Instrument Panel, Stereo, etc. on the fritz :-(

[TJSUPE]

After spending WAY too much time on this thing Saturday evening (Thanks to TJSUPE for all of the help!), we discovered that when the 'blue' connector (not sure if it's C203 or not, but it is in the same location as Russ's diagram) is disconnected, the short goes away. Thinking that it was C203, we disconnected EVERYTHING that is listed above, and still the short did not go away.

Any way to determine the exact "identity" of that blue connector?

I dont think the blue connector is the C203. Not sure what it is though. The diagram shows three connectors. The panel holding the connectors has a total of about 8 connectors. The blue one is the 4th one down (i believe). For some reason the diagrams do not show the rest of the connectors. Actually, now that I think about it, the C202,3,and 4 are for the wires coming from the power distribution center. The remainder of the connectors; IIRC, go to the instruments and various sources in the cab.

So if the blue connector goes to somewhere in the cab and when its disconnected the fuse does not blow, does that mean the problem is in the cab?

Not sure if this helps or not....

We need to borrow another Ohm meter, right? I may be able to get one for tonight.

[steelman]

It's FIXED!

Well, we all know that the dana 35 axle is not the axle of choice, right? Who would have thought that mine actually had something to do with my electrical problems?! Here's the scoop:
For the IDTT run at Calico last month, I decided that I'd better bring along the spare axle shafts for the ol' d35. In my clever inventiveness, I decided that a decent place to store these things for the trip would be to strap them to the tub, one on each side over the rear fender wells. It turns out that they moved a little in my travels, and over time, the one that was strapped in on the drivers side moved a little, and ended up rubbing against the wire that comes out away from the tub and tucks up under the roll bar padding for the soundbar/light. :oops: I took the shafts out a few days ago, and just the other night I was helping my son out of the back of the Jeep, happened to look down, and this is what I saw:

After a three minute wire repair, it's all good! Thanks to all for your input on this thing. Can't believe it was something so simple as this, but glad it was! sure nice to have a gas guage and a stereo again!