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I got my 1953 M38 running after three years of rebuilding. I had a dash panel with the oil pressure gauge, temp gauge and speedo gauge hooked up to the chassis.

I have a solid state voltage regulator and a five wire spider harness powering the dash panel and a circuit breaker on the panel.

I fired up the chassis and everything looked good.

After testing everything, I began fitting all the sheet metal. I bolted on the body and dropped the dash panel into the dash, this time with a voltmeter in place. I wired up the voltemeter with the fifth #27 wire coming off of the spider, and had wires 8 and 9 dangling, with their contact points both covered with black electrical tape.

I cranked the Jeep up and it ran fine, however, after about thirty seconds of run time, smoke started pouring out from the dash and the wonderful smell of electrical / rubber burn filled the air. I hit the kill switch and pulled the rig in the garage.

Pulling the dash panel didn't reveal any melted wires, however, the voltmeter never acted like it was getting any power. The ignition switch (late model with two wires, one with a plug with two contact points (27 and 12 wire) and the 11 wire. Their is no 11 wire on my harness from the voltage regulator, so I have the 10 wire connected to the 11 wire on the ignition switch. In any case, no visible burn or damage on it either.

Is my wiring correct or would either the 8 or 9 wire go to the voltmeter?

Seeing that the voltmeter is the only thing that is new in the set up, something tells me that it is the cause of the problem. Anyone have an issue like this before?

If and 8 and 9 wires are not the issue, what do I do with them?

Thanks.

Consider 8 & 9 wires as non-players and seal them off. Are you sure your M38 is a 1953? They were only built 1950, 51 and 52. The A1 was 1952 thru 68.

Late M38 will have a 4 wire or 4 terminal switch. (11 [power from 10], 12[power to ignition], 27 [power to instrument spider], 85 [accessory])
On the late model #10 comes from voltage regulator to a double connecter which becomes 10 to next double connector and 25 to horn. Then at the second double connector 10 ends and 11 goes to master switch and 15 goes to light switch.

In the older M38's with circuit breakers the 10 goes to the power side of the first and 2nd circuit breakers. Then it becomes wire #11 as it goes to the power side of the third circuit breaker and to the master switch. The light switch poer comes in wire 15 direct from a circuit breaker.

Wes, thanks for the clarification.

Mine is a '52... A re-read of the data plates clarifies.

It is a hodgepodge '52 however. Front axle is an A1 unit with A1 tie rods, gauges were from all over, etc., etc.

Turns out the burning smell wasn't the wires at all, but the throwout bearing on the clutch immolating against the pressure plate spring levers.

My chassis has been sitting for two years rebuilt and I forgot to lube the bearing with high-temp resistant grease before I did my road test.

Ouch.

Now I have more "experience" as they say...