My crappy day....

[Frank Z]

I go out to start the van this morning so i can get to my first service call. Battery was dead because I left my GPS plugged in for a little bit too long...cheap azz battery. Jump started it and let it run for 10-15 minutes while I gathered up the rest of my crap that I carry in my pockets. I get in the van and pull out of the driveway. less than two blocks away the motors stops so I coast from 10 miles per hour to a stop and smoke starts pouring out from under the hood. I killed the ignition and pop the hood latch. This took all of 5 seconds at the most. By the time I got to the front of the van theres melted burning rubber dripping to the ground. I opened the side doors to grab my extinguisher and I couldn't see it immediately. Then I remembered that I was carrying my Oxygen/Acetylene set in the back of the van. I immediately got it out of the van and dropped it a safe distance away. While all of this is going on I'm on the cell with 911 telling them that my van is on fire and desperately trying to keep the stupid rubber-neckers away from the van. A little advice for you looky-loo's....if you see a burning vehicle and you aren't planning on helping....STAY THE FOOK AWAY!!:mad:

The fire department shows up and puts the fire out. No obvious cause indicated. Here's what it looks like as of 30 minutes ago. A complete loss. No it will not buff out.

http://i32.tinypic.com/i1xvd1.jpg

http://i25.tinypic.com/2jamgwm.jpg

http://i31.tinypic.com/2mnhy6g.jpg

http://i32.tinypic.com/2604h0w.jpg

Insurance...liability only. I dropped the full coverage to try to keep my costs down. Everyone else is jacking there's up as a result of the cost of gas and passing the price increases on to the customer. I was doing everything possible to keep my overhead low....and now I'm screwed.

Guess I'll need to call the shop and have a "Rush" put on my XJ parts....it's going to have to become my service van for a while.

[Oscar]

AWW Frank I am fricken speechless

[zoriloco]

OHh man Im really sorry to hear that. Man I wonder what caused the fire. Once I jump started a vehicle and it did the same thing, well not as bad, but the rubber started melting off the cables and tons of smoke came out.

Good luck !!!

[CLYDE]

Damn, that sucks.

[Suki]

wow that sucks! but good on you for keeping calm and being quick on your feet to remove additional hazards. That's pretty creepy that it just started like that.

[Conrad]

Fawk man!!!! That sucks... Call me if you need anything man... You can borrow our 4 runner if you need to do your service calls.

[Colin]

I'm so sorry Frank. If I had a spare vehicle it'd be yours to work out of!

[FORMULA51]

didn't your XJ burn down a few years ago, too?


or was that another XJ owner with a name as a SN? i can't remember eggzachary
\

sorry to see that happen to you

[Frank Z]

Thanks folks.

No my XJ has done some goofy stuff, but thankfully it hasn't caught fire....knock on wood!!

[Crazy Ed's]

Holy crap...
I thought you would have had enough Good Karma banked to avoid something like this? (from all your good deeds)
I can loan you my lil XJ for a few days if you need it? its just taking up room in my driveway...
PS I will put a fire Ext in the loaner..(forgive me)
Ed

[FORMULA51]

ya, it was someone from the board and their XJ burned down up 285 somewhere...

the name slips my mind

[MountainJeep]

damn

[JeepWheelin02]

You can borrow my car for as long as you need Frank, wouldnt help much on service calls though. Let me know if you need help with anything. I cant see the pictures from work is it just wiring? If so lets get together this weekend and rewire the SOB!!

[JimhatTJ]

Frank if you need to put a hitch on the car you can use my utility trailer for as long as you need to so u can still work.

also we can put some plywood and 2x4's on the trailer to inclose it some so your stuff would be out of site on it.

[zillacon]

WOW! Sorry to see that Frank! Do you and Conrad live in the Bermuda Triangle or something? Seems like everything you guys touch lately goes to hell! When is the bad luck gonna end! SAUL????

[Frank Z]

Once again I'm amazed at the generous offers from all of you...Thank You!!

I'm not thinking to clearly right now and really am trying to get some things organized. I can tell you that there's gonna be a motor stuffin' party in the near future.

[jimminyC]

Good thinking with the acetaline bottles.
No hose hooked to the house? Im guessing it was rolled up on the garage or something.
Sory about this man.

[ChiliPepper / Kenny]

DUDE!!! WTF?????? Are you related to Conrad??? j/k. That really suckks man. Figure out what the hell happened?

[Boogie]

Sorry to hear about yer van....and yer XJ.


On a side note, You must be pretty good people to have 4 offers of temporary replacement vehicles on the first page. Very impressed. The positive ju-ju will eventually works its way back around to you.

[JimhatTJ]

Once again I'm amazed at the generous offers from all of you...Thank You!!

I'm not thinking to clearly right now and really am trying to get some things organized. I can tell you that there's gonna be a motor stuffin' party in the near future.


just let me know when and ill be there to help.

[Dagimp]

:eek:

You need to make a offering of doughnuts to the Karma Police gods.

[Sound_Man]

Wow! That really sucks Frank.

[jeeplvr79]

Sorry to hear, Frank :(

[JeepWheelin02]

Once again I'm amazed at the generous offers from all of you...Thank You!!

I'm not thinking to clearly right now and really am trying to get some things organized. I can tell you that there's gonna be a motor stuffin' party in the near future.

just let me know when and ill be there to help.

What he said. You know I'll be there to stuff that mutha in.

[Sound_Man]

Frank, I have an 8' x 12' enclosed trailer that you are welcome to use if you need it.

[ToyRunner1]

That sucks that this happens to one of the nicest people on the board. I wish I had a truck you could borrow. If I can help as well, please let me know.

[nridler]

That just sucks. If you need a vehicle you are more than welcome to use my truck.

[TwoDogs]

Duuuuuude!! That flat out sucks!! I was gonna say sumthin smart-arse, but... I'll pass on this one.


















Maybe not! Car-b-que!!! :flipoff2: Sorry. Couldn't help myself.

[Loki]

Sorry to hear this, like others have said if you need something let us know.

[meatblanket]

Now that IS some bad luck!

Sorry to hear the bad news.

[sonofmayhem]

My truck is available Frank...

If you need my number pm me.


If you need help getting another van or truck, LMK I work at a dealer and get at cost with 300 over.

[Flake]

Man!
Sorry to hear this, your lucks got to turn around soon, keep my fingers crossed for you.

[Da Kine]

Frank, words fail me in trying to express how bad I feel. :shrug: I will say that if there is anything I can do in lending a hand with anything, just put the word out and I will be one of the multitude of people from this board that will be showing up in hoards to help. You are one of the biggest class acts on this board and I know that anything you need will be provided.

[old_man]

Did the fire get to the interior at all or did it stop at the firewall? If we could find a donor vehicle, I bet we could fix it. I've worked on worse.

[Frank Z]

Tom,
The fire made it through the firewall. There were flames coming through the ducts. The entire HVAC housing in the engine bay is gone. The entire harness in the engine bay is a mass of melted insulation and copper. The Radiator, A/C Condensor, and tranny cooler are shot. The alternator and power steering pump are toasty. The plastic intake manifold beyond repair. I have no idea how to descride the intake and filter....Ashes comes to mind.


I'm really overwhelmed with the outpouring of offers to help fix the van, with my XJ motor, and with the offers of loaner vehicles.

Got something in my eyes and a a lump in my throat.....

[FORMULA51]

Got something in my eyes and a a lump in my throat.....



lol.... :rainbow:

































JK.... :D

[spazinweasel]

Tom,
The fire made it through the firewall. There were flames coming through the ducts. The entire HVAC housing in the engine bay is gone. The entire harness in the engine bay is a mass of melted insulation and copper. The Radiator, A/C Condensor, and tranny cooler are shot. The alternator and power steering pump are toasty. The plastic intake manifold beyond repair. I have no idea how to descride the intake and filter....Ashes comes to mind.


I'm really overwhelmed with the outpouring of offers to help fix the van, with my XJ motor, and with the offers of loaner vehicles.

Got something in my eyes and a a lump in my throat.....

ill help repair if you want. free labor. at least your ok

[Renegade_Jeeper]

ah hell frank so sorry to hear and see man i really feel for you here man
anything man anything just give me a call ill see what i can do for you my friend

[Batgirl]

On a side note, You must be pretty good people to have 4 offers of temporary replacement vehicles on the first page. Very impressed. The positive ju-ju will eventually works its way back around to you.


Exactly what I was thinking. You clearly have some very good friends here, and with their help you'll have this figured out soon. :thumbsup:

Sorry to hear about such crappy luck though, especially when you were just trying to keep your prices down. Life is a head scratcher sometimes.

[Funrover]

HOLY CRAP!!! Glad it didn't reach your oxy and such, sorry to see this happen!

[old_man]

If you can get your engine back by this weekend, I can come down with my tools to help you get it in. Do you need an engine hoist?

[Frank Z]

Thanks Tom. I've got the engine, just waiting on a few parts from the machine shop. Engine assembly will commense post haste!

[Waifer2112]

Damn, man, I was gonna start a thread and bitch that I woke up to find I got my car stereo ripped off last night. But Jebus, that ain't no thang when you look at the what others are facing.

Sorry to hear of this, Frank. The phrase "couldn't happen to a nicer guy" comes to mind. :beer:

[old_man]

So is there going to be an install party Saturday? Or are you going to have it finished by then? I can bring some of my bbq polska keilbasa.

[Frank Z]

No, I'm still waiting on internals so I can rebuild the motor. It won't be ready for a little while still.

More pics of the carnage in a few minutes.

[van7559]

Frank my toyota is yours if you need it. I use my van for service also, and don't drive it at all. let me know 719-231-8945

[creepycrawler]

That really sucks Frank. You do so much to help others out then get shat on by the vehicle gods. Don't let it get you down. All the good you do WILL come back to you sooner or later. :beer:

[Frank Z]

Here's a few better pics of the engine bay.

Passenger side:
http://i25.tinypic.com/biotd.jpg

Centerline of motor. The V-Belt and air intake used to be here:
http://i27.tinypic.com/r0us93.jpg

Driverside of the engine bay:
http://i30.tinypic.com/2zinh3s.jpg

Flames were shooting out the hole where the drivers side headlight normally resides:
http://i31.tinypic.com/2lavgw8.jpg


That, Ladies and Germs, is why the van is beyond reasonable repair.

Once I get my act together and start pulling parts I'll have a 5.7L motor, 4l80E Transmission, and a 14bolt rear axle up for sale. Make sure you save some time to stop by the First and Only FrankZ Fire Sale!! Whoopie! Bring the wife and kids....we'll BBQ!!

[creepycrawler]

Once I get my act together and start pulling parts I'll have a 5.7L motor, 4l80E Transmission, and a 14bolt rear axle up for sale. Make sure you save some time to stop by the First and Only FrankZ Fire Sale!! Whoopie! Bring the wife and kids....we'll BBQ!!


Does the new owner of said 5.7 have to scrape the goo that was formally an intake manifold out of the heads or is that already going to be done?

















:flipoff2:

[Frank Z]

I'll do the goo scrapin' around here Babalouie!
[/Quick-Draw McGraw voice over]

[Digger]

Holy cow! Frank, I can hardly fathom what could have happened. Sorry to see.

Better times are coming for sure!

[Warrlord]

Dang Frank, I'm so sorry that crap's happening to you.........You don't deserve it at all. If I can help you in any way, give me a call.

[Frank Z]

I can't say it enough...Thank You! The best group of folks on thw planet can be found right here!

[Steve]

Sorry to see this Frank. Way too far away to help, but I hope your luck turns around soon, you don't deserve all of this.

But hey, your luck lately puts my carnage on Billings last Sunday into better perspective. :D

[rch]

I know its late, but just got around to reading this after work and school.

And wow, so sorry to hear about this Frank.

Not sure but It might be something worth checking into to see if there was a factory recall on something that could have caused the fire?

Let me know if you need anything...

Russ

[Big Dave]

Dang Frank, I'm so sorry that crap's happening to you.........You don't deserve it at all. If I can help you in any way, give me a call.


x2

The amount of favors/help and things you do for other people you'd think you'd have enough karma points to where you wouldn't even need to change your oil!!

[CGuava]

Dang Frank, hope your luck turns around! Formula51 is talking about my good buddy's XJ on 285 (K-Fav), same thing happened to him, won't ever forget that phone call.

[freestyle_6981]

wow...I don't know what to say Frank...I am dumbfounded. :eek: I am sorry for the loss, I hope something works out soon. But now that your bad luck is out of the way for the next 20 years, you can go crazy.

[supremebeholder]

Did you overcharge the battery and cause it to explode?

I've had two separate engine fires and neither of them burned fast enough that the whole front end went up instantaneously. I had plenty of time to break out the extinguisher and put them out with only minimal damage, but they were both on 70?s vintage vehicles with lots of metal under the hood. Maybe it burned so fast because of all the plastic and rubber that modern engines have.

It looks like you?ve already got plenty of vehicles lined up. I?ve got a ?75 IH pickup sitting around that you could use for a while, but I?d have to get it registered first.

[Frank Z]

No I just jumped the van. As soon as it started the cables came off. The battery did not explode. When I went back to the van with my neighbor to tow it back to my house I had to turn the key to unlock the steering wheel and put the tranny in neutral. As soon as I turned the key to the ON position the seatbelt light and buzzer came on. Even with all the damage there was still a current path in the melted wiring. I disconnected the battery before doing anything else, I didn't want a repeat visit from the FD. Shifting out of Park had to be done from under the van since the shifter cable was melted.

[TwoDogs]

Frank, you should buy lottery tickets. You used up all of your bad luck in the fire. :D

[Frank Z]

Td, I wish it worked that way.

Going to pick up my "New" van tomorrow. New as in '9 with 146k on the clock...but the tranny was recently rebuilt....Oh fookin' yippie.

Now I gotta magically make the business line ring so I can pay for the darn thing. Anyone want to buy a furnace? A/C? Both? .............Please.

Sorry about that, business is slow and this could not have happened at a worse time.

[TheCopperCowboy]

WOW! :eek: I just traded in the last service van I had and bought a Ranger last Saturday. The 'stroke has been parked all winter because of fuel prices. If you find the secret to making the phone ring, let me know. :shrug:

[Frank Z]

10-4

[cheftyler]

Frank, don't know ya, but I know you're about the most selfless individual in the history of humankind. Your luck has to get better, and I'm sorry to hear about your van, that's gotta hurt a ton. We're looking at a house and if we get it, it needs some work though Littleton is probably a little far for you to travel :(

[Frank Z]

Thanks. It can't too much worse right now.

Sorry folks, no silver lining in sight.

[nridler]

I might need some HVAC stuff soon. I'll be finishing a basement soon and am going to need some stuff tied into the trunk line.

[Frank Z]

:thumbsup:

[nridler]

If it makes you feel any better my truck is leaking oil at 30k. Its going in on wed. I think it might be the main rear seal. It's also leaking out of the rear pinion seal.....wtf.

[Frank Z]

I say we start robbing banks!

[DADA_JEEP]

Td, I wish it worked that way.

Going to pick up my "New" van tomorrow. New as in '9 with 146k on the clock...but the tranny was recently rebuilt....Oh fookin' yippie.

Now I gotta magically make the business line ring so I can pay for the darn thing. Anyone want to buy a furnace? A/C? Both? .............Please.

Sorry about that, business is slow and this could not have happened at a worse time.

i need my furnace "stove pipe" or whatever it's called replaced before my roofers come out, it's a paying gig if you want it, but it's Hampden and Buckley, a little far. Oh and i need a whole house attic fan and maybe a swamp cooler.

[Frank Z]

As much as I'd love to do the work...I'm not licensed in Denver.

[DADA_JEEP]

it's aurora if that makes a diff

[Frank Z]

Geeze I hate doin' the right thing and being honest! I'm licensed in El Paso County. You really need to use a local guy to protect your investment. Make sure they pull the applicable permits.

[DADA_JEEP]

well i apreciate the honesty, gopod luck with the van, and let me know when you need another wrench, i'll come down and give ya a hand.

[Frank Z]

Thanks Brother.

[jeepn4evr]

Sorry to hear about your van. I know how it is to lose your service vehicle. 2 years ago one of our employees totaled one of our vans literally 2 months before it would have been paid off. It not only totaled the van it took out the truckmounted carpet cleaning machine inside too. Fortunatly insurance covered it but we were almost am onth without a van. Now we have a much bigger payment on a newer box van.

At any rate does your van have the sliding side door or the double barn doors on the side. I need one of those barn doors if you have it. Let me know what you want for it. If you do have the barn doors you either have to cut the metal around the hinges to get it off or pop the door pin. I think its easier to cut the metal. Some reason they "superglued" the hinges on instead of bolting them to he body like normal.

[Frank Z]

I'll send ya a PM

[mudd]

Hey frank this is mike from HVAC SUPPLY with the grey xj let me know if you need some HVAC supplies IE> furnace or a A/C unit im sure i can discount some stuff for you to help you out!!! Sorry to hear about the van!!!

[Frank Z]

Thanks Mike.

[Frank Z]

Started cutting the Flaming Pig apart this evening. These should prove beyond a doubt that the van is a total loss.
http://i28.tinypic.com/jaat78.jpg

http://i28.tinypic.com/4sijvp.jpg

http://i31.tinypic.com/beabh0.jpg

Really sucks cuz the rest is in damn good condition.

http://i31.tinypic.com/2n0phtl.jpg

[van7559]

damn i bet once the car crusher got to it, it did not look that nice anymore.