Thanks guys!
1986 Ranger / 4-banger / 2.3 / 5-speed / 144,000miles


I was driving to the store yesterday I had the heater on I smelled smoke,turned heater off and and smoke started coming out of the air vents...BIG TIME!

I pulled over as soon as I was able to, turned the key off,opened my hood and saw a little fire in my heater core where the Fusible Link plugs into it on the left side looking into the engine. I pulled out the fusible connector assembly (it was all meted anyway) Threw water on it to put out the fire inside the Core.

That toxic smell ruined my day! I have an after marker ARA Air conditioner which hasn't worked for years, but I will miss my heat. Are they easy to replace and do I need a heater to pass smog? Silly question I know,but I do believe the Smog tech used the heat to test something. Smog failed a couple weeks ago.

HOW a fire? Short circuit?
Could leaves get into that compartment? I had visions of fire Engines coming to my rescue,but no heat and smells very bad. Thanks!

 

The Blower resister caught fire?

If I remember right the ARA system re-used the Ford blower resister.
There MAY be a difference between a Heat only one and a Factory AC resister. You would have the HEAT only resister.

The AC system probably has a leak and can be fixed as well as easily converted to R134a.

 

Thanks hhott71,
Yes, This truck is in California. Sad to say that I am not a mechanic, and that itself, sucks.

In the Chiltons repair for Broncos and Rangers 1983-88, page 268,under "HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING" #2 ON CALIFORNIA VEHICLES,REMOVE THE EMISSIONS MODULE FORWARD OF THE BLOWER MOTOR".

I guess what I was talking about was the Heater/AC big Black box (HEATER-BLOWER ASSEMBLY)where the AC tube goes from the AC Compressor to that Box,and on the left side,down, there is a wiring harness,that plugs into a plug. That area was on fire inside the box. When I pulled that melted plug out,it was connected to some little coils (heating elements?) But no, I did not have to go inside my truck for the heater Core at all,if that's where that is.

The Blower fan does work. I just have a hole where that wiring harness was attached to the side of the box,below the two heater hoses going into the heater core tubes.

Just wanted to know if besides a cat converter,if I would need to replace any of this mess in the AC/heater Box in my engine compartment,or I should just have the state give me $1,000.00 to take it off my hands. I can't afford another truck,and theres not much one can do with $1,000 these days,so I will hope for the best.

BTW...I changed my spark plugs right before the Smog test, and noticed on the # 1 cylynder that had some oil on the tip. valve guide on piston maybe shot. Don't know if/how/when/afford to should spend the money to fix. Just want the smog to pass.

Thanks.If I could send a picture of the burn hole I would.

 

Was NOT the Heater Core but the AC/heater blower Box inside the engine NOT the Inside Firewall of the cab.

 

Probably all that happened was some leaves got against the blower motor resistor and caught fire. The blower motor resistor is the thing with the little coils that you pulled out. It's what gives you your different motor speeds. Those little coils get red hot and will catch debris in the duct on fire.

We do not have smog checks where I live, but we do have yearly inspections. Part of the inspection is the defrost has to work. So if he is checking brakes, lighting, and stuff like that, it probably will not pass if he remembers to check the defrost.

If you repair what you have and put it all back together, it should still work unless something was completely destroyed by the fire.

 

It was the blower motor resisters,,, The part with the coils.
As stated above, something else was on fire, debris, leaves, a mouse nest.

Repair the case with something.
Even if its some tin can metal to make a patch over the hole and mount the resister back in the air stream

 

Thanks guys for the info!
I've said before I'm not mechanically inclined to know all the parts of my truck. Yes sir, upon furthur inspection, there were leaves inside this compartment that caught fire..I have pictures,but no way to post. First I thought it was the heater Core, Nope, then I thought it was the Fan Blower,Nope, looking into the engine from the front,I see the ROUND Blower fan on the left,then the two heater hoses going towards the dash,then this ARA funny looking enclosure to the right. (bigger than the Blower fan)
The blower motor resisitor and plug were pretty damaged,so I don't think I could reuse them,and feeling around the inside,it feels pretty burned up.
Even If I put a piece of sheet metal over the hole of this box, I wouldn't feel safe from another fire in the future.
I don't even know if I could find another one either from Ford,or a junk yard,or how much this would be.

 

Sorry about my diplomacy but I've never talked. on one of these chat rooms or whatever. things before, but when that man said his truck Caught, fire I want to let other people know.. And the leaves are getting there through the fresh air. Duck or down through the windshield somehow? But if you need to look into your box and keep the Leaves out of there because It willset your truck on Fire. I just happen to have a fire extinguisher at the big hole fell down in that box where I could see the. Flame I cut my battery cable off. I just got off of work and started cranked it up. And it kept burning. So if your squirrel cage is vibrating beware. Really? Dumb design 87 Silverado R10.

 

Thread is from 2006.

 

Still relevant though! My '84 F-150 did the same thing one night about an hour from home! Luckily, I got it put out quickly by closing all the vents and turning off the blower motor. Drove home with no dash lights and of course no heat. It was a collection of leaves (which entered through the cowl) which the resistor ignited.