944 tail light upgrade

[OzJustin]

Hi all

I wanted to see if anyone has performed the Only944 tail light mod/upgrade to the brake lights?
https://www.only944.com/partscatalog/only/taillight/

I recently fitted clear indicator lenses to my S2 and they turned out great (don't ask about removing the factory tar sealant though!). While I was poking around in the tail light housing I started comparing the aussie spec wiring with the US version. Obviously different design rules have dictated this outcome. The aussie spec appears to use the lower outer red lense for the brake light and the lower middle red lense for the night lights. Strangely I see that the night night bulb is a 5w compared to 21w for the rest of the housing. Can anyone confirm that the lower middle lense does light up for you with your lights on as both sides of mine don't seem to light up at present (I may have a wiring gremlin)? The two inner-most red lenses (fog lights/reflectors I believe) are not used at all in the aussie spec, however, the housing does provide the option to install a single 21w bulb to light up both lenses.

For the US spec cars I see that the lower outer red lense is used for the night lights and the two inner-most red lenses (not used in the aussie spec) for the brake lights. The Only944 upgrade kit appears to split the circuits to allow for the lower middle red lense to become a second night light. On the aussie cars I suppose we could make use of the two inner-most red lenses for either brake or night lights. The tail lights are very dull generally so would no doubt improve safety with all lenses being made use of.

A picture is worth a thousand words:

My clear indicator lense upgrade:

Stock aussie spec housing showing the bulb usage:

Stock aussie spec housing showing the wiring arrangement:

Stock US spec housing showing the wiring arrangement:

[TINGY]

@Corki944

 Has done this upgrade, it certainly makes the stop lights easier to see.

[brian in buddina]

Justin

Where did you get the clear indicators lenses from? Are we going to see you Saturday? 

[OzJustin]

7 hours ago, TINGY944 said:

@Corki944

 Has done this upgrade, it certainly makes the stop lights easier to see.

Thanks Tingy. Do your lower middle  lenses light up with your lights on?

1 hour ago, brian in buddina said:

Justin

Where did you get the clear indicators lenses from? Are we going to see you Saturday? 

Hi Brian

The lenses were sourced from Protocast in the UK. Richard was great to deal with. Unfortunately won’t make Saturday as have a family event planned.

[Stepo]

9 hours ago, OzJustin said:

Can anyone confirm that the lower middle lense does light up for you with your lights on as both sides of mine don't seem to light up at present (I may have a wiring gremlin)?

Hi Justin, I can confirm the two lower middle rear lenses light up with my headlights on.

[Timm]

I've done this mod, but I did my own wiring instead of buying the only944 kit. I think it looks really great.

If I remember right, my stock setup was:

Lower outer red = brake lights

Lower middle red = night lights (so, yes they would light up with the lights on)

Inner red top and bottom pair = not powered

I moved the brake lights to the middle pair and extended the red/black wire for them. I then zip tied a 5w bulb into the lower outer socket and soldered a wire directly to it and wrapped the other end directly around the plug for the factory night light. It's a bit agricultural compared to the only944 item, but it works and it cost me nothing.

Looking at the only944 kit, it appears that if you want to move your brake lights to the middle pair, you will also need to extend the red/black wire for the brake lights as I have done. It's quite easy though and completely reversible. Just make a short extension using a male and a female blade connector at either end, and wrap the joint in tape so that it doesn't short out on the backing plate or ground plug.

Brake lights on:

Night lights on:

 

[brian in buddina]

sorry ! I am challenged controlling my retro mod inner self.

How would you get your 944 tail cluster  lights to do this?

https://youtu.be/fTJfm64Qmx4

sequential shifting using the standard 944 lenses? Maybe just the 3 bottom cells on each side...

[TINGY]

6 hours ago, OzJustin said:

Thanks Tingy. Do your lower middle  lenses light up with your lights on?

 

Justin mine is whatever standard is, i must admit the rear lights are better with this mod.

[Jason E]

I have purchased the only944 kit to do this - just need to find time.

Looks good Justin - nice work.

 

[OzJustin]

8 hours ago, Timm said:

I've done this mod, but I did my own wiring instead of buying the only944 kit. I think it looks really great.

If I remember right, my stock setup was:

Lower outer red = brake lights

Lower middle red = night lights (so, yes they would light up with the lights on)

Inner red top and bottom pair = not powered

I moved the brake lights to the middle pair and extended the red/black wire for them. I then zip tied a 5w bulb into the lower outer socket and soldered a wire directly to it and wrapped the other end directly around the plug for the factory night light. It's a bit agricultural compared to the only944 item, but it works and it cost me nothing.

Looking at the only944 kit, it appears that if you want to move your brake lights to the middle pair, you will also need to extend the red/black wire for the brake lights as I have done. It's quite easy though and completely reversible. Just make a short extension using a male and a female blade connector at either end, and wrap the joint in tape so that it doesn't short out on the backing plate or ground plug.

Brake lights on:

Night lights on:

 

Thanks for all the comments guys. Sounds like I need to test the wire continuity of my non-functioning tail lights first. I must have bumped the old wiring when doing all the work for the clear indicators.

Timm - Thanks heaps for your post. Your bulb setup is exactly what I’d like to do to mine, except with the Only944 kit.

Does anyone know why the stock tail light (lower middle red lense) is only a 5w when all the other bulbs are 21w?I was thinking of trying 5w LED bayonet bulbs throughout which will probably still be brighter than the stock halogens.

Jason - How are you with a soldering iron and multimeter? We can install the Only944 kit together if you like?

[Jason E]

2 hours ago, OzJustin said:

Thanks for all the comments guys. Sounds like I need to test the wire continuity of my non-functioning tail lights first. I must have bumped the old wiring when doing all the work for the clear indicators.

Timm - Thanks heaps for your post. Your bulb setup is exactly what I’d like to do to mine, except with the Only944 kit.

Does anyone know why the stock tail light (lower middle red lense) is only a 5w when all the other bulbs are 21w?I was thinking of trying 5w LED bayonet bulbs throughout which will probably still be brighter than the stock halogens.

Jason - How are you with a soldering iron and multimeter? We can install the Only944 kit together if you like?

Sounds like a great idea mate.  Sadly I own neither a soldering iron nor a multimeter but would happily acquire them to do the job.  There is a Bunnings just down the road!!!

[TwoHeadsTas]

1 minute ago, Jason E said:

Sounds like a great idea mate.  Sadly I own neither a soldering iron nor a multimeter but would happily acquire them to do the job.  There is a Bunnings just down the road!!!

Probably better off going to Jaycar rather than Bunnings........

[Jason E]

2 minutes ago, TwoHeadsTas said:

Probably better off going to Jaycar rather than Bunnings........

Cheers, there's a Jaycar not too far as well........

[Timm]

You guys can borrow mine if you want...though I may be a bit further away than bunnings or jaycar ;-)

[Jason E]

7 hours ago, Timm said:

You guys can borrow mine if you want...though I may be a bit further away than bunnings or jaycar ;-)

Cheers Timm,

You're not to far from where I work so may be a goer.  I'll talk to you about it this weekend.

[OzJustin]

9 hours ago, Timm said:

You guys can borrow mine if you want...though I may be a bit further away than bunnings or jaycar ;-)

Thanks Timm. I’ve got a soldering iron but I dare say yours is better than my cheapie. Will touch base with Jason.

Anyone know about the 5w vs 21w bulbs?

[Timm]

14 minutes ago, OzJustin said:

Thanks Timm. I’ve got a soldering iron but I dare say yours is better than my cheapie. Will touch base with Jason.

Anyone know about the 5w vs 21w bulbs?

Mine is just a cheapy as well. I only needed it for soldering the wire directly to the bulb...if you are using the only944 kit, you may not need it?

I tried putting a 21w bulb in one of the tail light sockets...but it got really hot and melted the housing a little, so probably not a good idea haha

[944s2cab]

I'm amazed that you guys own a Porsche and can get away without a soldering iron or a multimeter, mine spend more time being used on the car than on my work and I fault diagnose electrical problems for a living

[DC242]

All cars I've played with over the years have 5w for tail light and 21w for brake. This is so if you use the one double filament bulb for both you can see the difference. Having anything brighter than 5w would look like you've got a rain light or a stuck brake.

[Port 911]

I do like the idea of just changing them all to LED globes