Engine that was in a car fire.

[chevybuytroy]

Had a bad night about 7 years ago... I was set on a blind date and met her at a restraunt. She gets out of her car and come to find out she's 8 months pregnat. Well, I was very much surprised at that until she told me she was still married, and this was another man baby she was having. I didn't know if this date could get any worse. At the end of the night we said our goodbyes and I headed home. I had a 86 camaro at the time with a mild 350 carbed in it. Things started to smell hot in the car so I pulled over. The engine compartment caught on fire and there was nothing I could do about it. By the time the fire dept. got to my car it was destroyed clear to rear window. So my question is..... I kept the motor so what should I do to check everything before I put it something else. Besides gaskests that im sure are fried. What else is a possibility that could have been damaged?

[squirrel]

How hot did it get? If the paint burned off, then it got hot enough to worry about the castings getting warped, rings losing tension, valve springs losing tension, etc. Maybe if you pull some parts off, see if there's still oil inside on the moving parts, or if it all got baked, that might give you an idea how hot it got

[chevybuytroy]

Paint wasn't burnt off but the alluminum intake got schorched but not melted. Same goes for the valvecovers. When I took them off top top of the head seemed fine with clean oil still in the head. Found out it had roller rockers also then. I guess im more wondering before I put it in a truck should I go ahead and overhaul it or just stick it in. It only had 16,000 miles on it and was a former propane running engine.

[Beagle]

Out on a date, still married, and carrying yet another guy's kid... that's like the "Holy carp get me the hell out of here!" Trifecta of a bad date. I'm thinking you and Karma ought to be squared up after that, but no, burn down the car too? You must have done something very, very bad in a previous life. Let's hope you don't still owe some debt to Karma that pops out of the 350 demanding payment like something from a Stephen King movie!! I'm thinking a scene from Alien here when the alien spawn pops out of Sigourney Weaver's stomach when you pull the intake manifold.

(just kidding, you have my sympathies. I've lost a ton of money to fire.. and was this girl's name Sue by any chance? That is a bad night.)

Not a lot of plastic in a 350 that I remember - Maybe the oil pump driveshaft connector thing. Maybe the floats if it was carbed, although I'd suspect they are okay. If you haven't already pulled the heads, I'd do that just to see if rust causing junk got in it from them putting the fire out. Check it like you would any rebuild for straightness and cracks, (heads, block), bore roundness, that sort of stuff. Hot cast iron that gets cold really fast (firehose) has a nasty habit of cracking. Look the whole thing over really closely for cracks. I'd either dump the money for a full magnaflux check or the cheap side of me says see if it will run like it is with a new cap and wires and whatever the carb needs. When you put it up did you do anything for storage like seafoam?

[chevybuytroy]

I would hope that alien is dead for how long the engine has set since lol. No Sue name, I think it was Amber? I'll never forget that night and my friends don;t let me either lol. The carb was destroyed, it did actually melt so Im sure the fire came from it as a fuel issue. Maybe backfired on me or lost a fuel line some how. While I have the heads off i'll prolly take them to a shop and get checked. The local machine shop doesnt charge much. Its sat in a garage that always stays at 50 degrees and I go out there once in a while and take the plugs out and squirt some oil in it turn it by hand.

[redneckjoe69]

i wonder if the elastomer in the harmonic balancer might have melted out?

[DanStokes]

When I was in HS my next door neighbor had a 348 W-motor that was deliberately torched by the General Motors Proving Grounds (he was an engineer there). That was one of the ways that they scrapped engines. Anyhow, he pulled it apart and gouged the piston aluminum out of the bores and after some careful measurements replaced the funky parts and put it back together. It ran fine when installed in a '49 Merc.

Bottom line - I'd take the whole deal apart and look at/measure EVERYTHING but I wouldn't write it off as dead.

Dan

[Beagle]

the fact that it was oiled and turns over by hand is a major plus. Having the heads checked is a great idea. If they are okay, there's a good chance the block is too... enough to justify a gasket set anyway. Maybe even a hone and set of rings...

[chevybuytroy]

i wonder if the elastomer in the harmonic balancer might have melted out?

I'd probably change it anyway now that you said that. I didnt even think about that. I'm just trying to get things bought for it in a worst case scenarieo. I got an employee discount a Carquest (for some reason still even though I havent worked there for a decade.) I got a letter saying I'm getting terminated at anytime since Advanced Auto Parts bought the franchise.

[Orange65]

I pulled a 427 truck engine one time that the carb had burned on- nothing but a pile of molten aluminum. Swapped the intake and carb and it ran fine! I wouldn't be scared of doing the same thing to yours.

[Barry Donovan]

I'd call it a hillbilly forged one.

500f or so changes stuff, but only density.
The fast cool down by fire hoses would have me tearing into it...that would be about my only second thought on going ahead with it.

I put dainty subaru aluminum in the oven to 450F...30 minutes or so.

[Huskinhano]

My worst blind date. I picked her up at her house, she didn't drive. I thought it a little odd. We're on our way on the hiway when all of a sudden, she's going into convolution. I mean she's totally out of it, she was pulling her dress up, making all sorts of groans and screams . I'm freaking out, I could have easily taken advantage of her and she would not have been able to defend herself or maybe not even aware. I was shocked that she would go out with a total stranger like this. I ask her if she wants to go home. No, she's adamant about going on the date and this is what it would be like and that I would need to take care of her. We get to our destination and park the car. We're walking across the street and smack dab in the middle of the street on the double yellow line, she has another "fit" and falls to the road. Have you ever tried to pick someone up who's out of it? Not easy. This happened right in front of the restaurant with everybody there watching. By this time I'm not too sure taking her in. We go in, they don't want us in there. I take her straight home! I really fealt sorry for her but she was nasty as well.

Oh, the engine?I wouldn't have second thoughts about using it.In fact, I read some of the old time engine builders actually preferred engines that came from a fire. They thought the blocks would be better seasoned and stress relieved from the fire.

[chevybuytroy]

the famous night..

[OldMachinist]

The oil pump drive shaft has a nylon sleeve to keep it in alignment with the distributor. Might not have gotten too hot that deep in the engine but I would change the sleeve anyway or get a HD drive shaft with a metal sleeve.

[Deaf Bob]

See derby motors on fire too often.. Guys use rubber hoses, get their motors hot then the hose spews fuel.. Saw a couple change carbs and wires as well as dizzy parts and make the main or the next night.. I have gotten motors so hot they seized, but once they cooled, they fired.. Takes alot to ruin a motor.. I will admit, I'd go thru a motor before putting it on the street.. One guy even took his winning 455 Buick derby motor and put it in his tow truck and used it like that for years without doing anything to it.. It barely cranked after it cooled cuz it was so hot..
Then there are motors that got warm then went south. ..