~*I want more than this world has to offer. AIM: CDubbZ111 Year: 1987 Make/Model: Fiero GT Color: Primer grey and burgundy Transmission: 5spd Manual AC PL PW PM sunroof defrost
IP: Logged
10:32 AM
PFF
System Bot
Old Lar Member
Posts: 13798 From: Palm Bay, Florida Registered: Nov 1999
Fieros caught fire because of poor maintance practices. The 84 2.5L engine had a design flaw or two. Low volume oil capacity and any loss of oil would cause engine failure. Weak connecting rods would shatter blowing through the engine dumping oil on a hot exhaust system catching fire.
The v-6 models would allow leaves, pine needles etc collect between the engine and firewall, on the exhaust manifold which would catch the crud on fire.
You needed to keep track of the oil levels in the 84 2.5 block, and keep the engine compartment clean on the v6..
Other fires were cause by paking a hot car over tall dry grass and the catalytic converter's heat would catch the grass and car on fire.
Don't forget the vent/heater/AC fan resistor coil in the outside duct that can collect leaves and crap. It gets hot enough to set dried leaves etc on fire. You have to periodically remove the fan motor and inspect the coil.
And, stuck rear calipers have cause brake fluid and grease to catch fire also.
------------------ RickN White 88GT 5spd White 85GT Auto
[This message has been edited by RickN (edited 01-14-2005).]
I have been told that coolant hoses leak onto the exhaust pipe which makes them catch fire, but I never knew that antifreeze would ignite to the point that it would do enough damage. Not just that, but I cant think of too many places were the coolant and exhaust cross. Thanks for responses so far!
IP: Logged
12:38 PM
Oreif Member
Posts: 16460 From: Schaumburg, IL Registered: Jan 2000
Fieros caught fire because of poor maintance practices. The 84 2.5L engine had a design flaw or two. Low volume oil capacity and any loss of oil would cause engine failure. Weak connecting rods would shatter blowing through the engine dumping oil on a hot exhaust system catching fire.
The v-6 models would allow leaves, pine needles etc collect between the engine and firewall, on the exhaust manifold which would catch the crud on fire.
You needed to keep track of the oil levels in the 84 2.5 block, and keep the engine compartment clean on the v6..
Other fires were cause by paking a hot car over tall dry grass and the catalytic converter's heat would catch the grass and car on fire.
The leaves thing is NOT a V-6 only thing. It is because they removed the weatherstrip to aid in cooling. Removing the weatherstrip also led to an increase of cracked exhaust manifolds. Parking ANY car with a hot catalytic converter can set tall dry grass or leaves on fire. The two causes above happened to a couple of members here, But it was never an official recall nor reported by Pontiac. Fiero fires were limited to the 4-cyl recall wise. It was caused by defective thermostat housings and/or poor maintenance. Side note, This recall was associated with the Fiero's, But it affected all GM 2.5L engines for the 1984-1985 model years.
http://www.geocities.com/motorcity/track/3487/fire.html Also I belive there was a weather strip,between the rear window and decklid.The weather strip would come loose and drop onto the hot exhaust manifold and would burn like a candle.
IP: Logged
07:26 PM
lurker Member
Posts: 12355 From: salisbury nc usa Registered: Feb 2002
http://www.geocities.com/motorcity/track/3487/fire.html Also I belive there was a weather strip,between the rear window and decklid.The weather strip would come loose and drop onto the hot exhaust manifold and would burn like a candle.
I don't remember reading about any instances of the strip falling off and catching fire. Pontiac did remove that strip during recall work. Their reasoning was that it would help with engine compartment cooling. To me, that seems pretty dubious. The grilles will expel a lot more heat than the gap between the decklid and the rear window. And removing that strip has caused more problems over the years than it ever solved. It allows rain to drip directly onto the hot forward manifold, which results in a higher chance of the manifold cracking. Which is the main reason most V6 Fieros have at one point or another had a cracked front manifold. And that gap also allows a lot more crud to accumulate in the engine compartment.
!!! DAMN!! I remember reading this post just a bit earlier... and ended up having an engine fire a couple hours ago myself - talk about a bad omen! It wasn't the cars fault in the slightest, though I feel pretty retarded - I was using a fuel pressure gauge with the car idling in my driveway and ended up with a leak (couldn't screw it on fast enough) that hit either the plug wires or manifold, and POOF... flames everywhere. Nothing really messed up, lightly burnt my hand and the fire ate most of my hard plastic vacuum lines under the plenum and made my injector harness look ugly, though the wires are fine aside from some toasted wire loom tube. Problem was made worse by the fact that I PARKED on my water hose too. After rerouting all my vacuum lines with rubber hose, everythings fine... I've just just been made a believer in all steel hardlines for fuel when I do my 3.4 DOHC swap...
Man that was wierd... *shudder*
------------------ Chris
Blue 1987 GT Getrag 5 speed, 1" lowering springs, 225 50R16 rims and tires, Fiero Store 9 3/4" HD clutch Silver 1986 2m4 THM 125c automatic Black 1985 2m4 SE Isuzu 5 speed (no paperwork)
