How bad does an engine compartment fire affect engine/tranny components?
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Virginia Beach
How bad does an engine compartment fire affect engine/tranny components?
Reason I'm asking is that there is a parts truck for sale down the street from me. Hes getting rid of it is becuase the engine compartment caught fire. I'm looking to pick up the whole truck and strip a few parts off of it for myself, and sell the rest to try and recoup the outlay of money. Do these types of fires burn really hot? Hot enough to affect the tensile strength of the metals composing the engine/drive components(make them brittle)? I'm mostly concerned with the engine block, Manual tranny (aluminum housing), and clutch master cylinder. Doesn't look that too bad, a little hood warpage, and a square foot of paint burned of on the driver side. Insides mostly bare wire, not much plastic. What do ya'll think?
Edit: its a 1990 f-350. If that makes a difference(more plastic?)
Edit: its a 1990 f-350. If that makes a difference(more plastic?)
Last edited by Franken-Truck; Jul 7, 2004 at 10:14 PM.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 14,947
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From: Topsfield, MA
Those types of fires burn very hot. Honestly, the extent of the damage depends on the severity and position of the fire and how long it burned on the metals. The only way to know for sure is to use the parts and see if they work. It's difficult for us to say from here.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 6,940
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From: Eastern WA
It's very hard to say without seeing it, but at minimum you would want to tear it down, clean/inspect it, and reassemble with new gaskets. Now if it got a bit hotter, add new valve guide seals. Brace for the possibility of the bearings on the water pump, etc to have probs due to the heat destroying the seals and burning the oil out on them. Then there is always the issue of water being sprayed in the intake to put the fire out and the rust it may create. That, you will never know until it's dismantled. Also, extreme heat will wreck havoc with the stiffness of the valve springs. I can't comment on things like sensors, fuel injectors, etc since I can't see it. Whatever you do, I'd try to make sure the price was right (low). Can you get and post any pics?
Last edited by CowboyBilly9Mile; Jul 8, 2004 at 12:34 AM.
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Virginia Beach
Well, I was only going to buy the truck for the tranny. He wants 400 for the ZF (has new clutch), and I can get the whole truck for 500-600 becuase he would rather just have a spot back in his yard. The engine was a rebuilt, low mileage Jasper, and I was going to sell that and a few other things to try and make back some of my money. If the engine has the potential to be that bad, I won't bother selling it(also hate to pass off true junk to someone). Then again, I have developed an infection in my knee, so it might have to wait a bit barring him selling it sooner. Plus(the BIG reason), my mother gave me "The LOOK" when I mentioned dropping a junker in the front yard 
Thanx for your help
Thanx for your help
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 11,697
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From: Marengo, Iowa
Did the fire make it all the way down there, if not, you may have gotten lucky. I had a friend ran his 77 Monte into a ditch, it caught the grass underneath the car on fire, burning the whole car and field burned, but the fire stayed out of the trans tunnel. the trans worked fine, and the motor was salvageable, but intake up was shot.Carb melted down, as did the distributor.
