quite so much juice right out of the box:) That was what the part was called that I put on it, it was the upgraded blowoff valve. And 3" exhaust. It sure made a bid difference though. U know what I like about these newer cars, is many things is plug-n-play now for the mechanics:) When I was younger and into drag racing, we had only carbs. And we had to tune them with every mod we made. Then a few years later we got OBD I type where we didn't have to tune as much but you still had to have a brain to make cars fast. But now, it's amazing, you can just buy all these plug and play parts and kits that just bolt right on with no fuss and no muss. When I was into racing, you had to make your own 3" exhaust kit for your car. Now it all comes ready to bolt on! And blow-off valves made to fit the exact application. No adapting. Crazy world now
Anyways, to Lancer EvolutionV1:
Just pick a resistor that is of a greater value than the old resistor that comes on the standard string of 4, and then use your DVOM (digital volt/ ohmeter) on mA mode, and wire the DVOM in series to the string of 3 LED and through the resistor that you chose, and verify that the mA reading is the same as the string of 4 was before (with it's previous resistor). If it is more mA with 3 still, then you still need a resistor with higher resistance. Also do all this while maintaining a constant input voltage to the circuit. In other words, if you checked the string of 3 with 12.3v supplying the circuit, then make sure you have 12.3v while you checked the circuit with the string of 4 too
