Gauge Cluster Differences Throughout the Years

[jnshk]

- There is a 180-ohm 2W resistor for the fuel level gauge that jumpers a trace on the circuit board of the cluster in most years. It appears to be absent in many (if not all) of the 97 clusters. This resistor helps calibrate the fuel level gauge so that in earlier years it moves from F to E with the tank. In later years (which are missing the resistor), the needle goes past F and E. On a full tank, it floats above F until approximately 10-11 gallons and then begins to move. E represents approximately 2 gallons.

I can't edit my initial post, but I've got more information to add in regard to this note: After more testing, the behavior is not entirely as I first assumed. When removing the resistor from the '93 cluster in my '97 car, it did increase the scale range slightly, but not quite as far as my '97 cluster. Not sure if there is just natural variance between gauges or some additional design change that I haven't spotted. With the '93 cluster (after resistor removed) in my '97 car, the needle will hold at just above F and then start dropping when the tank is at approximately 11 gallons. It will then read semi-linearly down to E and it will hover there until approximately 1.5 gallons are left in the tank and then drop a notch below E.