Porsche 944 Engine Fire

[thstone]

Took at a look at the car today. Looks like the fire started on the passenger side near the front of the engine compartment as evidenced by how the paint is most damaged in this location. The lighter paint damage on the driver side was already there and is is a result of 28 years of heat from the turbo slowly baking the paint from the underside of the hood.

As you can see from the bottom photo, the distributor, coil, headlight motor (pop up lights up/down), and power steering reservoir are the major components residing on this side of the car.

The fuel injection/fuel lines are on the top of the engine pretty much square in the middle of the engine compartment. The electric fuel pump is under the car.

To be honest, I am not quite sure what to think regarding the cause of the fire. Of course, nearly impossible to discern much for certain since everything in that area is burned, charred, or melted.

[seningen]

Originally Posted by thstone

Took at a look at the car today. Looks like the fire started on the passenger side near the front of the engine compartment as evidenced by how the paint is most damaged in this location. The lighter paint damage on the driver side was already there and is is a result of 28 years of heat from the turbo slowly baking the paint from the underside of the hood.

As you can see from the bottom photo, the distributor, coil, headlight motor (pop up lights up/down), and power steering reservoir are the major components residing on this side of the car.

The fuel injection/fuel lines are on the top of the engine pretty much square in the middle of the engine compartment. The electric fuel pump is under the car.

To be honest, I am not quite sure what to think regarding the cause of the fire. Of course, nearly impossible to discern much for certain since everything in that area is burned, charred, or melted.

Anything is possible -- but my money is on the small hose from the fuel dampener to the fuel rail -- these look fine -- but on several of our donor cars you could take off those hoses and see that the elbow of the hose was brittle and you could snap the hoses in two by lightly bending. All my 944's received aftermarket braided replacement hoses for this piece.

Not the exact one I have used -- but similar

944 Fuel Jumper Line - Damper to Rail

or these

FUEL LINES 944T / 944 at LINDSEY RACING - Your Porsche Performance Parts Center

sorry to see it -- but many a turbo has been resurrected with some new rubber and a wiring harness and some new injectors with no major issues afterwards.

Mike

[itsnotanova]

Sorry to hear about your son's car. I'm thinking the turbo 944's have that problem more than the NA because half the turbo 944"s I see at the insurance auction are there because of an engine fire. I hope the insurance company doesn't give you any problems. The price of turbo 944's are on the rise and are worth a lot more than the NA cars. I can see them trying to low ball you on it's value

[BYprodriver]

Originally Posted by itsnotanova

Sorry to hear about your son's car. I'm thinking the turbo 944's have that problem more than the NA because half the turbo 944"s I see at the insurance auction are there because of an engine fire. I hope the insurance company doesn't give you any problems. The price of turbo 944's are on the rise and are worth a lot more than the NA cars. I can see them trying to low ball you on it's value

I'm thinking Mr. Stone is going to be giving them problems!


Poor form Timco, really poor form!

[thstone]

Originally Posted by BYprodriver

I'm thinking Mr. Stone is going to be giving them problems!

We, ah.... worked it out with the insurance company.

Their first offer was $8,800. I countered at $18,000. They did what all insurance companies do and lied.

First, they said that a 944 base (which they used for valuation) was the same as a 944 Turbo. Not true. That is like saying that a Boxster base is the same as a Boxster S.

Second, they said they would only use "local" comps. Not true.

Third, they said that they would only use comps within 1 model year. Not true.

Fourth, they said that they could only add value for the cost of the actual replacement engine but not any of the labor. Not true.

At the end of several back and forth discussions, we settled at $15,200.

[Porsche9]

Originally Posted by thstone

We, ah.... worked it out with the insurance company.

Their first offer was $8,800. I countered at $18,000. They did what all insurance companies do and lied.

First, they said that a 944 base (which they used for valuation) was the same as a 944 Turbo. Not true. That is like saying that a Boxster base is the same as a Boxster S.

Second, they said they would only use "local" comps. Not true.

Third, they said that they would only use comps within 1 model year. Not true.

Fourth, they said that they could only add value for the cost of the actual replacement engine but not any of the labor. Not true.

At the end of several back and forth discussions, we settled at $15,200.

Good for you! The car was worth ever bit of $15k.

I've seen it go the other way too. My daughter had her 2006 totaled and they offered $13,500 for it. I did my research and figured it was worth $10,500. We had paid $16,500 for it 4 years prior and had put over 50k on it. We quietly took their money.

[thstone]

Originally Posted by Porsche9

I've seen it go the other way too. My daughter had her 2006 totaled and they offered $13,500 for it. I did my research and figured it was worth $10,500. We had paid $16,500 for it 4 years prior and had put over 50k on it. We quietly took their money.

Glad that you had a good experience with the insurer! Sure makes life a lot easier/happier after losing a car.

[seningen]

Originally Posted by thstone

We, ah.... worked it out with the insurance company.

Their first offer was $8,800. I countered at $18,000. They did what all insurance companies do and lied.

First, they said that a 944 base (which they used for valuation) was the same as a 944 Turbo. Not true. That is like saying that a Boxster base is the same as a Boxster S.

Second, they said they would only use "local" comps. Not true.

Third, they said that they would only use comps within 1 model year. Not true.

Fourth, they said that they could only add value for the cost of the actual replacement engine but not any of the labor. Not true.

At the end of several back and forth discussions, we settled at $15,200.

Classic insurance BS

Be interesting to see what it fetches.

Probably a few $k in parts needed depending how much the fire was contained.

M

[Xpit77]

Originally Posted by thstone

We, ah.... worked it out with the insurance company.

Their first offer was $8,800. I countered at $18,000. They did what all insurance companies do and lied.

First, they said that a 944 base (which they used for valuation) was the same as a 944 Turbo. Not true. That is like saying that a Boxster base is the same as a Boxster S.

Second, they said they would only use "local" comps. Not true.

Third, they said that they would only use comps within 1 model year. Not true.

Fourth, they said that they could only add value for the cost of the actual replacement engine but not any of the labor. Not true.

At the end of several back and forth discussions, we settled at $15,200.

Actually there are 3 models. Base ( single cam ) S ( twin cam n/a ) and the S Turbo.

[itsnotanova]

Winning bid was $2750.

[Timco]

Originally Posted by BYprodriver

I'm thinking Mr. Stone is going to be giving them problems!


Poor form Timco, really poor form!

I meant absolutely no ill will or to make fun. He said no one was hurt.

My apologies to OP if that was offensive over a month ago.

Apology sent.

Tried sending an apology to BYprovider but inbox over storage allowance. My apologies.