Anyone have any ideas?

[ladymacguiver]

A couple of weeks ago the motor in our truck blew up. As if that wasn't enough, while the tow truck was towing the truck back here to get fixed, it caught fire in the engine compartment while being towed down the road.

The fire started about 16 hours after the motor blew, so heat from the motor should not have been a factor. The insurance company sent an investigator out, and though he ruled out electrical......he could not determine the cause.

Here's a pic of the "hot spot" where they are saying the fire started.

Anyone have a clue or any ideas?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v504/ladymacguiver/100_0560.jpg

[saddletramp]

Thats a strange one LadyMac! :wtf:

Did the "Train Horn" short out???? :rofl:

What does Caterpiller say?

[Rev.Vassago]

I would guess a short somewhere near that area caused the fire.

[truck1153]

Looks like the kanuter valve shorted out? :wow:

[tommy]

electric fan?? Looks like that !


Yellow motor does not help either :yikes: :rofl:


Good Luck with it Ladymac

[Big_Dave]

While I'm not a certified insurance adjuster trained in vehicle fires, I have to disagree with what your adjuster said about 'ruling out any electrical cause'.

There's no fuel lines in the area.

The firewall has wires running through it in many places (although on a Pete 379, most are right in front of the driver by the steering column).

In the area your pic shows, there's wires for the A/C, horn and chicken lights. There's also a wiring harness that goes around the back side of the engine head.

I once had a wire that went through the firewall short out. While it didn't do much damage, it was hard to trace down due to all the stuff mounted on the firewall.

[LSMR]

I agree with Dave on this one.

Other than electrical I can't think of what would cause it.

[ladymacguiver]

If you notice the air intake is melted down to almost nothing right where it splits. This is what they are saying the "hotspot" is. The truck was being towed forwards (tow driver dropped the drive line).

I was just curious is anyone else had any ideas. We're all baffled. About the only thing we've been able to come up with is something "sparked" inside the intake and the oil inside it from the motor blowing up ignited.

I guess there's many possibilities.

Thanks!

[Chiefwhatdahey]

The fire could have ignited elsewhere and flashed to that spot and stalled, was the key on or were the lights on? there must have been an electrical source (spark) from somewhere.

[Jeepers]

did they cap the exhaust while it was being towed?

[wombat]

Does anyone who was in the tow truck smoke, and did they while towing, and what did they do with the butts??

I was on 2 or 3 trailer fires that were started by cigarettes tossed out the window of the towing vehicle.

The airflow caught them and pulled them into the trailer, the air flow against the cigarette caused the ignition point. The culprit might have been a cigarette that was sucked up under the hood and ended up igniting a grease and oil build up a the rear of the motor. The airflow would be similar to a trailer being towed

Just a thought

[ladymacguiver]

OK in answer to these questions....

No nothing was on. All electrical had been shut off and the tow driver had his own tow bar attached to the back for rear lights.

No he did not cap the turbo. Since he was pulling it forward and the stacks are not angled, he didn't see any reason to cap it.

Yes the tow driver smokes. What he did with his butts, I don't know.

We've asked ourselves all these questions and couldn't come up with any answers.

[Big_Dave]

All electrical had been shut off
It wouldn't matter if all electrical components were shut off or not. If a 'hot wire' (from a power source to a switch) were to rub on something and wear through the insulation, it would cause that wire to short out. Most times it would get hot enough to maybe melt the wire, possibly starting a fire depending on what was nearby. Most times though, it would just blow the circiut breaker or fuse.

[Chiefwhatdahey]

All electrical had been shut off
It wouldn't matter if all electrical components were shut off or not. If a 'hot wire' (from a power source to a switch) were to rub on something and wear through the insulation, it would cause that wire to short out. Most times it would get hot enough to maybe melt the wire, possibly starting a fire depending on what was nearby. Most times though, it would just blow the circiut breaker or fuse.

With the ignition off and the lights off there's very little in the form of current other than the starting charging system, if that went then it would be obvious.
I hope LM finds out what happened as I'm really interested in this, I love a mystery :D

[joerockhead]

OK in answer to these questions....


No he did not cap the turbo. Since he was pulling it forward and the stacks are not angled, he didn't see any reason to cap it.

It does matter, the exhaust should ALWAYS be sealed. Air can still get in through the intake, go out through the open exhaust valves and spin the turbo. While this is not likely the cause of your fire it may very well cause premature turbo charger failure.

Exhaust systems should ALWAYS be covered/sealed when an engine has a turbo charger.

[tommy]

What was the cause of this Ladymac??

[LSMR]

Here's a wild guess-Most tow trucks will use a light bar when towing a disabled truck.Was there any reason the tow truck driver may have routed the cord for the light bar under the hood and maybe it was his cord that shorted out causing the fire.Like I said it's a wild guess.

[ROADHUGGER]

What Make / Model / Year is your truck , does it have a QUALACOMM

[ladymacguiver]

OK here's the deal..............the truck is back running and on the road. Doesn't look like we're ever going to really find out what actually started the fire. We have our ideas but can't prove them.

The mechanic who pulled out all the damaged stuff and fixed it couldn't figure it out either. So, I guess this is going to be one of those mysteries that remain unsolved.

RH, its an 04 Pete 379 with a C-15 Bridge, and no Qualcom.

Like I said, its going to remain a mystery!!

:noclue: