RAM SRT-10 Pickup V10-505 8.3L (2004)
Oil Temperature Gauge: Description and Operation
An oil temperature gauge (1) is standard equipment on all SRT-10 models. This electronic, analog gauge is located in the lower end of the left A-pillar
trim molding below the grab handle (2), in clear view of the vehicle operator. The gauge dial face is visible through a clear plastic lens, which is secured
to the gauge housing with a silver anodized trim ring. The remainder of the gauge, including the mounting provisions and the electrical connections, are
concealed behind the left A-pillar trim molding.
The molded plastic housing at the rear of the gauge protects the electronic circuitry of the gauge and has two mounting studs, which are secured by nuts
to a molded plastic mounting bracket screwed to the back of the A-pillar trim molding. A short pigtail wire with a connector extends from the back of the
gauge housing and connects the gauge to the vehicle electrical system through a take out and connector of the instrument panel wire harness.
The oil temperature gauge consists of a movable gauge needle or pointer with a 270 degree sweep that is controlled by the electronic gauge circuitry.
The gauge overlay reads left-to-right from "60" to "150" with "° C" indicated directly below the low (left) end of the scale in markets where a metric
instrument cluster is specified, or from "140" to "300" with "° F" indicated directly below the left end of the scale for all other markets. The text "OIL
TEMP" is imprinted on the center of the gauge overlay below the hub of the gauge needle, while the text "SRT" is imprinted above the hub of the gauge
needle. The gauge graphics are black against a silver field except for a single red zone at the high (right) end of the gauge scale and are clearly visible in
daylight.
General illumination lighting for the gauge is provided by a Light Emitting Diode (LED) that is soldered onto the gauge circuit board. The gauge overlay
is a laminated plastic unit. The dark, visible, outer surface of the overlay is marked with the gauge dial face and graduations, but this layer is also
translucent. The underlying layer of the overlay is opaque and allows light from the LED on the circuit board behind it to be visible through the outer
layer of the overlay only through predetermined stencil-like cutouts. When illuminated from behind by the panel lamps dimmer controlled gauge lighting
with the exterior lamps turned On, the black graphics appear blue-green and the red graphics still appear red. The gauge needle has internal optical
illumination.
