Wrong front wiring harness?

[Whiteclam]

Gentlemen, I need your expert help.

I purchased a M151a1 (AMC March 1965) three months ago and had been working on the body replacing bad areas of rust, priming and painting. The engine runs good, but the Mutt came without the original light switch and ignition on/off switch. All the wires had been cut to the switches and to the tail lights. It had an automotive light and keyed ignition switch witch I wanted to replace with originals. The guy I bought it from had a new front and rear wiring harness still in the package, so I wasn't concerned.

When I finally got around to taking out the old front harness I found that things were not the same on the new one.

1) The turn signal circuit on my old harness was separate from the main harness attaching to the front harness via six plugs. It attached to the flashing unit via a screw on plug. The new harness had the turn signal circuit as part of the main harness and a small single rubber plug going to a flasher.

2) My old harness had a large oil sending unit plug connecting next to the oil filter. The new harness has none.

3) The old stop light plug is rubber and the new one is screw on.

4) The old #5 wire to the regulator is a large screw on type and the new harness just has a thick wire that attaches to the regulator with a nut like a battery terminal, only my Delco Remy regulator has no stud for the connection.

When you have time could you experts please look at my pictures (I hope I can figure out how to load the pictures) and try and determine what I had, what I have now, and if it is the wrong harness or is it a newer replacement that needs modification. HELP me please; this is my first try at restoring a military vehicle.

G.K. Cowart, Cpl. USMC FDC "Golf forward" 3/11 1968.

 

[199th mp]

G.K., did the new harnesses have the part number tags still attached anywhere? i'm not able to tell which is correct for your jeep from experience, but i have the parts manuals and could look them up for you. the old turn signal set you show is the same as the one on my 1966 M151A1. if the vehicle has been converted to the 60 amp alternator, as mine has, then there will be no regulator connections available or needed. if it still has the 25 amp generator/regulator combination, then that is going to be quite different. when these vehicles were still in service, some were converted, and a kit was issued with an instruction page and necessary wiring parts. in your posting, you wrote AMC---are your front fenders flat, with a small turn signal light, or do they have a depression at the front for the large turn signal light?

 

[Warthog]

There where multiply harnesses depending on the year of manufacture of the 151.

 

[Whiteclam]

199th MP,

There are no parts numbers on either front or rear new harnesses. They were in clear plastic bags. After you mentioned 25 amp verses 60 amp circuits I google searched "M151 25 amp harness" and came up with a schematic drawing of the 25 amp front and rear harness from SURPLUS JEEP.com. It matches my old harnesses perfectly. They also have a schematic of the 60 amp harness and that matches the new one I have. So I assume I still have the older 25 amp system.

 

[199th mp]

G.K.---if your assessment is correct, then what you need is one of those conversion kits i mentioned earlier. i have seen them crop up on ebay from time to time, so it might be worth your while to look there. you might also want to check in at 2 other MV sites, G838 is M151's only, and G503 is all types of MV's, including 151's, which are of course the best 1/4 ton vehicles ever made. welcome to the club. ron hill, HHC MP's 199th infantry, vietnam 69-70.

 

[Whiteclam]

Ron,

There are lots of 60 amp conversion kits on ebay, but wouldn't I need to find a 60 amp Alternator to replace the 25 amp generator?

 

[199th mp]

yes you would, but you may consider it worth the expense. you would probably be able to sell your generator and regulator to help recoup some of the costs, and it would make your wiring job a bit easier. i believe that in my case, it was worth it, but then i'm running 2 MP lights, a siren and a working RT524 radio. by the way, since this is a new hobby for you, do you know about the large MV get together coming up in a couple of weeks at the tower park KOA in lodi, california? if you're interested, send me a PM with your phone number and i'll call you with the details.

 

[TNJMurray]

Looks like you got a m151a2 harness , give me a call next week and I will try to help you. Thanks John Murray. Tnjmurray.com. Murco@tnjmurray.com

 

[Austringer]

Agree with John, you have an A2 harness. which is very different (but can be made to work) with an earlier 151 or 151A1

 

[Whiteclam]

Jason,

Yes. I agree too, after some google searching. If I can't find a good take out 25 amp front harness I'm going to strip down my old harness and strip down the 60 amp new harness and along with some straight 14 gage connectors I'll heat shrink my way to a usable harness. I hope.