speedo shorted?

[Merlin76]

'94 GT
5.0
5 spd

Hi guys, hope someone may have an idea of what is wrong.

While driving the car the alternator gauge pegged out on high and the check engine and airbag lights came on, but kept running....this lasted about 30 seconds then went back to normal. This happened again within about 10 minutes from the first then went back to normal. The next day, same thing but this time it died and wouldn't start. Acted as though the battery was dead because nothing would work (windows and such). Hooked jumper cables to it and smoke came from the dash....melted the "battery" wire on the back of the cluster that is connected to the speedo (electronic speedo). Took the alternator to be checked and they said it was overcharging...got a new one and put in on....temporarily fixed the melted wire and connected the jumper cables again (battery was in fact dead). Without the key on or anything, it melted that same "battery" wire and the "ground" wire that was connected to the speedo. Can the electronic speedo short out and cause the short that melted the + & - wires on the gauge cluster? Seems to me that this is the only place that the short could be that would cause those particular two wires to melt. Any suggestions on what to check or should I break down and have it towed to the shop for someone to put a short in the funds of my wallet?

I have the cluster out and can't see any visible signs of burning/shorting, but I don't know what readings I should get from a meter so I can check ohm readings all day long and wouldn't know if I was getting the right or wrong readings.

I hope this explanation makes sense.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Steve

[~The Jester~]

Go to a junkyard, and replace the whole cluster. Make sure you fix that wire good too.

You either shorted the speedo, a gauge, or the printed circuit on the back of the cluster.