Truck fire results in a new KC S300!

MeTo

Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Messages
332
Reaction score
3
The morning I left the middle of Joshua Tree National Park; 3rd week of January and no bars on the phone. I stopped on the side of the road to take a couple of pics. I left the engine idling. When I walked back around the truck, smoke was coming out from under the driver's side of the hood. I turned it off, grabbed the fire extinguisher and opened the hood. The big (i have 2 air filters) air filter was on fire, so I hosed it down real good. It was a good thing I didn't have the powder type extinguisher.

After much swearing, I decided it would be best to take a few minutes to calm down and think about this.

I grabbed my well stocked tool bag (i never take the truck anywhere without it) and went at it. I removed the damaged air filter and saw the headlight bulb, retainer and wire harness melted. BUT, it turned out to be just the outer plastic melted off the main harness and insulation on the headlight and side marker wires. I seriously thought about having an IPA. I cut the damaged wires and taped them up. I cut a piece of plastic out of a spare cheap rain poncho and clamped that over the end of the intake tube. Having 2 air filters sure came in handy! I started it and could immediately hear the turbo was not right. I removed the tube and saw blade damage.

I needed to pull the trailer about 125 miles back to our boondock camp, which was across some very desolate desert. If I throttled carefully and kept the rpms between 1500 and 1700, it growled the least. I made it back to camp without incident.

At camp with an IPA, I contacted Charlie (KC Turbo) by email. I didn't have his phone number. A couple of IPAs later, I got a response. I would drive to Apache Junction (~155 miles) the next morning and see what could be done?

The drive to KC Turbo went without incident. Driving through Phoenix with the turbo growling, resulted in some nasty thoughts going through my brain.

Once I arrived, we discussed the situation and decided which turbo would be the best replacement? Charlie had a S300 (63/70/84) assembled and in my hands in about 15 minutes. He then hooked me up with a guy who lives about 2 miles away, has a driveway and tools. At about 8 pm, I had swapped the turbos and tested it for leaks.

I took it easy on the drive back, wondering if a turbo needs a break in? I didn't take any chances.

I will do a separate post on my comparison Between the KC TP38r and the new KC S300.

The culprit and I stuffed some paper towels into the filter to see the size of the hole.
 

Attachments

  • IMAG1069.jpg
    IMAG1069.jpg
    936.4 KB · Views: 125
  • IMAG1062.jpg
    IMAG1062.jpg
    635.1 KB · Views: 118
  • IMAG1064.jpg
    IMAG1064.jpg
    472.4 KB · Views: 115
  • IMAG1070.jpg
    IMAG1070.jpg
    410.4 KB · Views: 109
  • IMAG1071.jpg
    IMAG1071.jpg
    476.5 KB · Views: 111
Last edited:

MeTo

Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Messages
332
Reaction score
3
Here is a pic of how hot the intake pipe got and what the headlight bulb retainer looks like.
 

Attachments

  • IMAG1063.jpg
    IMAG1063.jpg
    569 KB · Views: 101
  • IMAG1132.jpg
    IMAG1132.jpg
    299.2 KB · Views: 96
Last edited:

ju015dd

Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2013
Messages
373
Reaction score
1
Location
Tallahassee, FL
Looks good. Thank goodness you caught it quick. And better man than me, i would have started on those ipa's quick. Lol
 

MeTo

Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Messages
332
Reaction score
3
Looks good. Thank goodness you caught it quick. And better man than me, i would have started on those ipa's quick. Lol

I hear you, I seriously thought about having one or two right there on the side of the road. BUT, I wasn't sure a conversation with a tow truck driver and or officer would be in my future? I definitely cracked a few when I got back to camp.

I plan on posting my experience with the new KC S300 sometime this coming week. I have the 63/70/84 version. The turbo damaged in the fire was a KC TP38r.
 

MeTo

Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Messages
332
Reaction score
3
The KC S300 is a drop in version of BG's SXE with the exception of a 2" discharge flange.

No, it wasn't the harness that caused the fire. It was the headlight bulb base. I replaced the headlight housings and bulbs last summer while I was waiting for the block and heads to be machined. The bulb retainer which secures the bulb to the headlight housing was damaged the most extensively. The insulation on the 3 wires and electrical connector for the bulb was completely burned. The split sleeve on the harness had melted and caught fire, but the insulation on the wires was fine. I was very lucky I didn't take more pics! The bulbs are Sylvania brand. The passenger side looks fine.

When I installed an intercooler 2 years ago, I checked and shored up everything in that area.
 

Zeb

New member
Joined
Apr 26, 2018
Messages
846
Reaction score
0
Location
Downtown Marrowbone Ky
What caused the turbo damage?
Man, you were super lucky the whole truck didn’t go! Good lesson for me. I don’t have a fire extinguisher in every vehicle....
 

MeTo

Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Messages
332
Reaction score
3
What caused the turbo damage?
Man, you were super lucky the whole truck didn’t go! Good lesson for me. I don’t have a fire extinguisher in every vehicle....

I would recommend everyone have a Halon extinguisher.

The turbo blades were damaged by burning filter media being sucked through the turbo. The engine was idling. The media broke a blade off and it mechanical damaged the other blades. That can be seen if you look at the wheel pic closely.

I shoved some paper toweling inside the filter for contrast to show the actual size of the hole burnt in it. That indicates how much filter media went through the turbo.

As a result, the filter media and turbo blades are trapped inside my intercooler. NICE, literally! Since I rebuilt my engine last summer and have it vented to atmosphere. This gives me the opportunity to clean the oil out of it also.

Side note:
Since I purchased an OBS to pull our 2 campers, I always have something to do when camping? :ford:
 

Zeb

New member
Joined
Apr 26, 2018
Messages
846
Reaction score
0
Location
Downtown Marrowbone Ky
I would recommend everyone have a Halon extinguisher.

The turbo blades were damaged by burning filter media being sucked through the turbo. The engine was idling. The media broke a blade off and it mechanical damaged the other blades. That can be seen if you look at the wheel pic closely.

I shoved some paper toweling inside the filter for contrast to show the actual size of the hole burnt in it. That indicates how much filter media went through the turbo.

As a result, the filter media and turbo blades are trapped inside my intercooler. NICE, literally! Since I rebuilt my engine last summer and have it vented to atmosphere. This gives me the opportunity to clean the oil out of it also.

Side note:
Since I purchased an OBS to pull our 2 campers, I always have something to do when camping? :ford:

Ah, 10-4. I had missed the fact that you said it was idling in the first post when the fire happened. Totally understand the turbo damage with that fact accounted for.
 

MeTo

Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Messages
332
Reaction score
3
I have been doing some thinking about this situation. I have an idea, let me know what you think. I'm going to cut a piece of mesh and secure it in my intake pipe. It will be similar to what is in the intake manifolds, only with smaller holes. It will restrict slightly, but prevent large pieces from damaging the turbo wheel. If I had one installed? I believe the TP38r would have been ok?

I'm going to look at some turbo wheels and determine how big the holes can be, but still be effective?
 

Zeb

New member
Joined
Apr 26, 2018
Messages
846
Reaction score
0
Location
Downtown Marrowbone Ky
I have been doing some thinking about this situation. I have an idea, let me know what you think. I'm going to cut a piece of mesh and secure it in my intake pipe. It will be similar to what is in the intake manifolds, only with smaller holes. It will restrict slightly, but prevent large pieces from damaging the turbo wheel. If I had one installed? I believe the TP38r would have been ok?

I'm going to look at some turbo wheels and determine how big the holes can be, but still be effective?

I wouldn’t do it. It’s more likely that the mesh would come loose and chew up the turbo than to have (another) fire.
 

MeTo

Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Messages
332
Reaction score
3
The steel mesh would be welded to the intake Y I fabed for the two filters. It wouldn't come loose, but would the effort be worth it realistically? Sometimes my desire to tinker is self evident.
 

Denver

Member
Joined
May 20, 2011
Messages
794
Reaction score
6
Location
America
I have been doing some thinking about this situation. I have an idea, let me know what you think. I'm going to cut a piece of mesh and secure it in my intake pipe. It will be similar to what is in the intake manifolds, only with smaller holes. It will restrict slightly, but prevent large pieces from damaging the turbo wheel. If I had one installed? I believe the TP38r would have been ok?

I'm going to look at some turbo wheels and determine how big the holes can be, but still be effective?

You are over thinking it. This would just be something to fail or cause a problem later on. Kinda like having 2 air filters and one shorts out the headlight plug...
 

Latest posts

Members online

Top