[Smallblock454]

Is the engine running, when you test the voltage?

If the engine is running, the voltage has to be around 13,8 voilts at the starter battery and maybe a little tiny bit lower at the gage cluster main voltage input.

If the engine is running and you read 9.7 volt means that there is a bad connection or the voltage regulator of your alternator is bad.

If the cluster gets too low voltage a result can be that flickering.

If the input voltage for the cluster is OK – around 13.8 volts when the engine is running i would say the cluster electronics has a problem. So open it up and investigate the pcb for bad solder connections.

Regards, Markus