Smoking gas gauge!!!!

[1badgrm]

68 big block convert. Sending unit shows correct resistance using ohm meter. Brand new fuel gauge. The connector has a pink wire thats hot with ignition and the sending unit wire is light brown. There is not a short in the either wire. When the fuel gauge connector is plugged in to the gauge and the ignition is turned on, the back of the gauge gets hot and smokes. I cannot see anything on the back of the fuel gauge that would indicate that either of the terminals are grounded. Anybody have any ideas????

 

[jdp6000]

I am not familiar with the 68 but the newer C#'s have a plug that goes into the back of the gauge cluster. Sometimes the copper circuits unglue and cross. If yours has this plug consider checking the copper....

jim

 

[JohnZ]

If the wires are reversed in the connector (or the terminals on the gauge are wired backwards), that shorts the pink wire (ignition-switched 12V) to ground through the gauge case and fries the gauge.