Fine Chysler Engineering

[Astroman]

I was driving my '89 Chrysler LeBaron GTC turbo convertible to go see my mom for mother's day towing a 600lb empty trailer. Had towed the trailer many times before empty and loaded on the 240mile round trip just fine in the car. It had 3" exhaust, T04 turbo, intercooler, 52mm TB, ported & polished, good for 30psi boost, strut bar and 17" aluminum wheels. Well, while I was going up my 2nd hill there was some faint whispy white steam/smoke (was smoke I found out) coming from the heater vent. I pulled over and it stopped. Ok, I kept going trying to find a turn around spot on the interstate when suddenly it got really bad. I pulled over and shut the engine off thinking I just overheated, even though my gages said I was fine. Well, the smoke started to get real bad, turned black and was billowing out of the defrost vents. I had my fire ext. ready just in case, when suddenly the windshield made a loud "pop" sound and shattered then it got really bad. I reached in to pull my keys out and the flames got bad. I ran uphill into the wind and watched my 400hp LeBaron go up in flames. Wasn't a engine fire, but it burnt from the firewall back completley. Had just put a new sound system in there, all lost. The trailer suffered some damage but is repairable with a little wiring, paint & wood. The car is not so lucky. Three of the wheels are ok, one melted off. For sale: 2.5L turbo engine, ported & polished, T04 turbo, intercooler (2.5" setup) and all piping included. Would even throw the 3 wheels in, $1,500 obo, lol. I'm sad the car is gone now, but after my third daimier/chrysler problem, I've had it. I might save the intercooler for turboing the yaris, but will probably sell it all.:cry:http://a614.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/57/l_a396ed60faff84f443e911e28e4acebd.jpg
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EDIT: One of the nice people who stopped to see if I was OK (after 15 minutes of fireball) was a red Yaris LB from canada I think. It was the 3-door. I just wanted to say thanks!

[Ran Kizama]

Holy hell. Any idea what caused the fire? Glad you came out of it unhurt.

[Doc Zaius]

OMG!!! Glad you're ok!

[Astroman]

I think the turbo or exhaust got too hot, or there wasn't enough coolant or something... The turbo only sat maybe 3/4" from the firewall, but some heatshielding was put up to take care of that. I'm going to start pulling some parts off and putting it up on ebay, but it really sucks to lose such a fast car. Running it at 30psi boost it was untouchable, getting to 115mph in about 9 sec! Alas it won't be moving soon, until the wrecking yard comes to pick it up when I pull the engine. I thankfully didn't start a wildfire, the wind was going pretty good there. It's just amazing how well a car burns really. I wish I could have taken a video of what it was like. :eek:

[eTiMaGo]

Damn, that sucks, glad to hear you got out unscathed, though!

Chrysler: Our cars are on FIRE!

[redyaris]

Spontaneous combustion? Was the Krysler running on the trailer? There goes the rich corinthian leather.

[ChinoCharles]

The good news is they got bought out.

[Astroman]

No wonder chysler products have such low resale. :evil: Maybe I can rid myself of some salvageable parts on the Yahoo LeBaron group :redface: I've had nothing but problems with the car since day 1, and so have the previous owners. So maybe this was a good thing because obviously I won't be dumping any more $$$ into it. More money for the yaris now! :burnrubber:

[redyaris]

This would make a great new thread: Flaming domestic infernos!:evil:

[redyaris]

No wonder chysler products have such low resale. :evil: Maybe I can rid myself of some salvageable parts on the Yahoo LeBaron group :redface: I've had nothing but problems with the car since day 1, and so have the previous owners. So maybe this was a good thing because obviously I won't be dumping any more $$$ into it. More money for the yaris now! :burnrubber:


There's a Yahoo LeBaron group? OMG. Ive heard it all now.:laugh:

[punch]

some faint whispy white steam/smoke (was smoke I found out) coming from the heater vent.

Wasn't a engine fire, but it burnt from the firewall back completley. Had just put a new sound system in there, all lost!

sounds like the problem right there the new stereo....

[YarisGuy]

Oh man, that sucks. Glad to hear you are ok though.

.

[Blenjar]

Glad that ur okay!!!

-- Blen

[fu_im_from_texas]

... I'm sad the car is gone now, but after my third daimier/chrysler problem, I've had it. ...

problem? kinna an understatement...:coolpics:

[Yaris Revenge]

sounds like the problem right there the new stereo....

Yup. Wouldn't be the 1st burnt out husk I've seen as a result of some amped-up stereo hijinks. :laugh:

~YR

[Astroman]

It wasn't a nice stereo by any means. I spent about $80 for a generic MP3 head unit at wal-mart, and had some 5.25" sony speakers in the doors and the back. I'm glad my stereo loss was about $150 and not more. More upset over the loss of my Jack Johnson CD, as well as my green day, gnarles barkley & such. All I could do as it burned was watch, and shake my head that people were actually driving so close to the car and not getting in the other lane. Someone in a kia rio actually drove though the flames, instead of pulling over to the next lane. Dumbass.

[eTiMaGo]

maybe it was a head unit with integrated burner? literally? :biggrin:

[redyaris]

It wasn't a nice stereo by any means. I spent about $80 for a generic MP3 head unit at wal-mart, and had some 5.25" sony speakers in the doors and the back. I'm glad my stereo loss was about $150 and not more. More upset over the loss of my Jack Johnson CD, as well as my green day, gnarles barkley & such. All I could do as it burned was watch, and shake my head that people were actually driving so close to the car and not getting in the other lane. Someone in a kia rio actually drove though the flames, instead of pulling over to the next lane. Dumbass.

Says a lot for Kia Rio drivers. They were lucky the plastic fuel tank didnt explode.

People are purebred idiots on the road today. Were you in Atlanta by chance? :biggrin:

[Astroman]

maybe it was a head unit with integrated burner? literally? :biggrin:

LOL. I can see my newspaper ad now: FOR SALE: '89 Chrysler Lebaron GTC turbo, Wal-Mart CD/MP3 player w/integrated burner, used once. Cheap! Make offer. :laugh:

[nsmitchell]

sounds like the problem right there the new stereo....
I'm glad to hear you are OK!
A 12V hotwire without a fuse could easily cause a fire under your dash. I would bet that was what did it. Engine bay was untouched, correct?