Volvo Repair: 240 speedo meter problems, wiring harnesses, car stalls

Question
we have 89 240 sedan with about 160,000.  The speedo
meter has "burned up" on us several times.  Each one I
replace will run well and then smoke appears from the dash
and the car stalls.  After a few minutes the car starts and
the speedo meter doesnt work.
I did try to replace a radio some time ago, and the pro,blem
seemed to start about that time.  Yet everyone I talk to and
have taken the car in to says that should have not caused
the promblem.  Any thoughts

Answer
If it runs and then burns up later it has to be an intermittent problem.  And since it's burning up it has to be getting too much voltage.  This means that it most likely has a short or a bypass to the guage.  Check all the wiring behind it very carefully espescially around areas where wiring harnesses may get pinched (like the radio).  It will most likely be obvious cause of a pinched area, but it may be in the outer wrapping of the wiring harness.  Since it stalls at the same time there is probably a BIG short like from the ignition switch to the cluster wiring or something.  Check all the places where work behind the dash has been done recently.  Be thorough and you should be able to find it, hopefully without pulling the dash.  Good luck.  Hope this helps.

James