Fire: What Went Wrong?

My 97SL2 with about 92k on the odo started running really rough out of the blue tonight. I had driven only a couple of miles after work when the prob started. I stopped and checked the ignition cables (acted like it was running on 3 cyls). I restarted the car, and tried to drive it to my Saturn dealer a couple of miles away. Within a few blocks of my dealer smoke started coming out the back of the car and then inside the cabin through the vents.

I pulled into a Shell gas station and when I got out to open the hood, I saw fire under the car around the catalytic converter. When I opened the hood the there were small flames at the back and bottom of the engine bay. The exhaust pipe below the exhaust manifold was glowing orange. When I looked back into the cabin the smoke was thicker and flames were coming through the floor next to the firewall and behind the center console where the radio and HVAC controls are.

No one including me had a fire extinguisher, and I had to buy a quart bottle of water and tried to put the flames out. Finally the kid at the gas station found a bucket and was filling it with water. I freaked, called

911, the Fire Dept showed up right before something in the cab went bang and extinguished most of the flames. The firemen put the remaining fire out.

The tow truck driver said he thought it would cost more to repair than the car is worth.

The whole thing makes me sick - and I've always kept the car looking and performing really good.

So... other than never trying to drive a poorly running car someplace to get fixed again, what the hell happened?

Reply to
Jonnie Santos
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Reply to
jdoe

You didn't do anything wrong - bad things can happen to good people. A clogged catalytic converter is one of the few common failures that can easily cause a fire. Did you have any warning lights prior to the rough engine? If so, excess gasoline into the cat could have caused the cat to overheat and fail, but otherwise, just chalk it up to bad luck. Luckily, you were close to home - imagine if you were out in Hell's Half Acre when it happened or if it were parked in your attached garage!! Things could always be worse - those are the things that happen to ME! Hope you had some insurance...

Reply to
Dana Rohleder

Thanks much for the insight - I'm surprised there's not a sensor on the cat that shuts the engine off if cat temps exceed a set number. You brother's experience was scary (the speed at which it enveloped the car especially) - good point about not being in the garage too. Scary.

Reply to
Jonnie Santos

Yes, you're perfectly logical and I appreciate the input.

The Service Engine Soon light came on and went off. I thought it was just an emission warning or some sensor failed. No way did I think I would permanently hurt the engine/car, much less cause a fire because it was running so rough. And I thought (probably illogically) that since the car has a computer to control some engine functions, it surely would shut itself down if something like a failing cat was going super nova...

My insurance company is having it towed to their yard and will have a look at it Monday or Tuesday. I'll go from there.

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says its retail value is $5,300. I don't know if they'll do that or use the lower trade in value less my deductible.

We have a state lottery here in Calif and it will be $59,000,000 on Saturday (and I already have my ticket!!).

Reply to
Jonnie Santos

Ah, the lottery! The tax for people who are bad at math. Thanks for helping to fund education, so we can keep our taxes low. Well, low for a state as liberal this, anyway. LOL

Reply to
Ratbert

Keep in mind that on any catalytic converter equipped engine, as long as the cat is still functioning, any misfire will put unburnt fuel into the exhaust and will likely be burnt in the cat. This usually causes an extremely high operating temperature which is likely to ignite any accumulated oil and grime nearby. Most owner's manuals have specific instructions about fire hazards due to a poorly running engine. Shop manuals usually tell you for testing to only disconnect a spark plug for a short time... same reason.

Sorry for the troubles but glad that you are still OK. Oppie

Reply to
Oppie

Thanks... this has been an eye opener. Should hear from the insurance guy today or tomorrow....

Reply to
Jonnie Santos

Reply to
Dave

Thanks! ...this NG has been a large part of an overall positive experience. Some great people who take time out of their day to freely offer advice or input or even a laugh or two is just so unusual (I think) these days.

Tomorrow (Thursday) will be a week since the fire and I haven't heard back from the insurance adjuster about what they're going to do - guess I'll give them a call.

...still odd to look in the driveway and not see my SL-2.

Reply to
Jonnie Santos

When was it that Skylab fell out of orbit and burned up on re-entry? Somewhere about 1979 as I recall... Shortly after that, my brother-in-law's station wagon caught fire and burnt to a cinder (while the keystone cops and firefighters were deciding who's jurisdiction the flaming mass was in). We had the remains towed to a shop and when we went to check it out, somebody with a sense of humor had placed a big sign on what was left of the windshield that read SKYLAB.Isn't it wonderful how a little bit of humor can improve your whole outlook on an otherwise miserable day? Best wishes

Reply to
Oppie

My dad (ex FDNY) always tells me, if a car gets on fire good enough, just get everyone out and pray the FD takes their time getting there. You *really* don't want the ins co to NOT write it off, since fire repaired cars....are smelly...

Reply to
Philip Nasadowski

I am sorry Jonnie.. I didnt realize that it was your car that caught fire..If you need help with the insurance end of it let me know :)

Reply to
Blue87T

Anything new to report? Sorry to hear about your car.

-DanD

Reply to
Dan Duncan

...thanks Blue - they're just slow so far. They will consider some aftermarket stuff and I just faxed a list over to them on Friday. Thursday will be 3 weeks of the mess...

Reply to
Jonnie Santos

Thanks Dan - nothing new, just waiting on insurance... (it will be 3 weeks on Thursday 9/9)

Reply to
Jonnie Santos

Jonnie, keep us posted.

Really sorry to hear about your ride. Knew how much you loved it.....

Reply to
BANDIT2941

...got a long and pleasant voicemail from insurance today. They're going to send some paperwork, I will sign some things and return it with my pink slip, and then they'll cut me a check for high blue book (plus) max allowed on aftermarket parts (minus) deductible. Works for me in the numbers department, still am not thrilled with looking out the window and not seeing my car. I'd say more, but don't want to sound like a baby...

Reply to
Jonnie Santos

"I'd say more, but don't want to sound like a baby..."

It's OK. A burned up car is an OK reason to cry. Good luck in finding a new ride that you can enjoy.

Reply to
Roy

Sucks. Sorry to hear about your loss. It least it was only a material thing rather than a human loss.

Ken

Reply to
Napalm Heart

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