Years ago when I worked for an ag dealer. Combines seemed to have an odd habit of catching fire. Well most just destroyed the area around the engine and operators cab. Yes I get the job of repairing them. One comes to mind that had the cab gutted and of course the engine area took a hard hit. It had caught fire, the operator put the fire out. Started the engine and started cutting again, once again he smelled smoke and but the new fire out. Checked and cleaned the area of the fire OK good to go. Started cutting again again smelled smoke, Now fire extinguisher is dry, called the fire company (they were close) Put the new fire out, but this time too damaged to run. Took it to the shop and started repairing it. All the electrical, fuel pump, filters, and even fuel injection pump. Got to the point of being able to run the engine. and could not find where a oil leak was coming from. Finally found the fire had melted a small hole in the valve cover, it was aluminum. Finally got the engine working, the electrical working and put the thresher in gear. There was a shaft behind the engine about 3 inches in diameter about 5 to 6 foot long. Each end of that shaft had a belt on it that pulled on the shaft. As I put the thresher in gear I noticed the center of the shaft was not true but was bent. The fire had heated that shaft enough and with the belts pulling on the ends had bent the shaft.
So I am often leery of repair fire damage and have seen some easily repairable but some unless you are in love with the unit or it has a special meaning to someone AND you have deep pockets with lots of time to repair little aggravations It is best recycled.
Yes I have more stories of "burn" jobs but that is enough for now.
