96 Aerostar hood liner fire

I'm stumped with this one. What do you fellers think could have cause a spark? No damage. I'm not taking a chance in my shade tree skills with this one, but have to use the car tomorrow around town until the shop opens on Monday. Meanwhile, I put a fire extinguisher and a full 2 gallon weed sprayer in the front seat just in case.

Car was cold. Drove about 3 miles at 35mph or less. Parked. Then smelled asbestos burning. Popped the hood. A 6-inch diameter section of the hood liner over the battery had burned. I mashed the few embers that were still soldering around the edges.

Can't tell for sure, but the starting point could be a 1/16 inch depression that is darker than the rest near the center. If that's was it, my first thought was a red hot piece of metal, sand, etc, that had come from a pulley. Reason I say that is one of the idler pulleys has been squealing lately. Nothing else was hot or burned. Battery was cold, terminals tight, no corrosion, no sign of shorting. Checked every wire and connection I could see and all look OK.

Only other thought is that it picked up a cigarette or something burning in the road. Although doesn't seem likely, since it would have had to have to fly up and around different ways to get there.

Any ideas what might have caused something like this?

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I just saw this about evaporating the water out of the radiator and leaving pure glycol which he says is flammable.

I did have a hose pop off and spray coolant a couple of weeks ago, but the mixture at that time was 50/50. And it sprayed toward wheel well. Since then I have been checking every day or so and everything under the hood was dry before and after the burning. Just in case, I'm going to hose down the entire engine today. Found some good info about sources of car fires... Before going nuts pulling things apart, I will clean the battery connections and do a better check of wiring and charging circuit, replace the idler pulley and and look at cleaning or replacing the hood liner.

If the idler was bad enough to cause that, the idler would have basically come apart. If it hasn't, 9-+% chance it was not the idler. Being above the battery I'd definitely be looking at an electrical cause first and foremost if the idler is not very obviously overheated and disintegrated.

cause a spark? No damage. I'm not taking a chance in my shade tree skills with this one, but have to use the car tomorrow around town until the shop opens on Monday. Meanwhile, I put a fire extinguisher and a full 2 gallon weed sprayer in the front seat just in case.

smelled asbestos burning. Popped the hood. A 6-inch diameter section of the hood liner over the battery had burned. I mashed the few embers that were still soldering around the edges.

depression that is darker than the rest near the center. If that's was it, my first thought was a red hot piece of metal, sand, etc, that had come from a pulley. Reason I say that is one of the idler pulleys has been squealing lately. Nothing else was hot or burned. Battery was cold, terminals tight, no corrosion, no sign of shorting. Checked every wire and connection I could see and all look OK.

burning in the road. Although doesn't seem likely, since it would have had to have to fly up and around different ways to get there.

leaving pure glycol which he says is flammable.

I did have a hose pop off and spray coolant a couple of weeks ago, but the mixture at that time was 50/50. And it sprayed toward wheel well. Since then I have been checking every day or so and everything under the hood was dry before and after the burning. Just in case, I'm going to hose down the entire engine today. > >

connections and do a better check of wiring and charging circuit, replace the idler pulley and and look at cleaning or replacing the hood liner.

Thanks, Clare. I'll keep looking but so far have not see any wiring troubles. Battery cables and connections were fine & tight -- just to be sure I pulled them off and cleaned them good.

Lots of guesses at what the hood liner is for. I always thought it was to muffle engine noise. Some folks are saying it's to help smoother engine fires. To me, it looks like a good place for oil and soot to collect and *start* a fire.

On the "aero-scare" the pad searves 2 purposes., It cuts down engine noise and it insulates the fiberglass hood from engine heat.

I've owned 2 Aerostars, and 2 brothers have owned 2 each as well. 1989 to 1997.

There is no asbestos and it is a mineral that does not burn.

Since it is above the battery, I'd think it could have been electrical. Possible that a cat, squirrel, or other small animal started to build a nest and brough up some material that shorted across the battery and burned up leaving little visible residue. Wet dried out grass coud evendo it.

I have had a hot spot on the top of the battery in the Mystique - looked like there had been a small fire at some time - - there were maple keys all blackenned and charred -We had trouble with chipmunks chewing on things (ate plug wires and vac hoses as well as the underhood pad) and my suspicion is the rascal pissed on the maple keys on top of the battery, causing them to conduct to the hold-down bracket and heat up. No proof, but no other explanation.

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could have cause a spark? No damage. I'm not taking a chance in my shade tree skills with this one, but have to use the car tomorrow around town until the shop opens on Monday. Meanwhile, I put a fire extinguisher and a full

2 gallon weed sprayer in the front seat just in case.

Then smelled asbestos burning. Popped the hood. A 6-inch diameter section of the hood liner over the battery had burned. I mashed the few embers that were still soldering around the edges.

1/16 inch depression that is darker than the rest near the center. If that's was it, my first thought was a red hot piece of metal, sand, etc, that had come from a pulley. Reason I say that is one of the idler pulleys has been squealing lately. Nothing else was hot or burned. Battery was cold, terminals tight, no corrosion, no sign of shorting. Checked every wire and connection I could see and all look OK.

thing burning in the road. Although doesn't seem likely, since it would have had to have to fly up and around different ways to get there.

radiator and leaving pure glycol which he says is flammable.

I did have a hose pop off and spray coolant a couple of weeks ago, but the mixture at that time was 50/50. And it sprayed toward wheel well. Since then I have been checking every day or so and every thing under the hood was dry before and after the burning. Just in case, I'm going to hose down the entire engine today. >

battery connections and do a better check of wiring and charging circuit, replace the idler pulley and and look at cleaning or replacing the hood liner.

Battery post (top post, left side of photo) looks burned. Likely touched the hood, shorted out.

- . Christopher A. Young learn more about Jesus .

. .

You've never had the hood open on an Aerostar, eh??? Linda hard to short out the battery to a fiberglass hood.

worked on or had much contact with them. Is it fiberglass? News to me.] on an Aerostar, eh???

Center posted like your reply.

- . Christopher A. Young learn more about Jesus .

. .

I'm stumped with this one. What do you fellers think could have cause a spark? No damage. I'm not taking a chance in my shade tree skills with this one, but have to use the car tomorrow around town until the shop opens on Monday. Meanwhile, I put a fire extinguisher and a full 2 gallon weed sprayer in the front seat just in case.

Car was cold. Drove about 3 miles at 35mph or less. Parked. Then smelled asbestos burning. Popped the hood. A 6-inch diameter section of the hood liner over the battery had burned. I mashed the few embers that were still soldering around the edges.

Can't tell for sure, but the starting point could be a 1/16 inch depression that is darker than the rest near the center. If that's was it, my first thought was a red hot piece of metal, sand, etc, that had come from a pulley. Reason I say that is one of the idler pulleys has been squealing lately. Nothing else was hot or burned. Battery was cold, terminals tight, no corrosion, no sign of shorting. Checked every wire and connection I could see and all look OK.

Only other thought is that it picked up a cigarette or something burning in the road. Although doesn't seem likely, since it would have had to have to fly up and around different ways to get there.

Any ideas what might have caused something like this?

------

I just saw this about evaporating the water out of the radiator and leaving pure glycol which he says is flammable.

I did have a hose pop off and spray coolant a couple of weeks ago, but the mixture at that time was 50/50. And it sprayed toward wheel well. Since then I have been checking every day or so and everything under the hood was dry before and after the burning. Just in case, I'm going to hose down the entire engine today. Found some good info about sources of car fires... Before going nuts pulling things apart, I will clean the battery connections and do a better check of wiring and charging circuit, replace the idler pulley and and look at cleaning or replacing the hood liner.

===

Long time shop checked it out and could not find any electrical or other possible ways the hood liner could have burned. Suggested could have been something picked up from the road, but no way to tell.

He also checked out engine which has been overheating lately and rough running. Said it was a leaking head gasket. Said the tan colored residue where coolant spilled out are from the engine leaking exhaust into the coolant. Gastket leak was also pressurizing the radiator and causing coolant to flow out the cap and was overflowing the reservoir.

Will send me an estimate for replacing head gasket and another for swapping out with a used engine.

No matter was the costs are, I have another mechanic I'll have check it out just to be sure. I bought it 10 years ago for $3000 and have only spent routine service on it, so if the cost is under $2K, I'll get 'er done. Other than that, it's a great work van - nothing like it new for under $25K.

Sound reasonable?

the radiator and leaving pure glycol which he says is flammable.

Flash point 232F (way, way over 100F) which makes it combustible, not flammable.

- . Christopher A. Young learn more about Jesus .

. .

Doesn't sound likely to me either. But I'm gonna not going to fool around with a head gasket leaking a fuel/air mixture into the radiator, pressurizing it and then venting it into the engine compartment.

I'm thinking of running a hose temporarily from the rad cap overflow out the side of the car to keep the fume away from hot parts until I can get the repair done.

"Fred James" wrote

Last night, the engine would not turn over. Clicking noise coming from top of engine compartment - not from below. Arms or neck not long enough to turn key and see under the hood at the same time. Only things that would click are solenoid and starter relay mounted on the driver side fender. Definitely not the solenoid. Borg relay is $24 at the local part house, $13 for cheap version.

Before replacing relay, I checked voltage - was 12.7V, but when turned the key, dropped to 5-6V. Put charger on it, checked again later, no change. Pulled the battery terminals off, wires were pretty much green, cleaned all. One negative terminal nut was spinning in the clamp where the relay wire connected, replaced screw & nut. Started up right away. Off voltage is 12.7. Started so quickly, the voltage didn't go below 12. When running, can't remember exactly what V was but was stable and where it should be.

Also noticed red insulation on the hot wire under the clamp was black. When I removed the battery cover, I found a piece of a paper towel near the neutral terminal that had evidently blown in. A piece of it could have blown up and caught fire.

Learned that it's easier to find info searching for Ranger, etc. Ford Explorer, Aerostar, Ranger, Mercury Mountaineer all seem to have a lot of common parts.

Some helpful links:

So the bad pattery post connection got hot sometime in the past and caused the little fire. Fords need REAL GOOD connections or they do the "tat-a-tat-tat" relay chatter and don't start. A low battery on a chevy will crank slowly - on a Ford it just laughs at you.