First Breakdown in the Dart

I was under the dash yesterday afternoon. Pulled the two gauges to check them out. The hotwire spade on the water temp gauge is scorched. Gauge smells burned. Oil gauge seems ok. I checked the wire for the lights. I comes off the fuse box and is connected to the lamp fuse. It’s ok.

Ill be under the dash today checking the fuse box ad looking for damaged wires. Given the wiring harness under the dash was new I’m baffled as to where a wire would short out. Im thinking the gauge shorted.

This is the culprit wire and what’s left of the fuseable link.