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  #1  
Old 01-10-2013, 03:51 PM
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Location: Germantown, TN
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1991 350SDL with Gray interior --- fire repair

I have recently acquired a 1991 350SDL with fire damage. I'm about 120% positive the fire was caused by leaves on the Aux Cooling Fan resistor. Previous owner's wife was driving the car and pulled into a gas station. The fire department was right down the street. The firemen opened the hood by using an axe against the hood hinge on the passenger side which caused the hood, fender, and windshield damage.

The big pieces in my project are:
Hood
Passenger front fender
Front Windshield
Brake Fluid Reservoir
Fuse box
Most wiring under the hood leaving the fuse box

The thread will document the work, issues, concerns, etc. with the project. More pics will be forthcoming.





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daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more

Last edited by daw_two; 01-10-2013 at 09:47 PM.
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  #2  
Old 01-10-2013, 04:29 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by daw_two View Post
I'm about 120% positive the fire was caused by leaves on the Aux Cooling Fan resistor.
Sounds like someone who is too sure of himself.

P.S. I haven't set you as a target for picking on -- honest!-- but you have provided two opportunities that I can't resist
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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."
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  #3  
Old 01-10-2013, 05:02 PM
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I am not suggesting the fireman took the best way of opening the hood.

Still never grab the front of the hood with bare hands to open it during an engine fire without gloves or at least a rag. My hands took the heat many years ago and it was quite painful. In another minute it perhaps would have taken all the skin off my fingers.

Additionally there is a possibility of getting a face full of flames. Especially if it is fuel that is burning in there.
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  #4  
Old 01-10-2013, 05:20 PM
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You are a braver man than I.
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1991 350SD
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  #5  
Old 01-10-2013, 05:36 PM
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Depending on what the car cost it might not be that crazy. It was probably worth about $6k before it caught on fire so if it can be gotten on the road for less than that it might not be too bad.
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  #6  
Old 01-10-2013, 06:28 PM
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Do. Not. Cut. The. Red. Wire.
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  #7  
Old 01-10-2013, 07:09 PM
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WOW that is a project, I would never tackle...
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Old 01-10-2013, 09:03 PM
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Depending on what was paid for it, I'd take it on. Wiring isn't a hard job. Just time consuming. In your part list you only list a brake reservoir. I'd replace the master cylinder and the booster just to be sure. A new MC is fairly cheap and the boosters rarely fail so one sourced from a junk yard should suffice. Not worth taking a chance with those parts. I'd also look at the solid lines very carefully for heat stress\fatigue and consider replacing them as well.
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2004 F150 4.6L -My Daily
2007 Volvo XC70 -Wife's Daily
1998 Ford F150 -Rear ended
1989 J-spec 420SEL -passed onto its new keeper
1982 BMW 733i -fixed and traded for the 420SEL
2003 Volvo V70 5 Speed -scrapped
1997 E290 Turbo Diesel Wagon -traded for above
1992 BMW 525i -traded in
1990 Silver 300TE -hated the M103
1985 Grey 380SE Diesel Conversion, 2.47 rear end, ABS -Sold, really should have kept this one
1979 Silver 300D "The Silver Slug" -Sold
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  #9  
Old 01-10-2013, 09:25 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jooseppi Luna View Post
Sounds like someone who is too sure of himself.

P.S. I haven't set you as a target for picking on -- honest!-- but you have provided two opportunities that I can't resist
Hey Jooseppi --- you might want to go read this post I made last summer:
Bought some 1987 Champagne
I have leaf experience and sometimes it only takes ONE to make smoke.

I know it's hard to get a good picture of the damage.....but the inside of the fusebox is melted; the outside is fine. The plastic brake fluid reservoir melted into a big glob. The glow plug harness that comes thru the firewall down into the engine bay....was damage toward the engine. This fire was contained within the firewall and was put out fast. There's no evidence of any water, foam, etc sprayed on the engine. The wiring going into the cabin is all sound.
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daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more
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  #10  
Old 01-10-2013, 09:36 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Germantown, TN
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dude99 View Post
Depending on what was paid for it, I'd take it on. Wiring isn't a hard job. Just time consuming. In your part list you only list a brake reservoir. I'd replace the master cylinder and the booster just to be sure. A new MC is fairly cheap and the boosters rarely fail so one sourced from a junk yard should suffice. Not worth taking a chance with those parts. I'd also look at the solid lines very carefully for heat stress\fatigue and consider replacing them as well.
The master cylinder will probably be replaced too.....
It's one of those things that until I get the car home and get started, I won't know.
The booster looked fine, but we will see.

And THANKS for the encouragement!!! It's just wires and a bunch of solder, right?
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daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more
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  #11  
Old 01-10-2013, 09:42 PM
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lol, Just like it's just nuts and bolts going around and around. The only reason I suggested replacing the booster is that the rubber diaphragm inside it could have been weakened by the fire and it'd be a shame to have to pull the master cylinder off again after you have it all bleed to replace it. The master should be replaced as a serious safety concern. There are rubber parts inside that would not like the heat from the fire. I would not drive it without replacing the MC.
__________________
2004 F150 4.6L -My Daily
2007 Volvo XC70 -Wife's Daily
1998 Ford F150 -Rear ended
1989 J-spec 420SEL -passed onto its new keeper
1982 BMW 733i -fixed and traded for the 420SEL
2003 Volvo V70 5 Speed -scrapped
1997 E290 Turbo Diesel Wagon -traded for above
1992 BMW 525i -traded in
1990 Silver 300TE -hated the M103
1985 Grey 380SE Diesel Conversion, 2.47 rear end, ABS -Sold, really should have kept this one
1979 Silver 300D "The Silver Slug" -Sold
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  #12  
Old 01-10-2013, 09:54 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Germantown, TN
Posts: 5,449
I plan on driving on a vacant strip of roadway....and then pressing the brakes REALLY hard a few times after everything is fixed.

As I recall the paint didn't get burnt off the MC. I already have a replacement in hand though, so yeah, it's going to get replaced. It was the booster that I was thinking probably would not be replaced. The rubber was fine as I recall, but I might replace it anyway, just for good measure.
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daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more
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  #13  
Old 01-10-2013, 10:41 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 1,493
The booster I can see leaving and testing since the breaks will still work if it fails. I'm glad you decided to replace the MC. Wouldn't want to see anyone hurt.
__________________
2004 F150 4.6L -My Daily
2007 Volvo XC70 -Wife's Daily
1998 Ford F150 -Rear ended
1989 J-spec 420SEL -passed onto its new keeper
1982 BMW 733i -fixed and traded for the 420SEL
2003 Volvo V70 5 Speed -scrapped
1997 E290 Turbo Diesel Wagon -traded for above
1992 BMW 525i -traded in
1990 Silver 300TE -hated the M103
1985 Grey 380SE Diesel Conversion, 2.47 rear end, ABS -Sold, really should have kept this one
1979 Silver 300D "The Silver Slug" -Sold
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  #14  
Old 01-13-2014, 09:45 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Germantown, TN
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Retrieved yesterday

More pics will be forth coming. I was a little short on time yesterday after I got back to town. My 2000 Dodge Dakota, 4x4, Crew Cab with a swapped 4BT Cummins and 47RE transmission did just fine pulling the load. Going out empty, I couldn't tell the trailer was behind me --- trailer is a 16foot + 2 foot dove tail, car hauler. Coming home, the temperature gauge actually moved off 130F. The Cummins engine was happy that she finally got to do some work. And yes, she could pull the load doing 70mph, not that I drove that all the time, but the engine was definitely capable.
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daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more
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  #15  
Old 01-13-2014, 10:05 AM
Mölyapina's Avatar
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Chelmsford, Massachusetts
Posts: 4,373
You were hauling this car? I thought it was already in you possession?

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."
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