Truck Fire!!!

[Chevy 350 Fan]

Hi guys Im a Junior in High school. My first car/truck was a 72 GMC C20. 350 motor TH350 trans. I painted it Orange and white. I did some engine work and interior. I put glass packs and headers on it. It sounded great. The trans blew up after owning it for less than a year. No I wasn't racing it or beating on it, I always baby it. I think it was the original trans never rebuilt. I dropped the trans with a buddy and I took it to AAMCO to be rebuilt. It ran good for the rest of the summer then I parked it for winter and put a cover over it. Here comes spring and all seems good I put around 30 miles of city driving on it. Spring break comes and goes. Then the first day back. Im driving it to school I had gone less than 2 miles and I feel no power I look at my tach it reads 0! I let off on the gas and it came back to life momentarily I pulled over only to have tons of smoke starts billowing out from under the hood. I open the hood only to find the engine compartment is on fire. I started freaking out. I called 911 then my dad and they showed up about the same time, even though the fire department is right across the street. Fire fighters decide to piss me off by opening the hood with a pry bar even though the latch is right there. I got pissed and yelled at him then he called over a cop who was directing traffic. As the cop is walking over another firefighter comes walking over with an axe. I went ballistic and told him there was no way in hell he was using that on MY truck. He was a prick and said "I don't give a ****" I told him to F himself. He didnt use the axe thank god. I talked to neighbor of mine also just in high school. he said he saw flamed under the truck a good 3/4 mile back before the truck died. IDK why he didn't say anything or do anything. But, anyway enough of that. Im looking into parts and Im not sure what kind of wiring harness to get. Ive ordered parts from "classic truck parts of America they specialize in old GM trucks. I've been very satisfied. Ive seen a classic wiring update kit for like $500 ouch and a universal harness for half the price. suggestions would be much appreciated thanks a lot guys!

[In The Ten Ring]

The main this is that you are OK.

Threads like these make me want to put a fire suppression system under the hood. I carry a CO2 extinguisher in my car and plan one for the truck.

[treveiger]

Why not open it yourself? That would solve the problem. They probably just figured that's how they usually do it. Like the other poster said at least your ok. Truck can be fixed. Check out the harness for autowire I think it's called. People here seem to like it and it's in my future plans for our truck.

[wbc409]

I have heard good things about American Auto Wire. I have a couple of old chevy's and I plan on giving them a call

[In The Ten Ring]

Originally Posted by treveiger

Why not open it yourself? That would solve the problem. They probably just figured that's how they usually do it. Like the other poster said at least your ok. Truck can be fixed. Check out the harness for autowire I think it's called. People here seem to like it and it's in my future plans for our truck.

We cannot expect most people, let alone most firefighters, to know our trucks' hoods open from the outside, without a cable and yet, some have been customized so that they do!

OP: could you have put it our yourself, if you had had a fire extinguisher? I plan to mount one to the transmission hump in my truck.

[yuccales]

Originally Posted by Chevy 350 Fan

He was a prick and said "I don't give a ****" I told him to F himself.

Great first post.

[geezer#99]

I had a truck fire once! Learned an expensive lesson!
I lived to tell the tale as it sounds like you did!
You got pics of the carnage??
You know the saying.
It ain't true without pics!!

[cdowns]

did you have a hanymans cheapo rubber gas line that cvaused the fire??

[sduckworth13]

Give this guy a call. He has a real nice wiring harness for sale. Nicest one I found on Craigslist.
http://binghamton.craigslist.org/pts/4957387117.html

[In The Ten Ring]

Originally Posted by cdowns

did you have a hanymans cheapo rubber gas line that cvaused the fire??

Good question. What about a plastic or glass fuel filter under the hood that I keep reading on here are bad ideas?

Hold it.....let me get this straight since now I'm a bit more awake than I was at 3 AM this morning. A man that might not have been getting paid for it (was this a municipal or volunteer fire department?) tried to save your truck and you yelled, cursed, and called him names?

Really classy man. I wonder what your post would be had they packed up their toys and gone home.

[rcrahn]

Sorry to hear this happened young man.

Not to give you a hard time or be like a lawyer but you wrote "I pulled over only to have tons of smoke starts billowing out from under the hood. I open the hood only to find the engine compartment is on fire". Then you later write "Fire fighters decide to piss me off by opening the hood with a pry bar even though the latch is right there" So what really happened?

As far as the cause of the fire, I'd bet old rubber fuel lines or worse those cheap plastic or glass filters are likely the cause. That's why all fuel lines on these 40+ year old vehicles need to be replaced ideally with hard lines and/or braided non conductive PTFE lined hose. Additives in the crap gas sold today attack rubber lines swelling them up and breaking them down from the inside out.

As far as a new wiring harness for the truck. AAW makes an excellent classic update kit. Well worth the money. You can get them even on RockAuto. Do the job right the 1st time.

Lastly, why not go over to the fire station in a few days to drop off some food and a thank you card. After all they did save your truck. Tell em you appreciate the tough job they do and maybe you got a little excited. It will go a long way.....

[DeadheadNM]

I'd join the forum as a member then post a WTB for a good OEM harness on the parts board. Not too hard to locate a usable OEM harness or one that can be refurbished.

[trac209]

Originally Posted by yuccales

Great first post.

Yeah no kidding,thanks for stopping by with a great first post proving some people should stick to driving Hondas.

[tcrist]

Guy's, he is a junior in high school, give him a break.

AAW is a good kit but if you can I would try and find a correct replacement unless you plan on rewiring the whole truck. It is not cheap, believe me, I have looked it up.


Changing the rubber fuel lines is a great idea. These older vehicles could have issues with the newer fuel. They do make a metal fuel line that runs from the fuel pump to the carb. If your truck has does not have this you might want to change to the metal line.

I have run the plastic and glass filters for years and never had an issue. Maybe I have just been lucky. But installing a newer/better filter is a great idea also.

Just be thankful your truck did not burn to the ground. And yes, I would go thank the fire fighters. Maybe bring them a couple dozen doughnuts or something.

[In The Ten Ring]

I'd bring a case of beer and a box of doughnuts.. The beer may be illegal for him to possess at that age but being a former fire fighter, the beer will go over well.

[hdff]

I am a volunteer fire fighter, I do it cause I like to serve my community. When metal gets hot it contorts and moves and most of the time that is the only way to get it open, also all new cars the latch is operated by a cable which becomes useless when it gets hot. When you call the FD the property becomes the fire dept's until it is safe to be turned back over to the owner. With your hot head attitude you are lucky that there is anything left to rebuild. There is no rule as to how fast we have to put it out and your attitude dictates a lot. You say your daddy got there the same time as the FD so I assume he saw your childish actions. He should have taken you home and beat your ass. The firemen were only doing their job as they were trained to do.....

My only suggestion to you is to grow up and go apologize to the firemen!

[Chevy 350 Fan]

I put new fuel lines on it when I got the truck. They weren't leaking. I pulled the motor and the trans today. Fuel lines were still in tact other than the one that runs to the carb. and that's because it was directly in the fire. That line was still very flexible and not stiff. so I'm having a hard time believing it was fuel related. I believe brake fluid is to blame. I didn't even think the stuff was that flammable. But when I pulled the motor there was a clear liquid that did not smell like gas that had pooled on the engine cross member. It has to be brake fluid it was too far away from the driver side to be power steering. I was sure I had leaking brakes on the front passenger side but I could not figure out where. I took it to 2 shops they both told me the rear driver wheel cylinder was leaking (which I already knew about). My plan was to redo all of the steel lines and the rear brakes.

[Chevy 350 Fan]

[QUOTE=rcrahn;7147705]Sorry to hear this happened young man.

Not to give you a hard time or be like a lawyer but you wrote "I pulled over only to have tons of smoke starts billowing out from under the hood. I open the hood only to find the engine compartment is on fire". Then you later write "Fire fighters decide to piss me off by opening the hood with a pry bar even though the latch is right there" So what really happened?

After I opened the hood and saw the fire I closed it to try too help suppress it.

[davepl]

Originally Posted by hdff

I am a volunteer fire fighter... There is no rule as to how fast we have to put it out and your attitude dictates a lot.

I was with you up to that point. So if you don't like me, you let my house or car burn a little longer? I seriously hope that was just angry internet fingers.

Any chance this truck had one of those clear fuel filters?

[Syndrome]

I had a truck fire once. Luckily it was in the winter and there was plenty of snow around to put it out with. Put an extinguisher in your truck and quit whining about someone helping you out and saving what you have left.

[hdff]

Originally Posted by davepl

I was with you up to that point. So if you don't like me, you let my house or car burn a little longer? I seriously hope that was just angry internet fingers.

Any chance this truck had one of those clear fuel filters?

Sorry I guess it kinda was cause 1) with the adrenalin flowin you really get into it and 2) I have never had anyone really be a dick. Most people just appreciate us doing what we can, I have always done all I could to save people's stuff as if it were mine.

[MoFormula]

I had a similar fire. Ordered the AAW harness from MCBMatt here in the vendors forum for much cheaper than any where else. Started installing it today.

[tcrist]

Originally Posted by In The Ten Ring

I'd bring a case of beer and a box of doughnuts.. The beer may be illegal for him to possess at that age but being a former fire fighter, the beer will go over well.

AAAAHHH yes, "BEER" would be better. Maybe his dad can buy it and take it there for/with him.

[rcrahn]

Did you take any pictures? Can you please post them?

Seems strange to me that brake fluid way down on the crossmember would flame up and burn just the fuel line going to the carb. I'm going to speculate that you are looking at 2 issues here. A brake fluid leak leaving fluid down low on the crossmember (not causing the fire) and a leaking fuel line or carb fitting (the culprit) higher up. Again, pictures would really help.

Clarification: Replacement PTFE lined fuel hoses should be conductive. My bad.

Below is a great engineering study on flammability of underhood fluids...

http://garrett-engineers.com/2005/10...o-fluids-burn/

Let us know when you visit the fire station to apologize....

[Jonlopes]

I have seen this happen several times on Jeeps. Kaiser/ AMC did not spend too much money on their wiring harnesses (my 67 Jeepster does not have a fuse panel just four randomly placed inline fuses) they get electrical fires all the time which can be multiplied by any grease on the engine. Automatic transmission fluid seems to be especially flammable. I wonder if something similar happened to your truck?