The Saga of the Trans Am Parking light

**Cutlass** · 09-29-2009, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by BIG GUNS

I did the DRL delete and this fixed the issue with mine. Got tired of the damn thing getting smoke checked and having to replace them all the time.

Now, my DRLs only work in blinker mode and not on all the time.

There are a few write ups on how to do the DRL delete but, it is very simple and will save you some headache and expense in the long run.

Originally Posted by BirdCountry02

+1 I did this also, I don't know about you Guns but I like the mod a ton. Here's the link for anyone else who'd like to perform it. Takes about 10 minutes total:http://xse.com/leres/ss/drl.html
Thanks to Cutlass for supplyin it in a different thread. Now all I have to do is fix the huge ass crack down both my DRL's. Anyone know if there's anyway to fix it myself with like lexan? Or am I gonna have to shell out $60 for new housings?

^^^^+2

**BIG GUNS** · 09-29-2009, 07:06 PM

Yeah, way happier with them off now.

**GULLETT17** · 09-30-2009, 09:23 AM

Update: Our stock flasher is a Wagner 323. However, after asking Autolumination about the their LED flasher version of the stock one, they said "there are no application charts for the flashers". . . .meaning they cant tell me which one of their flashers will work. "The simplest way is to match the blades of the one you have to the images on the web page to see if we have on that matches". . . WTF? Really? They have 2 flashers that are 2 pronged like ours, so I am waiting to hear back on how am I suppose to choose between the two. . .

**shady milkman** · 09-30-2009, 10:29 AM

im confused..spend some money on silicon..cover the housing..repair the crack in the front..and wahhla! no more problems..no need to go do all that led shit..its like a quick fix and no hassle

**GULLETT17** · 09-30-2009, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by shady milkman

im confused..spend some money on silicon..cover the housing..repair the crack in the front..and wahhla! no more problems..no need to go do all that led shit..its like a quick fix and no hassle

Well to begin with, have you seen how much better a new housing looks compared an older housing that has been through years high heat and moisture inside? Obviously the cracks look bad, but because of the moisture inside the housing, the reflective material becomes dull and ugly. But now that I replaced the housings, and love how much better they look, my passenger side is already cracked again within months.
And to me silicone is just a band-aid fix. Who's to say new cracks wont form?
Don't get me wrong. . On my firebird, I did clear siliconed the crack, drilled a hole in the bottom of the housing to release moisture, and haven't had very many issues with it since. However, I'm to the point on the trans am, that I just want to eliminate the problem completely and do it right.

**shady milkman** · 09-30-2009, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by GULLETT17

Well to begin with, have you seen how much better a new housing looks compared an older housing that has been through years high heat and moisture inside? Obviously the cracks look bad, but because of the moisture inside the housing, the reflective material becomes dull and ugly. But now that I replaced the housings, and love how much better they look, my passenger side is already cracked again within months.
And to me silicone is just a band-aid fix. Who's to say new cracks wont form?
Don't get me wrong. . On my firebird, I did clear siliconed the crack, drilled a hole in the bottom of the housing to release moisture, and haven't had very many issues with it since. However, I'm to the point on the trans am, that I just want to eliminate the problem completely and do it right.

well doing the lexan fix on the front and silicon etc is doing it right and fixing a problem..think of it like a engine ..if there is bent pushrod ..you dont scrap the engine and get a new one..you just fix the problem.

but hey different tastes ..do what ya do.

**GULLETT17** · 09-30-2009, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by shady milkman

well doing the lexan fix on the front and silicon etc is doing it right and fixing a problem..think of it like a engine ..if there is bent pushrod ..you dont scrap the engine and get a new one..you just fix the problem.

but hey different tastes ..do what ya do.

well a parking light is a little simpler than an engine . . . . Plus your have other extras like longer bulb life, the look of the LEDS (yet I'm not completely sure if they will put off a better/brighter light), the effect of the switchbacks, etc.

**shady milkman** · 09-30-2009, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by GULLETT17

well a parking light is a little simpler than an engine . . . . Plus your have other extras like longer bulb life, the look of the LEDS (yet I'm not completely sure if they will put off a better/brighter light), the effect of the switchbacks, etc.

.

**GULLETT17** · 10-14-2009, 09:20 AM

Alright guys update:
Finally got around to ordering everything. . . 2 60 LED Switchbacks Amber-White, 1 LED Flasher EFL-2, and 2 LED protectors. . . . $86

**WalterS6** · 10-16-2009, 04:37 AM

I didnt think it would be that expensive. LED's in general are very cheap. Fairly new product?

**GULLETT17** · 10-16-2009, 05:03 AM

Originally Posted by WalterS6

I didnt think it would be that expensive. LED's in general are very cheap. Fairly new product?

I know it does sound expensive. I dont know how new they really are. The bulbs where $30 a piece . . heres what they look like:
http://superlumination.com/images/au...t_clear_wm.jpg

**TempleU_WS6** · 10-16-2009, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by GULLETT17

Alright guys update:
Finally got around to ordering everything. . . 2 60 LED Switchbacks Amber-White, 1 LED Flasher EFL-2, and 2 LED protectors. . . . $86

Awesome.

Do a nice write up once you install everything. Dont forget pics along the way!!!

This will make it easier for everyone who is interested in doing this mod, including me!

**BdAsBrd01** · 10-16-2009, 09:51 AM

Originally Posted by TempleU_WS6

Awesome.

Do a nice write up once you install everything. Dont forget pics along the way!!!

This will make it easier for everyone who is interested in doing this mod, including me!

Thanks for making the effort, I've wondered about if LED's would work or not. I'm about to have to change both of my sockets out..I'm averaging a bulb a month.

**GULLETT17** · 10-16-2009, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by BdAsBrd01

Thanks for making the effort, I've wondered about if LED's would work or not. I'm about to have to change both of my sockets out..I'm averaging a bulb a month.

its probably not necessarily just your sockets. . your housings are probably cracked and the main cause of the problem. if you plan on changing to leds, dont get new housings until then. thats the mistake i made, now im probably gonna have to change my passenger housing again. id temporarily seal the housing with silicone like shady was suggesting.

**wooddaniel** · 10-16-2009, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by GULLETT17

its probably not necessarily just your sockets. . your housings are probably cracked and the main cause of the problem. if you plan on changing to leds, dont get new housings until then. thats the mistake i made, now im probably gonna have to change my passenger housing again. id temporarily seal the housing with silicone like shady was suggesting.

Whatever you end up doing Silicone is a MUST. At least it was for me. I have done it on all my F bods and it has saved me quite a few bulbs.

**GULLETT17** · 10-16-2009, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by wooddaniel

Whatever you end up doing Silicone is a MUST. At least it was for me. I have done it on all my F bods and it has saved me quite a few bulbs.

well with new housings you shouldnt have to silicone. . . at least until the heat cracks em again haha

**BdAsBrd01** · 10-16-2009, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by GULLETT17

its probably not necessarily just your sockets. . your housings are probably cracked and the main cause of the problem. if you plan on changing to leds, dont get new housings until then. thats the mistake i made, now im probably gonna have to change my passenger housing again. id temporarily seal the housing with silicone like shady was suggesting.

The sockets are all rusted though, thought it might be easier especially with winter coming?

**muteki** · 10-16-2009, 02:48 PM

I don't know why these aftermarket companies make all the kits for the Japanese lines, when their light work fine. I never had trouble with any of my daily driver ricers. Don't they know that they are sitting on a small fortune here? I think a majority of Firebird & T/A owners would upgrade if they had a turn key kit for the mod. My Firebird was a nightmare, because I live in a tropical island and it rains almost 6 months straight. The T/A on the other hand, I have had for a year and a half. I've been lucky and replaced the sockets once.....but, I have noticed some stress cracks on the lense from the constant heat and cooling due to the rain.

**hutch1999** · 10-16-2009, 04:48 PM

I have delt with this problem, it pretty much sucks. These small problems that piss people off are what puts people off to GM products. Esp those people who do not care about great drivetrains like most of us do on here. Most average (non gearheards) people get pissed off when common things like window motors, light bulbs/sockets, and speakers are constantly f'd up. GM electronic components have really been in my opinion one of the big factors in people calling GM products junk and inferior to other brands.

**wooddaniel** · 10-16-2009, 04:53 PM

Originally Posted by hutch1999

I have delt with this problem, it pretty much sucks. These small problems that piss people off are what puts people off to GM products. Esp those people who do not care about great drivetrains like most of us do on here. Most average (non gearheards) people get pissed off when common things like window motors, light bulbs/sockets, and speakers are constantly f'd up. GM electronic components have really been in my opinion one of the big factors in people calling GM products junk and inferior to other brands.

Because of the response to Mods, I love GM Products. However. I have owned enough of them that I have learned not to count on the interior lasting very long, or any of the lights (acutally my GTO the lighs were great but it was an exception) or cosmetic pieces on the outside that break easily.