and it's got a dead battery. No big deal I'll just jump start it. It fires right up and purrs like a kitten.
Then I start to think about all the things wrong with it, the radiator fan doesn't come on by itself and it will overheat, so I turn on the A/C, (which doesn't work of course) but it causes the radiator fan to come on. That's good, but then I remember that the last time I ran it I got some smoke from the a/c fan resistor, so I look under the hood and there is a little smoke. I think maybe I should turn the a/c fan to high to reduce the current flow through the resistor.....BAD IDEA.
With the in-rush of air the next thiing I know the car is engulfed in smoke and flames are shooting out of the fan housing under the hood. I shut it down immediately and grab the fire extinguisher and douse the flames.
The car is fine I just need to replace the fan and resistor housing, but the moral of the story is 1) always have a fire extinguisher handy when working on Fieros, and 2) when you know there is a problem, fix it before you run out of luck.
Hehehe....guess that's not exactly going to dispel any "fire rumors" now is it?
Glad no one was hurt (except maybe the car's feelings). LOL Now you still have to fix the original problem, plus you've now been added to the club of people who's fieros have caught on fire. hehe
Your award and membership card is in the mail. lol
Seriously though, good luck with the repairs.
--Tress
------------------ I may not know alot about cars...but I make a Fiero look good! "The Hottie" Coming Soon!
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09:14 PM
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
Thanks for the words of encouragement. I think it was all the pine needles in the airvents that caught fire
I'm trying NOT to work on this car at the moment. I swore I wouldn't touch the Indy until the chop top was in the paint shop. I need to focus on one project at a time. As you can see I have enough Fiero projects in my back yard to last me the rest of my life.
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09:20 PM
PBJ Member
Posts: 4167 From: London, On., Canada Registered: Jan 2001
I was nervious at first till I see a white fiero in the picture.
Pete
I did that on purpose so everyone would know I'm not talking about the 4.9/choptop. It's running great. Funny how people at Daytona were amazed by the little things on your install like the dogbone and the routing of the fuel lines. I don't know enough about it to answer their questions intelligently.
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09:52 PM
Indiana_resto_guy Member
Posts: 7158 From: Shelbyville, IN USA Registered: Jul 2000
Full tubular suspension! Fully adjustable coilovers front and rear! Poly everything! 3.4L TWIN DUAL CAM V6 240+H.P. Heads p/p! underdrive pulley! Darth chip! Accell performance ignition! Borla exhaust (how sweet)! Now who ever said that a V6 can be fast????????
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01:28 AM
Fierobruiser Member
Posts: 1951 From: Gilbertsville,PA USA Registered: Aug 2001
My problem is maple leaves and seeds. Whenever I drive any of my cars and I smell anything like smoke (usually from outside) I immediately turn off the fan and try to remember to remove the resistor in the front compartment and vacuum as soon as I get home like I should have done to all of them come Spring.
------------------ Notchbacks RULE
"Let a man drive a Fiero and he'll own one. Teach a man to fix a Fiero and he'll own six."
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02:09 AM
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
...Whenever I drive any of my cars and I smell anything like smoke (usually from outside) I immediately turn off the fan and try to remember to remove the resistor in the front compartment and vacuum as soon as I get home...
Real good advice!!
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02:29 AM
FieroHarry Member
Posts: 1809 From: Virginia Beach VA Registered: Apr 2001
Those Indy Fieros are real fire traps.....pieces of junk....I suggest you load it onto a truck, drop it off in my driveway, mail me the title with your signature, and I will make sure you never have that pesky fire problem again
J/K.....glad all turned out well. Sounds like you just need to fix a few goodies and enjoy that baby....Indy's are soooo cool.
The fan that blows air through the A/C Vents has a resistor that allows it to run at a speed lower than "Hl"
If the car has sat for along while you car get leaves or whatever in there that can get on that thing and catch fire. Either that or there is an electrical short.
The Indy is my # 3 car and hasn't been getting a lot of attention. The Chop top will be seen once more in San Antonio before it heads off to the paint shop. Thanks for all the words of encouragement. I hope I never burn one to the ground.
keep trying (but not the INDY!!!!)
