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Why do so many k5s have fire damage?

"THE TRANSFERCASE IS A FULLTIME AWD NP208 ALUMINUM UNIT3/4 TON AXLES WITH 3.73 GEARS AND FACTORY REAR LOCKERS"....
Got to upsell it somehow I guess :D
 
Years of grime on the motor as part of the fire cause? Can dirt and oil leaks on the motor contribute to the fire?
 
When yo fix the oil leak and the years and years worth of build up dry out near the exhaust yeah. Moral of the story Hoopties gotta leak:D
 
My K5 has the factory heat barrier on the hood. Over the years this has accumulated grease and dirt. I wonder if it would be a fire hazzard.
 
Most fires are caused in older vehicles by shoddy wire repairs

Also GM wiring pre 1995 sees fuses as a suggestion unless you use one of the 9 existing circuits. Fantastic lack of foresight for expansion or repair
 
Bent77 said:
Most fires are caused in older vehicles by shoddy wire repairs

Also GM wiring pre 1995 sees fuses as a suggestion unless you use one of the 9 existing circuits. Fantastic lack of foresight for expansion or repair
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In stock form is the wiring well protected? If not then what can be added or modified?
 
wazzabie said:
In stock form is the wiring well protected? If not then what can be added or modified?
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Well they were, when new. The newest one now is 33 years old or so, up to 50 years old. Things deteriorate
 
Stock wiring is marginal at best.
Throw in decades of corrosion and you get added resistance (heat)
Add fuel like dust, cloth, greasy / dirty insulation and the triangle is complete.
 
wazzabie said:
Years of grime on the motor as part of the fire cause? Can dirt and oil leaks on the motor contribute to the fire?
Click to expand...
Yes. I had a small fire in a 86 suburban I had.
The engine backfired, or maybe afterfired.
Remember those damn heat riser butterfly valves on the pass. side exhaust manifolds?
Enough fire came through the worn shaft holes to catch some grease and grime alight.
Fortunately, I was just leaving the grocery store. That's when I learned a 2 liter diet Pepsi makes a handy fire extinguisher! Put out the fire and drove home!
 
TJ1978 said:
So.... A new wiring harness for the K5 is in my future now it appears.
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I wouldn't replace it out of hand. Look for previous owner hack wiring jobs.
I'd get a hand held infra red thermometer and look for hot spots with everything on. There's
millions of our old trucks that run just fine. Don't fix it if it ain't broke.

My K5 is 44 years old. Longbedder found a major electrical issue just before I drove it home. I found more with the off road lighting wiring when I got home.
Everything is unfocked now!
I would bet previous owners caused most of these incidents.
 
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