- #270 of 317
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Re: 2003 Grand Prix GTP on fire [sly_guy]
by grngtp
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Mar 08, 2009 (5:05 pm)
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Replying to: sly_guy (Mar 08, 2009 3:37 pm)
sly guy, sorry to hear about your disaster. Did you have the safety recall warrenty work done by Pontiac on your 2003 GTP? I'm curious and want to know if fires are still occurring after the repair work has been completed.
Thanks,
Jeff
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- #271 of 317
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Re: Engine fires 3800 series II 1996-2003 [ecfgm3800]
by desi521
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Mar 10, 2009 (3:25 pm)
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Replying to: ecfgm3800 (Aug 11, 2006 1:54 am)
I also had an engine fire in a 3800 series in November 2006. Mine was in a '98 Monte Carlo Z. I was actually in the drivethru of the bank when my fire started. I turned the car off & called the fire department after parking it way away from any other cars out on the lot. The stupid car turned itself back on (it was running & one of the firemen was actually holding the ignition key in his hand). The hood cables burned thru & they used the jaws of life to get it open. They also had to cut every wire in order to get the damn thing to shut off. They actually called my car possessed. We also suspected that it was due to the plastic intake manifold but at the time there were only 38 other documented cases so there wasn't anything I could do about it. My insurance company screwed my royal on the settlement, too!!  I am slightly concerned as I now own a 99 Grand Prix w/a 3800 series.
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- #272 of 317
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Re: Engine fires 3800 series II 1996-2003 [ecfgm3800]
by desi521
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Mar 10, 2009 (3:27 pm)
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Replying to: ecfgm3800 (Aug 11, 2006 1:54 am)
I also had an engine fire in a 3800 series in November 2006. Mine was in a '98 Monte Carlo Z. I was actually in the drive thru of the bank when my fire started. I turned the car off & called the fire department after parking it way away from any other cars out on the lot. The stupid car turned itself back on (it was running & one of the firemen was actually holding the ignition key in his hand). The hood cables burned thru & they used the jaws of life to get it open. They also had to cut every wire in order to get the damn thing to shut off. They actually called my car possessed. We also suspected that it was due to the plastic intake manifold but at the time there were only 38 other documented cases so there wasn't anything I could do about it. My insurance company screwed my royal on the settlement, too!! I am slightly concerned as I now own a 99 Grand Prix w/a 3800 series.
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- #273 of 317
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Re: Engine fires 3800 series II 1996-2003 [desi521]
by grngtp
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Mar 10, 2009 (4:30 pm)
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Replying to: desi521 (Mar 10, 2009 3:27 pm)
Sorry about your fire, that has to be disturbing, especially if it started while you were still in the car. You fire sounds a little different in that the fuel lines apparently didn't burn through. With the engine still running means the fuel pump was still running. If the Nylon lines had burned through, the amount of fuel added to the fire would have added to the fire. Did they get the fire out before or after the engine was shut down? Did the fuel lines burned through eventually?
Jeff
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- #274 of 317
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Re: Engine fires 3800 series II 1996-2003 [desi521]
by outdoorlady
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Mar 10, 2009 (5:08 pm)
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Replying to: desi521 (Mar 10, 2009 3:25 pm)
Be very concerned if you own a 99 Grand Prix GTP with the 3800 series engine. Mine caught fire on my elderly mom's carport,November 1, 2006, did over $8,000 damage to her home as well as totalling my car. There are reports in here that even after having the recall taken care of, cars still have burned. 
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- #275 of 317
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non-supercharded 3800
by infinia1
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Mar 11, 2009 (7:14 am)
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what about a 99 regal ls (non-supercharged 3800)? i know it's not part of the recall, but should i be concerned about this? anyone have a non-supercharded 3800 fire? i park it in the garage too....i'm worried, but love the car with only 40k.
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- #276 of 317
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Re: Engine fires 3800 series II 1996-2003 [njbrain]
by arfcars
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Mar 11, 2009 (9:04 am)
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Replying to: njbrain (Sep 04, 2006 4:49 pm)
I do engineering work for aircraft engines so I maintain my car more than most. When my 2001 G/P G/T was about 3 years old I got a faint smell of gasoline. Upon further investigation I found what you found. The plastic snap on connector from the fuel tank to the fuel rail would leak if you touched it.
I disconnected the connector and could see an 'O'ring inside. I went to a dealership parts department and found the 'O'ring is not sold separately. I was told to purchase the entire fuel line. Which I didn't do. Unfortunately all auto manufacturers have parts like this.
I carelully removed the 'O'ring so I didn't scratch the inside of the plastic fitting where the 'O'ring seals. Took the 'O'ring to Autozone and could not find this sold separately. However they carry an 'O'ring assortment in a blister pack that had one inside. I could see it through the package. (I think there were 14 'O'rings in the package for $7.00) I must CAUTION you that this 'O'ring is a pink color for a reason- the package MUST STATE for use in gasoline! A regular black 'O'ring will fit but MUST NOT be used-the gasoline will attack it.
I measured the old and new 'O'ring. The old one is at the absolute minimum of tolerance for thickness. The new one is near the max of tolerance. I put the new 'O'ring into the plastic fitting and you could feel the resistance as you assembled it to the fuel rail because it is thicker.
I changed this approx 41/2 years ago and haven't had a problem or a smell of gasoline since (and I look for problems).
The pink gasoline proof 'O'ring is the problem. Change it and avoid a fire. You can do this standing up in about 15 mins.
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- #277 of 317
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Re: Engine fires 3800 series II 1996-2003 [outdoorlady]
by desi521
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Mar 17, 2009 (12:20 pm)
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Replying to: outdoorlady (Mar 10, 2009 5:08 pm)
 I feel as dumb as dirt at this point! But...What recall? Do you mean to tell me that GM finally got their act together and did a recall regarding the manifolds? I know when my Z burned, there were only 38 documented cases of the fires so they weren't accepting any blame let alone doing a recall, silent or otherwise. Are they now? Please let me know. I would greatly appreciate it. Thanx!! 
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- #278 of 317
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Re: Engine fires 3800 series II 1996-2003 [grngtp]
by desi521
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Mar 17, 2009 (1:05 pm)
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Replying to: grngtp (Mar 10, 2009 4:30 pm)
It did suck, Hugely!! I'm just glad I was in the drive thru of the bank & not driving on the highway or something when the fire started. The firemen actually had to cut thru all of the electrical lines up by the firewall in order to stop the stupid car. The couldn't understand it either. As I had a full tank of gas, we were also extremely grateful that it didn't explode or even that the battery didn't blow. The idiot from the insurance company said it was an electrical fire but we always believed it was due to the plastic intake manifold & now I'm just a wee bit concerned about my Grand Prix. As they physically had to hold me back from going to my car, I'm not sure which came first, the fire or the car stopping. I think that I was a bit in shock. Except for the hood, if you looked at the car from the rt side, you couldn't even tell it was burned. Even the interior was still pristine, except for having gotten wet, but it was leather, but it dried out really well. I even thought abt fixing it. The headlights didn't even break. Just the left quarterpanel was burned & of course the entire engine compartment was fried along with every wire harness being cut & burned to a crisp. I cried for a long time over that stupid car.
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- #279 of 317
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Re: Engine fires 3800 series II 1996-2003 [desi521]
by grngtp
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Mar 17, 2009 (3:05 pm)
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Replying to: desi521 (Mar 17, 2009 12:20 pm)
The recall is only for supercharged engines. They replace the front valve cover gasket and reroute some of the wiring at the front of the engine over the exhaust manifold. There is more information in this thread, probably posted around March 2008.
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