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Alternator caused fire!

20K views 26 replies 13 participants last post by  John Clark 
#1 ·
#10 ·
Ok, I'm no wizard in auto electrics but can someone explain how an alternator can ignite fire while the engine is not running? That just seems unlikely to me. Also if any part of the Honda engine poses a fire hazard, you or someone better notify Honda because it is unsafe to operate. I had problems this year with a microwave, the whatever tube burnt over the metal enclosure and the manufacturer replaced it for free outside of the warranty period. Have they not done that I would have turned it over to some government consumer safety department to let them investigate.
 
#5 ·
I'm considering buying it from him. He already got insurance money and I can get it for cheap. I'm looking for "how to" on removing the engine so I have an idea what is involved. I'm good with wrenches and got lots of them. This is not my first rodeo, but still like to see what all it takes to pull it out an inspect the damage. Im hopping to reuse this engine with new seals and gaskets and what not
 
#7 · (Edited)
Definitely not looking to pull the engine for fun. Estimate to fix came in at 7k and they said that motor has to be pulled. So im guessing there more that few plastics to replace. I also only saw a picture of it. I will be going there to look at it in a few days. At 84k miles its hard to believe, but it it what it is.
Im just doing my research now.
 
#11 ·
Ok, I'm no wizard in auto electrics but can someone explain how an alternator can ignite fire while the engine is not running?
Who said the engine wasn't running? OK12V said:

"No, it actually happened while van was sitting outside waiting for its turn to get in."

I'm married with children. I've waited/sat in a running vehicle more times than I could possibly remember. ;)
 
#12 ·
Who said the engine wasn't running? OK12V said:
My uncle took his van to the shop to replace alternator, couple hours later got the call from them stating his van is "well done" !


I may not be a PHD in English language but this previous post indicates that the van was left at the shop and common sense dictates that it was not left there with the engine running. Now if the shop employee started the van and it ignited the plastic around the engine before or after the repair the shop may be held liable but that is a different issue and irrelevant.

The main question if the alternator poses a fire hazard or not and if an incorrect repair work caused the fire!
 
#14 ·
So I went there and snatched it for $1500. Its a 2006 VCM ( will disable ) with 86k miles. Salvage title.
It doesnt look as bad. No need do pull the engine from what i can see. Will see if she runs first after I replace everything needed.
Will do tbelt, wiring harness, alternator, fan shroud and one coil. That looked to be all it need to get it to run. All cosmetics will take care later.
I didnt got in to a details how that happened. All I know he parked it, shut it off and walked away from it... Insurance took care of him and I got it for the buy back balance. I think it will be a good van for what it is.
Thanks to all!
PS: I had a ford truck that cut on fire from alternator while running. Its actually fairly common problem except I never heard of it starting fire while ignition is off, so your guess is as good as mine...





 
#15 ·
I never heard of it starting fire while ignition is off, so your guess is as good as mine...
I don't know about the 2006 alternator, but the 2002 gets continuous 12V through the black lug wire. A short inside the alternator could indeed cause a fire even with the engine not running.

Dave
 
#17 ·
It looks like nobody touched it. Its the same old alternator properly bolted down with all wiring attached. Burn marks and melted wires, all covered with fire extinguisher chemical. Im glad they put it out in time and its still salvageable.

I will be keeping this van as a family limo!
 
#18 ·
If you can get it running with the parts you mentioned above, you got yourself one sweet deal.

Good luck, and do let us know how it goes.

Dave
 
#20 ·
Little more clarifying info.
The van caught on fire on its own. Shop employee saw the van smoking from under he hood at their parking lot and ran up to it with fire extinguisher and put it out. That explains somewhat extensive damage.
I have hooked up stuff wrong in my past, and things go haywire really quick and noticeable. So if they wired it wrong and shorted it out, they would immediately noticed it and the damage wouldn't be so severe. How may ways can you screw up alternator install anyway?
Like I said, it doesn't look like anybody touched it. Same old alternator in place properly fastened and wired.
It might caught on fire while running or not. I didn't came here for legal advice. I came here to show you the damage. Alternator fire is not very common, but it does happen!
 
#22 ·
If it was in for an alternator replacement, we can safely assume something caused the alternator to overheat and catch fire. Since there is electrical current being generated by it let's look at some possibilities. This is all speculation on my part but good for discussion:

1. Bearings in the alternator were shot. If it was running, that would be enough to cause heat from the bearings which would overheat the alternator and cause a fire

2. There was a short in the voltage regulator. Same scenario - enough to spark a fire from the heat in the engine / alternator.

Thoughts?
 
#23 ·
Old thread but same happened to me. Engine had a faint whine upon startup. I tried finding it, but nothing revealed itself. A stethoscope inspection didn't show any symptoms. I checked the alternator output and it was fine. Nothing seemed wrong, just the faint whine. This went on for several months and a couple of trips. Yesterday, it got loud for an instant and quit. It seemed to be coming from the ps pump, so I reserved myself to watch that. Van was running fine. Used it all day until the whine fired up near the house. Pulled into the garage and left it running so I could check with a stethoscope again, got out and smelled electrical burning. Backed the van out and shut it off. Smoke was coming out of the alternator and was very hot. I found that as long as the battery was hooked up, the short was active and continuing to burn the alternator. If it wasn't discovered, I feel it would have continued to burn until it caught fire. 08 EX, 137000 miles.
 
#24 ·
Alternator's hot output wire is always connected to the battery. It might be going through a fusible link but it does not go through a fuse or breaker because I have not seen an automotive 120Amp brekaer/fuse under there!

If the regulator diode shorts, won't it provide ground path to the battery positive through the alternator wiring?
 
#25 ·
#27 ·
I was just doing some reading on alternators today (have my old alternator sitting on the bench waiting to be rebuilt and was reading about it) and recalled this thread. Bad diodes in the rectifier will cause an alternator "whine." You can determine if it's a bearing failing or a diode by simply unplugging the alternator and seeing if the whine stops. If it stops it's a bad diode. If it continues to whine then it's a bearing. The diodes in the alternator are the only thing preventing current from flowing from the battery through the alternator to ground. The alternator is designed to put out current, not accept it. As mentioned a couple times in this thread, the battery lug on the alternator is HOT all the time so if the diodes were to fail and short then it's possible for enough current to flow in order to melt the wiring. Most all alternators are a fire hazard. Furthermore, the highest failure item on these alternators is the diode rectifier pack on the back.

The moral of this story is if you hear your alternator whining it's time to replace it. Again, it's not a Honda problem but an alternator problem. These same Nippon-Denso alternators are used on most modern vehicles.
 
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