What interval to you change your oil? 5K oil changes usually don't have problems with carbon. But i've seen a lot of Fords that follow the 10K oil change interval start to have carbon build up at around 60-80K. Starts out as hesitation and eventually a misfire. If you don't find any other issues...
The inside of the sensor spins with the fan and a bearing lets the outside keep stationary. But there's always a little bit of friction trying to turn it. The hose just keeps it from putting tension on the electrical connector. Right now if you were to unplug it the sensor would spin with the fan.
A couple weeks ago I swapped my steering wheel to add cruise control to my XL. At first all of the buttons were dead. I found a setting in Forscan under IPC for which left and right button sets are installed. Now everything works.
If your piece of silicone tubing is long enough you could try pinching it most of the way closed with a clamp and see if the flutter stops. If so a restrictor would help you.
When I swapped my cluster I saved the asbuilt data from the original. Then loaded that into the new one. That way all of the settings matched my truck. Since you've already swapped your cluster you could go to the motorcraft website and download your asbuilt data with your vin number...
It's been a couple years since I put mine in. I may have made my own restrictor. I do remember having a flutter problem at low rpm when I first put the gauge in. I have the version with the rubber hose. I know they also make the same gauge with plastic line and compression fittings. I'm not sure...
I installed a Gloshift boost gauge in mine and it came with a brass restrictor to prevent flutter. It was a small brass cylinder with a tiny pinhole hole through it. The restrictor gets pushed into the hose about an inch or so before where it connects to the engine. It completely stopped the...
I swapped my radio out last year and the Maestro kit couldn't use the factory mic. I used the one that came with the radio and stuck it underneath the climate controls out of the way.
I used Quicksilver grease with good results.
https://www.amazon.com/Quicksilver-8M0071838-Performance-Multi-Purpose-Extreme/dp/B00BO8A6P6/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=quicksilver+grease&qid=1656176333&sprefix=quicksilver+grea%2Caps%2C80&sr=8-1
The rubber insulator around the carrier bearing is really soft the the Rangers. I had the same "bump" feeling until I greased the drive shaft spline. They come with a coating of dry lubricant that's blue from the factory but it's not very good. The F150's have the same issue.