Burned tractors and cars

37chief · Oct 30, 2015

Someone gave my Dad a Chevy car to scrap. The car had been completely burned. The kid wanted the motor. He said it will still be good. He said he just needs to change the gaskets, and seals. I wonder if some tractor fires will still leave a serviceable motor. If the water hasn't boiled out should it still be ok? Stan

rrlund · Oct 30, 2015

I'd never rebuild another one. That Uni Harvester of mine that burned never did stop giving me trouble. Seals,bearings,you name it,they just kept going out.

Dachshund · Oct 30, 2015

I'd walk away from a fried one....On that note - we had a local BTO loose a tractor to fire this week. It was a BRAND NEW Steiger 420, with a huge disc behind it...burnt to a crisp....

JD Seller · Oct 30, 2015

The base motor would be useable if the oil is still in it.

GregCO · Oct 30, 2015

All depends on how hot it got and how fast it got put out. I got lucky on a Ford 460 one time. My in-laws needed an engine for an old Mercury Grand Marquis and didn't have much money to spend on it. I found a Lincoln that had a dash fire that spread into the engine compartment. The entire car burned. Everything rubber or plastic was junk in the engine compartment. I put a front and rear seal in it and changed the valve cover gaskets and a fresh coat of rattle can Ford blue on it and dumped in to the recipient car. Ran like a top for several years. So, a fire engine can be ok as long as it did not get so hot it started affecting the iron and steel parts.

Your mileage may vary.

Greg

Bob Harvey · Oct 30, 2015

Nope. Unless your wallet makes you sit about 12" higher. mho

old · Oct 30, 2015

A lot would depend on how burned it was. I have a D-17 that looks like it has been in a fire but do not know the history of it so can only go by looks. Hood has odd warps to it and the color says burned but can not be sure. I do know it runs well but if very ugly

JOCCO · Oct 30, 2015

I dealt with some of this with logging equipment. I will pass yes the extent of fire is big part but seems components don't hold up long seen a tranny and axle fail that came out of burnt machine

BigMarv1085 · Oct 30, 2015

It really depends how hot and what all was damaged. Just replaced a engine and trans in a skied steer that had a fire in the engine compartment. Had a aluminum head that was completely melted away. Just replaced the engine and tranny, spliced in some wires and replaced the hoses and it was running in 2 weeks. I think it was more trouble than it was worth

the tractor vet · Oct 30, 2015

If the paint is just a little scorched and some wiring and a couple hoses . yep then ya can repair -fix and reuse . If the paint is GONE and just rusted metal tires burnt off glass in the cab is gone NOPE all it is a start for a Toyota . we have been down this path many years back on a 4010 Deere , i do not know the dollar amount that my accountant paid in parts i just know what he paid me to fix grand dad's first new tractor and the problems after . A lot of new DEERE parts went to scrap , First the one axle housing broke off the main housing and took the thread with it ,fixed that with Keen serts then it broke in half weren't no fixen that one .

connor9988 · Oct 30, 2015

This is my Case 300 I bought last year. It had been in a shed that caught fire. The fire got hot enough to melt the pot metal headlight wings, throttle lever, and steering wheel but the engine and transmission were basically unscathed.

I got lucky (so far) with this one. I don't think I would ever go out and buy a burned one again.

Some before and after shots for you.

Royse · Oct 30, 2015

I agree on the amount of heat and damage.
Oil and antifreeze still in it, then maybe.
But it is a stinky, nasty, messy job to do!

Here's a minute and a half slideshow of the Jubilee I nicknamed [b:61d538b651]Crispy[/b:61d538b651]

markct · Oct 30, 2015

I am in the process of rebuild a Daewoo mini excavator that I bought cheap after it had a fire. It luckily was mostly in the seat area, after fuel line burned off some fire got below the deck enough to burn the hoses enough to need replacement. None of the pumps, engine or valves had gotten hot enough to burn off the paint so I know they will be fine. The joystick valves in the armrests were burned tho, seals all cooked inside so replacing those. Basically was a fast fire that just burned rubber and wiring, even the plastic engine fan melted into a blob but didn't burn off. As others said what a messy nasty job, I steam cleaned it for hours and still am a black mess every time I change hoses and such. But it will be worth it in the end

01gentdc · Oct 31, 2015

dad burned a 35 fergie bak in 1965,gasline leak in the wrong place he thinx,, don't really know , he was cutting hay , and all of a sudden 3 ft flames ,then the gastank caught,we rebuilt that tractor gave it a needed overhaul ,.. there was strill antifreeze in blok ,,it just depends on how hot they get ,,. fire jobs are a mess ,, best left for salvage imho

PJH · Oct 31, 2015

I have a 630 JD that I use nearly every day. A friend turned it over and burned it to a crisp in 1968. Tires, all paint, steering wheel, hoses, gauges - everything burned off. Sheet metal ruined. He made an attempt to repair it, but gave up and it sat rusting in a fence row for 9 years. I finally talked him into selling it to me. I put a ton of work into it over a period of 2 or 3 years. It looks like an orphan, but it runs good and has served me well. It even has an IH steering wheel. Ended up with $1100 in a tractor that would have sold for around $1800 unblemished at that time.

Smart? NO!

Would I do it again? NEVER!

I do like the old tractor, and I'm glad I fixed it. It certainly has a history, and it's the one that visitors want to look at???

What was that old saying about a fool and his money? Look it up - my picture is beside the definition.

Fordfarmer · Oct 31, 2015

Can get to be a LOT of labor... I'd say it's a case-by-case decision. Mostly depends on how hot they got. I have a Ford 7000 that burned about 25 years ago. Insurance company made the decision to fix vs. replace. My self-propelled mower is currently at the dealer's to have fire damage repaired - again, the insurance company's decision. (Parts and labor estimate was around $3800 for the mower - can't buy much of a replacement for that. )

Burned tractors and cars

37chief

Well-known Member

rrlund

Well-known Member

Dachshund

Member

JD Seller

Well-known Member

GregCO

Member

Bob Harvey

Well-known Member

old

Well-known Member

JOCCO

Well-known Member

BigMarv1085

Member

the tractor vet

Well-known Member

connor9988

Well-known Member

Royse

Well-known Member

markct

Well-known Member

01gentdc

Well-known Member

PJH

Well-known Member

Fordfarmer

Well-known Member

Similar threads