'97 was the first year for this, then.

My '96 cluster had the resistor:


My 98+ clusters do not have the resistor.

My '97 cluster is almost exactly the same as your '96, right down to the round pads the resistor is mounted to, except that there is a trace running between the pads.

I thought I'd update my progress so far on this thread.

The Motorcraft SW873B sending unit won't fit. There is a steel line running to the bottom of the power steering pump, and the sending unit hits it, and I can't get the threads to line up well enough to start them.

I found another sending unit, Motorcraft SW2433 and have ordered it. It is smaller than a SW873B, the only problem is that nobody stocks it, I should have it tomorrow.

wait... so on this pic where would you place the jumper? cuz this pic looks like mine but doesnt look anything like the pic on the install thread... (i think its the resistor on the far left, correct?)

Yes, it's the resistor on the left directly above where the wiring harness connector plugs in.

ok, thanks....
Timmaaaayyy!!!(sorry)

Yep. It actually says OIL and 20 OHM right next to it. Would be hard to mistake it

Use the bottom plugged port and Get a 90 degree elbow in brass so the sending unit points back. Should fit then. Just leave the original in place or replace it with the plug removed from the bottom.

Great idea! I wish I would have thought of that before I ordered the other sending unit.

Oh well.

Well, I got the Motorcraft SW2433 sending unit this morning, and put it in. It replaces the stock sending unit perfectly, it looks as if it could have rolled off the assembly line that way.

It's harder to get, there are only two Ford models that use it, but well worth the wait.

One of them is a 1993 Mustang GT 5.0L 302CID w/gauge

My first mod, a fully functional oil pressure gauge!

Congrats. Now where you able to do it with your '97 cluster, or did you have to modify the other one you had?

I think he is using a 92-96 oil pressure GAUGE, inside his 97 cluster shell, with the new sending unit (and no jumpers used)

The 97+ clusters do not have the external 20ohm resistor, it is integral to the gauge. So, by using a -96 gauge inside his 97 cluster there is no resistor being used, which means it will read like a functional pressure gauge provided you use the correct sender.

I don't understand why they made all the gauges give dummy readings in the first place.

Customers who don't know jack about cars don't like seeing gauges jump all over the place, even if it's perfectly normal..

Both of mine were '97 clusters, the only way to make this mod work with a '97 cluster, is to use a temp/oil guage assembly from a '96 cluster. The oil gauge in the '97 (and probably newer) can't be used for this mod.

The '96 and the '97 clusters are identical with the exceptions of the oil guage and the resistor. To remove the assembly, you have to remove the 4 gold screws at the top of the cluster, and the other 4 at the very bottom. This will allow you to remove the "glass" and the black plastic frame surrounding the gauges. This will expose the gauge assemblies. Just grab the temp/oil guage assembly, and gently pull, it will unplug from the cluster.

The '96 gauge assembly will plug right into the '97 cluster, and since there is no resistor, you don't have to jump anything. I changed the gauge assembly without removing the cluster from the car.

Once you have done that, the only thing that remains is to change the sending unit. I recommend the Motorcraft SW2433, harder to get, but easier to install. The Standard part number is PS243, GP Sorensen is OPS134.