I have a 88 iroc, 350 t5, carburated. Had it all together about a year now. Just the other day the all gauges, except the speedo(mechanical) quit working. The fuse has blown. Seems there is a dead short between ground and the gauge cluster side of the fuse. I then pulled my cluster out and I still have a short measuring about 1ohm to ground, so it must be the car side. I got the pinouts for the connectors off the internet and see theres 5 sources of power into the cluster all measuring th same. I checked out my cluster anyways, everything seems to measure ok. My question is, has anyone else ever had such an issue? What else does the "gauge" fuse power that can be shorted to ground? Where does the wire go from the fuse block. I see it runs into the main dash harness, it much go into the steering column to be switched with the key. Please help out. I'm just short of taking the whole dash out and cutting open the harness to trace the wire.

 

My Haynes manual for my 1989 305 TBI Vin E in the diagram for 'ECM and related components' that the Gauges Fuse is supplying power for:

S.E.S. Lamp
Brake Switch
Automatic Tran. TCC Solenoid
ALDL Connector F
Shift Light

and for the TPI version it also includes:

CCP Solenoid
EGR Solenoid
Divert Solenoid
Port Solenoid
ALDL Connection C

Maybe that will help.

 

check the cig. lighter.

 

Hey, thanks for the replies guys, but I have it all figured out. About a month ago I put in a centerforce cluch. I found a pink/black wire pinched between the bellhousing and engine block. It took awhile to finally wear through and short out. I really **** the bed on that one. All gauges are working great now.