Fire in engine bay....???

[BullElk]

My 80 series just had a fire erupt under bonnet. Any common possibilties as to why?

Right before my son drove 3.5 hours back to college, I replaced the brittle pastic heat control valve. Right about the time he gets to his destination he says the CEL begins blinking and engine sputters like a bad plug wire, which he is familiar. Then in rather quick order the steering gets difficult and the brakes begin going out. He pulls in a parking lot, gets out and sees smoke and fire on under hood on driver's side. Firemen put it out and tow it.

What on earth could have caused that? Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

[Rusty Marlin]

leaky injectors?

 

[slow95z]

any number of things could have caused it but i can tell you from first hand experience you need to L O V E that truck to bother fixing it. My wife fixed one that burned up once and it was a nightmare.

 

[BullElk]

Trying to figure how I may have done something indirectly to cause this to happen. Didn’t touch any fuel line that I can figure. Just have no idea.

 

[slow95z]

Could have been a battery issue, fuel, oil leak, short on the harness... Sucks man but it happens.

 

[BullElk]

.. And triple locked with brand new tires. Dagnabit.

 

[CruisinLanai]

Glad your son is okay. We can replace our cruisers, not our kids. My truck had a fire that started from a shorted out headlamp and spread to my battery and the surrounding areas. Put up some pictures when you can and we can help diagnose. If it wasn't so hard finding 80s in my area I would have scrapped mine and gotten another one. A year and a half later and she still hasn't ran quite like it did before.

 

[mudgudgeon]

.. And triple locked with brand new tires. Dagnabit.

What's the rest of it like?

If it was burning until firies got there to put it out, how much is damaged?

Might be time to part it out?

 

[BullElk]

Not sure yet. Won’t be able to check out the details til Monday morning. It was in good running condition. Not cosmetically perfect but nice and dependable…. Until.

 

[mudgudgeon]

This is a good reminder for me to permanently mount my fire extinguisher!

Had a fire in an old 1970s sedan engine bay once. That was a pain to fix and it had no electronics, simple carburettor etc

 

[Kernal]

Did the 80 in question have an intact OEM fusible link bundle ie: no "fixes" with non-fusible wire replacing one or more of the links? Any replacement Wallymart cheapo fuses??

 

[BullElk]

Did the 80 in question have an intact OEM fusible link bundle ie: no "fixes" with non-fusible wire replacing one or more of the links? Any replacement Wallymart cheapo fuses??

Not that I know of. I never changed up the wiring or fusible links.

 

[Godwin]

Is the Cruiser at Auburn?

 

[BullElk]

Is the Cruiser at Auburn?

Yes it is.

 

[flintknapper]

Most under hood fires will be the result of a dead short in wiring, once the insulation on the wiring catches fire....things progress rapidly.

 

[Godwin]

Yes it is.

I'm on campus. If you want I can check it out and send photos.

 

[BullElk]

I'm on campus. If you want I can check it out and send photos.

Thanks. I am planning for my son to go by when Franklin TIre opens the gate to get pictures for me.

 

[slow95z]

@Godwin let me know the details on it too. i can either help with parts or make an offer if its beyond repair.

 

[slow95z]

well it looks like i will be going to get this truck on saturday and chop it up. its a little beyond repair

 

[FMC80]

That’s a bummer. What year is it? And was there any info about what cause the fire?