I had a pretty bad fire in my 308 last night. Lots of stuff chared and melted away. Not sure what started it, my guess oily engine got too hot or a fuel line leak. What are the chances the car is totaled?
Only your insurance knows for sure...... I'd post this over to your regional area section and ask some other owners for advice...... My yellow car has caught fire LOTS of times.....no big deal. The blue one seems to run a little cooler. LOL!
Could be a fuel leak but the main cause of 308 fires are when one bank loses spark and the raw fuel makes it way down to the catalysts and ignites.
I don't normally post these "so sad" posts, but I'm actually sad to hear about this because I know how much work has been going into getting that turbo system working right. I'd suspect the car didn't have cats on it, but are you confident of the plumbing for the turbo system? I was (am?) really pulling for you on getting that thing sorted out!
It will be totalled, trust me. Doesn't take much on a 308 for the insurance company to just go ahead and total it. It can be fixed though, so don't give up just yet.
Mine burned too, it is hard to watch. With mine, it was a dead bank pump gas into the cat, which set it on fire, spraying flames and setting the rear bumper on fire. The bumper, lights and some paint burned, no engine damage. The bill was almost $20k...but $6k of that was the muffler, the chrome tips were burned.
I too am sad to hear this, as I also know you have been trying to get the car up and running. You should post some pics of the car, as there are some on here who could speculate as to the extent of damage as well as the potential cause. I do hope this works out for you. Also, if the insurance totals it, you can either keep the car minus a buyback, or just cut and run and find another car. But the first option keeps the car in the gene pool.
glad noone got burned...don't worry it is only a car and the upside is that there are so many, and I mean so many damn 308's out there.. Big question...should we be removing the cats from our 308's... I saw that rec. in a FOrza article that the first think you should do is get rid of those as they are the major source of 308 fires....I am getting real worried and protective of my car..a fire is dangerous and most importantly..doesn't take long for a fire to gut a car like a 308 FAST...the 308's have such low value tha they quickly get beyond economical repair....I am also rethinking my insurance as well (see other thread) in case this happens
Well, thanks so much for your knowledgable input........... There are a few less than "so many 308s out there" every damn day, dude! So, as they are "worth so little", just throw it away! LOL! And FYI, it's a Federal offense to tamper with the cats and still run on PUBLIC ROADS......use the "Search" feature on this site for a few days worth of reading on that argument! So, if you have a vehicle DOT rated as CATALYST EQUIPPED (which started in 1978, with Ferrari), a BETTER solution would be to pay to TUNE the darm thing once in a while to MAKE SURE it functions properly. Early cats have a limited lifespan as well, as these cars approach 30 years in age. Now, hand me that carb tool, would ya????? LOL! This event was cracked aged fuel system lines, you can tell from the video!
FORZA recommended TAKING THEM OFF? I'd like to see that article if you don't mind....the postman must still be reading my copy........... Maybe they recommended taking a 'spent' unit off and putting a NEW one back on. THAT I could believe!
Luckily though, there is no one with any interest what-so-ever in enforcing that federal law, so it's a mute point. Also, the law does not require the system to be maintained, and it's only an emission system if it is in working order. Therefore you can remove and discard a non-functioning system, since at that point, it is no longer an emissions system, it's rusted junk. The exception of course is if a state law where you live requires the system to be maintained, then you need to fix it. Here in PA it is perfectly legal to operate a vehicle on public roads with the OEM emissions equipment removed if it has classic, show, or antique plates or I think if it is over 25 years. I run a classic plate on mine
the article referred quoted someone saying that they are a cause of many 308 fires and shuld be taken off. I will pull the exact quote if I find it and then clear the air to be sure if I got it wrong. Ebay has at least 3-6 308's for sale at any given time (just one small source). These cars are available...would not to like to lose mine to a fire though but they are out there. a 308 is in the 30's range and with parts and labor a fire can cause major engine and body and structural repair issues....for an insurance company..the repair bills quickly outstrip their financial interest in repairing versus just cashing you out. Although I would not want to see a single F-car off the road for good.. I get regular vehicle state inspections...the law says I have to pass a certain emmissions number...tehy never seem to check how I pass, they NEVER EVER inspect my emissions system...I doubt the "air injection system" is working properly (some have belt driven pumps) on all 308's...I never tamper with the stock config of my cars but if keeping it stock means I am at risk of a dangerous fire....well tell me more...I am law abiding for sure but not a fool...having all the emmissions systems in place will be no consolation for me if my car burns since I got some unburned gas in the cats..looking for info not insults here...get plenty of the latter elsewhere.
No worries....and actually that is a very good point. The measurements are made at the exhaust tips, and they don 't even crack the hood! My old Non Cat carb cars passed before age exempted them. They had to be "spot on" and the secret was to take the car in white HOT so the pipes would burn the fuel off before the tips..still have the wrapped headers, 'til they explode, anyway! Moral: Fire extinguisher is Option #1,2, & 3!!!!!! Left trunk, right trunk, and one in the cabin to make your way INTO the trunk, where the fire will be! LOL! An onboard system is a nice upgrade, IMO.
and I now do check the rear view mirror for many things..flames included...an oboard system seems to me to be a better all around idea than removing the cats
The insurance guy looked at my car and as rough estimate said he thought it was repairable. He said he was low but thought around $1200. I am having the car towed to Ferrari of Detriot and see what they say. The insurance man confessed he didn't know about these cars.
I'd like to see some aftermarket under-hood insulation filled with fire-extinguisher foam or powder so that if a fire started burning it, the foam or powder would fall down on the fire giving you an edge in getting the fire out with your hand-held fire extinguisher (perhaps giving you time to pull off of the road, too).
Not to nitpick, but, it's a "moot" point, not a "mute" point. That's one of my pet peeves. I hear it so often, but it ain't right.
Just plumb in a fire extinguisher system like Jim has for his Lola, etc. The other thing to do is to first replace ALL rubber fuel hoses ... but ofcourse that does not stop the one-bank stopping issue. Pete
'77 308 GTB: Summit sells systems for about $600. I got one and mounted the bottle in the left side of the trunk down in the well. I have a nozzle on each side of the engine. The actuator handle is inside the people tank on the driver's side. This way I can pull the pin and then the handle on my way out of the car if it ever catches fire. The next thing I'll do is call the insurance company. I too look for flames everytime I look in the rear view mirror. I also let the car cool off before I put it back into the garage.
if you are interested in selling it. Though I know the insurance people would need to be contacted first. Maybe I can contact your insurance company if they are gonna auction it off somewhere.
