Engine Fire - 87 Chevy R30

[HDBobbers]

Figured i'd post up here as i'm starting to get ready to rebuild after an engine fire.

I've got an 87 Chevy R30 with a 350. It had been in my shop for a few weeks on jackstands while i worked issues with the brake system... that was a whole other jarful of issues. Got the brake system squared away and on my second test drive to adjust the brakes, the engine cut and smoke poured from the engine bay. Yanked the hood and the air filter was engulfed and fuel had pooled on the passenger side of the block.

Sprinted to my neighbor's house and got an extinguisher, sprinted back and put out the fire, but not before the fire had eaten through my top end hoses and electrical.

So, the list i've got so far is:

Fuel Filter
Air Cleaner
Distributor
Distributor Cap
Spark Plug Wires
Heater Core Input Hose
Fuel Canister to Carb Hose

My electrical/wiring expertise is a bit shabby though. Barring a new engine wiring harness, can anyone offer some expertise?

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[bedwards]

I roasted one years ago. A 66 Pontiac. I bought a harness back then and it was worth it. This engine is much more complicated. I'd buy a harness and do it right.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Was this truck converted to carb when you got it, or is this a VIN code 'M' truck? It looks like you're gonna have to replace whatever emissions hoses are still necessary in addition to what you said. How much of the harness died in the fire? It doesn't look bad, except for the plug wires and some other little wires, but maybe the fire just destroyed everything. If you had several looms of wires going over your engine, I would suggest getting a new harness, as mentioned above. @gmachinz could probably point you in the right direction. It probably wouldn't be that bad to figure out. You'd only have to work from the bulkhead connector at the farthest, and you wouldn't have to dig around in the firewall. If you had a wiring diagram and only had the most basic wires (choke, A/C compressor, grounds) destroyed, you could probably repair the existing harness. It's hard for me to tell in the picture what's going on.

 

[gmachinz]

Ouch! I would suggest a completely new underhood engine harness. It appears your front lighting harness is ok as is the heater only climate control harness...so a replacement engine harness would be a simple install. Basically it look like a standard HEI harness w/electric carb choke. $177 shipped. PM me as I have a few specific questions about your setup if you opt for a new harness. Or, drop me a line 515-979-4038.

 

[Camar068]

having lived through the house buring in 07' and a similar situation (I got lucky and had water ext.) as you with your truck, look around for a water fire extinguisher. I forget which ones but certain extinguishers wreak havoc on electrical wiring. The fires out, great, but clean up and damage from it doesn't need to be as bad as it turns out.

Since burn/rebuild of house in '07, at work if they say free (expired) fire extinguishers....I come running lol.

I need to put one in the truck cuz I've been close to wishing I had one.

 

[HDBobbers]

Was this truck converted to carb when you got it, or is this a VIN code 'M' truck? It looks like you're gonna have to replace whatever emissions hoses are still necessary in addition to what you said. How much of the harness died in the fire?

Unfortunately, i don't have my vin in front of me, but i can tell you that the truck was carbureted when i purchased it. As for emissions, my truck is exempt in my state. Anything over 20 years old is considered a 'classic' and given exemption from emissions and inspection. It's a 'register only' scenario.

From what i can tell, the fire was heaviest on the passenger side of the engine. Either the carb puked and it pooled there, or my fuel line ruptured. Unfortunately, i can't tell. Fuel line is gone, only leaving the metal in-line filter. That part of the fire took out the electrical on that side, and the heat melted the cabling going to that bank of spark plug wires. The right side is essentially intact. The rear fire cooked the distributor and cap, so the wiring going there is toast along with the plug heads.

having lived through the house buring in 07' and a similar situation (I got lucky and had water ext.) as you with your truck, look around for a water fire extinguisher. I forget which ones but certain extinguishers wreak havoc on electrical wiring. The fires out, great, but clean up and damage from it doesn't need to be as bad as it turns out.

I generally have one for the truck that sits behind the seat. A halon bottle. Unfortunately, i had everything that's generally inside the truck, outside on the garage floor because i've also been welding in new floor and rocker panels.

The bottle that my neighbor gave me was an ABC chem, so the **** got everywhere. Beggar's couldn't be choosers though, at the time.

I'll look around for a water canister. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[smoothandlow84]

Im guessing from what you stated that the rubber fuel lines were the culprit. I would never recommend using rubber fuel lines...replace them with metal. Rubber deteriorates especially with blended fuels. X3 on a new harness. I had a underhood fire a few year back, but it was from a transmission cooler line that burst (it was replaced with a metal line). I caught it early enough that the only damage was to the spark plug wires on the passenger side and a huge mess of trans fluid spray everywhere. I now carry a fire extinguisher in the truck at all times..."abc type" which is fire rated for electrical. A nd b will put the fire out, but eat the wires in the aftermath.

 

[HDBobbers]

You're talking like a 3/8" steel line, yah? I hadn't even considered that. Might be a good idea now that you mention it. Do you run it in the same way that you run a brake line... double flared with brass fittings?

 

[smoothandlow84]

You're talking like a 3/8" steel line, yah? I hadn't even considered that. Might be a good idea now that you mention it. Do you run it in the same way that you run a brake line... double flared with brass fittings?

Yep...or anodized if you want to add 5 hp...

Jegs or Summit may even have some pre-fab lines in stock. Worst case would be to buy a flare tool and make your own.

 

[HDBobbers]

I'm no rookie to bending line, and I have a flaring tool. I just don't think i have a 3/8 die, heh. It's like my 10mm box... I had it when i bought it, but it disappeared, never to be seen again.

 

[HDBobbers]

Figured its been a while since the fire, so I may as well post up that I think Sunday i'll have my truck up and running again. Been raining alot, and the truck isn't indoors, so it's been a long repair.

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[Honky Kong jr]

Figured its been a while since the fire, so I may as well post up that I think Sunday i'll have my truck up and running again. Been raining alot, and the truck isn't indoors, so it's been a long repair.

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Very nice a Phoenix from the ashes...

 

[smoothandlow84]

Nice job

 

[74 Shortbed]

Looks great..

 

[Oldrider]

Looking Good! Glad you have it back to running condition again.