Connector on Cluster

[RumPunch]

Is anyone familiar with what this is on the back of the cluster? FYI 1988 B-II auto trans. Not sure if I am missing a connector or if this is a resistor pack of sorts...? It is right behind the coolant temp/fuel gauge indicator.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

No pic for me...

 

[RumPunch]

 

[JerrySab]

So... I'm trying to sort out how voltage is reduced for fuel gauge and temp sending unit.. maybe it's via that doohickey? I'm seeing fuel gauge and temp gauge periodically spike and then come back down. At first thought truck was overheating. but it always settles back down so thinking something is afoul. or fouling?

Either way. This is my guess. Please take with grain of salt.

 

[RumPunch]

Just so odd that it is shaped as if to accept a connector. Although no barbs but yet there are 2 tabs… thinking a capacitor housing of sorts?

 

[Blmpkn]

Certainly looks like there's a capacitor in there.

 

[Uncle Gump]

@RonD

Mr. Ron what the hell is it sir?

 

[Curious Hound]

That's definitely a resistor seen inside it. The color bands tell you the resistance value.

It is not a connector for other wires. Nothing missing there. @RonD would probably know.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Interesting. It looks like a light bulb socket but I don’t understand the resistor. Been a long time since I had one of these gauge clusters out. If I think about it tomorrow I’ll see if the one spare cluster is still where I think it is in my shed

 

[Uncle Gump]

Resistor for the pretend oil pressure gauge perhaps?

 

[Roert42]

I have most of a ‘96 gauge cluster in a box so I checked. The thermostat jobber has a 92 ohm resistor soldered to two of the connector pins.

maybe just some way of making the gauge do what they want without a fancy computer.

 

[RumPunch]

Potentially. I know it’s a bad pic I’ll try for a better one tomorrow. It does not twist out either like a bulb housing although it looks as if it would.

 

[RonD]

Not sure what it is

Guess would be 1st generation Battery Light, during Fords conversion from AMP Meter to Volt meter gauges

Battery light circuit has a bypass resistor in case the bulb burns out, so alternator/regulator still gets its "startup voltage" with Key on