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The Night my car went up in Flames


gp90se

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So me and my buddy spend 6 hours installing the new fuel injectors/rail/pressure modual/plenum and doing a few other little things.

 

Get it running, a little rough but good enough to take for a test drive. I put the plate on from my Nissan (which was originally off the grand prix) and decided to go out for a little spin make sure everything was okey.

 

I head to the gas station and put $10 worth of 94 into the tank and head over 2 a buddys house. Get there no problems, check everything under the hood and its still rough, but no major issues.

 

I go to the center of town where I decided to go home and get the legal car for the night. As I enter the parking lot my engine light pops on, im thinking cool, now I can figure out why its running rough. Pulled into a space and started looking for my paper clip when I notice a little steam coming from under my hood. Figured it was coolant I spilled when I did the heater bypass on the TB. Pop the hood open and flames shoot out from under the plenum. I ripped my shirt off and tried to put the flames out. After my shirt cough fire and I realized there wasn't much I could do to stop it. I ripped off the under hood padding (it was starting to flame up) and shut the hood. a women who was watching the whole thing dialed 911 and within 2 minutes the fire department came with the police and put it out.

 

I hand the police officer my (old) registration and he writes everything down.

 

 

AAA towed the car home and scraped up my tale pipe tips which are fairly new.

 

So now im without my baby, the wiring and hoses are melted, the hoods paint is gone, and God only knows what else is burnt/melted.

 

I don't have the money right now to fix it but at the same time, Ive got way to much money in the car to junk it. I dont know what to do.

 

-Jeff

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Wow.. sorry to hear that. If you need anything, I've got a good 3.1 from my '89 GP. I hate to tear it apart.. but nobody wants it, so if you need anything from it, let me know.

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damn that really sucks!!! sounds like there was a gas leak and when the engine got hot it ignigted. you probably could have got away if you didnt open the hood and let it cool but it probably would have combusted anyway.

i hope you get a chance to fix it or invest in a newer W-body

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im not sure where the fuel leaked from, we tested it 6 times for leaks, but it leaked from somewhere.

 

Im thinking since the motor is most likely fried, im going to either do another 3.4 dohc in it or L36 turbo....mabey an l67 swap but not sure yet.

 

my buddy can get me a northstar engine for nuthin that needs a rebuild so i might even do that.

 

If I can save the 3.1 thats in there, cool. I know if nuthing else I need a wirng harness.

 

-Jeff

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After getting a much better look of all the damage, its mostly near the alternator. I think with a new power steering box, lines, alternator, vaccume hoses, cables, whatever gaskets are fried and a wiring harness I should be able to get it going again.

 

 

im going to put up another post about another motor.

 

-Jeff

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im not sure where the fuel leaked from, we tested it 6 times for leaks, but it leaked from somewhere.

 

Im thinking since the motor is most likely fried, im going to either do another 3.4 dohc in it or L36 turbo....mabey an l67 swap but not sure yet.

 

my buddy can get me a northstar engine for nuthin that needs a rebuild so i might even do that.

 

If I can save the 3.1 thats in there, cool. I know if nuthing else I need a wirng harness.

 

-Jeff

 

I say turbo L36...that's my dream FWD engine build.

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I had my shirt off trying to put the flames out with 2 women yelling "get away from there"

 

its getting cold out which is going to make it even harder to work on. but im not giving up till i have seen the full extent of the damage.

 

-Jeff

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No we didnt miss an O-ring. and iwent over all the injectors each time we tested it and nothing was leaking. My guess is one of them popped out, probably the one that came out with the fuel rail the second time we took it out. But whats doen is done, now time to think of somethign else to do wiht it. Or time ot think about gettin another GP (<---best idea IMO).

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Like berettabob, o wait, Crovax said, we pressure checked it like 4 times and didnt see a drop, the regulator was never seperated from the rails so i doubt it.

 

-Jeff

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  • 1 month later...

You know, you should try pulling the code to see what its reading...If possible..Looks to me like the power steering fluid leaked and was set on fire by one of the hot exhuast mainfolds.

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if ya not just yankin my chain...all the p/s parts were new, 1 of the fuel injectors leaked onto the exhaust manifold in the back, the code was the fire melting the vacumme line under the plenum. Im going to be giving the block to no1kicker and sell the tranny. the 3.4 is about 40% done but on delay cauz of the cold.

 

-Jeff

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bro that sux that happned to my when i did my heads the fuel rail was not sitting rite fuel leaked on the back header but nothing major i just had to tighten the rail down :oops: lol good luck in what u do BTW dont feel bad i just blew the tranny in my car it sux !!!

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