Now thats a FIRE

[STRETCH27]

I have a 2002 Pontiac Grand AM SE (V-4 2,2L) with 187,000 miles who got HOT under the hood. Driving a freeway at night I received a low coolant warning light that went off almost as fast as when it came on. I drove another 60 miles and was seeing dense white smoke in my rearview mirror. Still around other autos I didn't think it was me until good samaritans started to flash and beep their horns. I realized the white smoke was coming from my auto and to prove this an officer of the law also hit his bar lights and helped me get to the side of the freeway. As I turn my signal on my service engine soon, abs, low coolant, and I don't even know the other lights came on like a christmas tree. The officer quickly told me to get out of the car now it is on FIRE. Sure enough I watched my auto burn from underneath the hood. By the Fire responded it had burned itself out. I had it towed and in the morning noticed oil from the engine block down the entire underneath of the vehicle. My car experience knowledge is when a light comes on and stays on get it to a shop. Any suggestions/recommendations/cost$ in to why this occured would be appreciative. JJ

[xeroinfinity]

Welcome to AF.

Thats not GOOD !

I would assume all the lights came on because the engine shut down when oil pressure got to low and temps were probly over 250 Deg.

The fire came from the oil that blew out the head I'm sure.

You will probley at Least need a new head,
if not new wiring harness(s) too for the things that got burnt up.

Going to be pricey depends on what part of the country you live in. Call around get some estimates.

Good Luck

[skibum1111]

I've rebuilt two burnt cars. One was a minor electrical fire in the dash (or so we thought) that turned into a 3 month project, and the other one was a small engine fire. The engine fire involved replacing the engine harness, all hoses, belts, alternator, fuel lines, radiator and coolant recovery tank, and the hood. Personally, I will never touch a burnt car again, its too much work and too much money for what you get out of it. Just my

[xeroinfinity]

Yes it is a PITA!

I was being pretty conservative when I said a head replacement. More likly you'll be replacing the motor due to bearing damage and possibly the piston walls are scored

[catback23]

That's pretty severe, sounds like your looking at lots of $$$ to fix it...

[justin0717]

i work at a chevy dealership, i just had an 04 malibu, new style (z body not n) with the same motor (I4 2.2) this did the same exact thing, except they towed it to us, so there was no fire. It turned out that somehow, the sleve in the block (alum block) had cracked, and the block cracked as well. Caused one very large mess. Lets just say it needed a new motor, now if something simular had happened, and you got oil or something onto the exhaust, then that may have caused your fire. Just some input as to what you may need.

justin

[xeroinfinity]

Now thats a fire !!

[skibum1111]

Can you say extra crispy?

[xeroinfinity]

I know its not a laughing matter though I have had a few funny fires in the shop

I remember once when I was 16-17yrs old I have this Ford Monarc(simular to the Granada) and it overheated spewing oil on everything And yes it caught fire, I just drove faster

Ended up with a cracked head, filled with JB weld, a new gasket and it lasted another 100K miles, go figure.....

Nice little straight six, 300CI I think.
It made it to around 375k miles .