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  #1  
Old 04-10-2004, 06:39 PM
Tomguy's Avatar
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Bad luck that could've been worse!

It's a nice Saturday afternoon, fairly warm outside, so I decide to go for a nice drive. Go around town and small highways, then get on the interstate. Runs like a beauty. Get off, drive around some other small roads, go around a couple places, and stop at a light. Still running great! Light changes, I go, decide to fill up at the station < 200 yards from the light. Pull up, it starts bellowing smoke like crazy! Open the hood - HUGE fire! run inside, ask if they have a fire extinguisher - answer is NO! WTF? Gas station without a fire extinguisher? So I run back in it, start her up and take off like an SOB, going down 115 N (a long downhill highway when going North). Get to 80, put her in "N" and turn her off. Coast >1 mile down it to the 2nd exit, get off, coast all the way to a motorcycle shop and stop her there.

Get out, pop the hood, and I can see fluid all over - it was on top of the master cylinder so I'm wondering how the hell, but then I realize I still had brakes on the way down, so nope, that isn't it. Look around a bit and see the culprit: A frayed, ancient, brittle rubber line running to the tranny cooler with a hole in it.

Yup, the tranny cooler line on the driver's side busted and poured ATF all over my headers and exhaust, starting a fire.

Wondering if I'm going to get home or have to call a tow truck, I ask some of the guys at the service shop if they have any fuel line I can clamp over it to get home. Well, nope, no line with that big of an OD, so I figure I'm screwed. Then I come up with the idea to cut the old line out, and cut the crimp fittings off the barbs, and clamp fuel line on it.

After help from the guy who cut the old crimps off, I got myself a "new" line to put on there. It was probably a good 45 minute setback, but it could have been far worse had I not pulled into the right place by luck itself!

I needed 2qts of ATF to get going again. I had 1, but that didn't even register on the dipstick, so they gave me a quart!

I tried giving the guy $20 for his time and kindness but he refused I love the fact that there are still some nice people out there! He told me his dad had a '72 280SE with the striaght six, and his dad's friend had a 4.5. He was talking to the other guys and telling them how "That seat sucks you in when you gun it"

Damage? From what I saw, the insulation for the AC hose got badly singed, and there's a spot on the hood where my temporary cheapass spraypaint bubbled off, but that's not too bad considering what COULD have happened had I not got back in it, got it up to speed and shut it off to cool it off! (I figured an 80MPH breeze would put the fire out and cool it off to keep it from re-igniting when I stopped)

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  #2  
Old 04-11-2004, 03:28 PM
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That's nuts. Good prescence of mind to get the air flow to put it out though! That was risky for sure, but I guess it was the only shot you had at saving it.
Can't believe a gas station doesn't have a fire extinguisher!! Report them. That should be illegal.


Moderator: Sticky for Vintage Forum: Reminder to carry fire extinguishers in your Benz!!
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  #3  
Old 04-11-2004, 08:30 PM
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Yeah, I think I'll buy one to put in the trunk, just in case, you NEVER know what will happen!

And yeah, Josh, it WAS the only chance I had at saving it... it would have been a matter of time before the fuel rails got hit, or the PS hose (then the fuel lines)... I saw my baby going up in smoke and wouldn't let that happen!

I know it was risky to take her out on the road, but I figured if she did erupt, I'd have ample time to stop and bail out and run like an SOB... if the fire was from a fuel rail (And I knew it couldnt have been, I know fuel fires are much hotter and faster burning) then I would have had to kiss her goodbye... then maybe sue the station for not having an extingusiher!

I figured the air flow would help not just for "Blowing it out" (no idea of the amount of airflow under the hood, even at 80) but that it would cool it down enough so that whatever was burning stopped... I didn't want to stop again and see it still burning! I think it did go out briefly after shutting her off - maybe 5 seconds, because the smoking stopped.
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  #4  
Old 04-12-2004, 01:40 PM
PaulC
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Tom, next time the old girl decides to light up, just get away from it. Another 108 is a lot cheaper than skin grafts.
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  #5  
Old 04-12-2004, 04:03 PM
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Very, very risky -- think about what a blacksmith does to get his fire even hotter: he ADDS AIR by means of a bellows. You're very lucky. The service(!) station should definitely be reported.

I witnessed a similar experience years ago in a cheapo gas station when I lived in (shudder) L.A. The attendant was trying to help a guy start his car by pouring a little gas into the carb. The backfired and the gas caught fire (very small fire, no big deal). The attendant not only didn't have a proper fire extinguisher, he panicked and grabbed the nearest thing at hand -- the bucket of water for cleaning windshields -- and flung it on the carb. WHOOMP! The entire engine compartment was now engulfed because the water only spread the gasoline. I popped my trunk, grabbed my $10 ABC fire extinguisher and put it out in about 5 seconds. Lord knows what would have happened to the poor car if I didn't have the extinguisher with me.

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  #6  
Old 04-12-2004, 04:16 PM
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Quote:
Originally posted by PaulC
Tom, next time the old girl decides to light up, just get away from it. Another 108 is a lot cheaper than skin grafts.
Yeah, I know that, but I don't have the money, at lest right now if I got into an accident I could still sell the engine and/or electric and mechanical components, but if the engine fries, I won't get jack!

I don't really think she'll light up again if I replace both hoses for the tranny cooler, and maybe the oil cooler lines while I'm at it (If I'm feeling rich, even though they look fine). The fuel lines are all new, although I suppose I should replace the brake hoses too, better to be safe than sorry!

Catrinus: Yeah, he adds air and it makes it hotter, but he doesn't keep a continuous air flow of 50-80MPH on it... The bellows might put out a small volume of air at 25MPH, but not like a windtunnel would! My main thought was that if the air cooled it, since it had to have been some kind of oil or fluid, it would extinguish, since oils need higher temps to ignite.
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  #7  
Old 04-12-2004, 05:04 PM
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Quote:
Catrinus: Yeah, he adds air and it makes it hotter, but he doesn't keep a continuous air flow of 50-80MPH on it... The bellows might put out a small volume of air at 25MPH, but not like a windtunnel would! My main thought was that if the air cooled it, since it had to have been some kind of oil or fluid, it would extinguish, since oils need higher temps to ignite.
Tomguy,

Really, you did do the right thing under the circumstances. The way you put out an in-flight engine fire in an airplane is just about the same procedure you performed. You shut down the engine and cut off the fuel supply, then you establish a 100mph dive until the fire is out. Then you can begin emergency landing procedures.

The procedure for an engine fire on startup is to cut off the fuel supply, open the throttle body to full, and keep cranking the engine in to hope that the fire will be sucked into the carb by vacuum.

The theory behind stopping an engine fire is to add enough air to create an incombustable fuel-air mixture, not necessarily to cool things down, but just to remove the combustable mixture.
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Old 04-12-2004, 05:25 PM
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Just bear in mind that the in-flight fire-abatement procedure was devised because it's a bit difficult to quickly pull an in-flight Cessna over to the curb.
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  #9  
Old 04-12-2004, 07:28 PM
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On a related note:

How much tranny fluid does this car use? I put 2 quarts of fluid in and today, when I drove it to school, it took a while to kick into drive and had a few rough shifts. I checked the level when I parked it and it doesnt even register on the dipstick!
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  #10  
Old 04-12-2004, 07:29 PM
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Many moons ago I expended MY fire extinguisher to save somebody elses car, the owner was most grateful. Grateful up until the point I suggested he fund a replacement for my one-shot extinguisher... I could not believe the guy could accept the help then claim it was my decision to expend the extinguisher so he could see no reason why he should cough up.

Since then my policy on extinguishers, jacks, spare tyres, spare fuel, tow ropes & snatchem straps has been to use the guy in trouble's gear or establish who will fund the replacement (if required) FIRST.

I know a petrol station owner that has been cr@pped on often enuf by the public that he doesn't expect much. He had a policy of having a spare petrol can for those who walk in having run out of fuel up the road a bit. The MAJORITY of those seemingly thankful people who borrowed the can didn't bring it back. Even (later) when he was holding a deposit equal to the value of the can a significant number wouldn't return it.

I can't help thinking, though, if the burning car was in MY petrol station I reckon I'd be just as keen to get the fire out as the owner.
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Old 04-12-2004, 09:23 PM
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That's the second car fire this week. I was in Frederick, MD on Friday and while getting onto I-70 there was a lady standing next to her car while the whole engine compartment was engulfed in smoke and flames. She stood there in disbelief. I didn't stick around because there were plenty of other bystanders, some still in their cars blocking traffic. I hope that fire got put out w/o injury to her or the other gawkers. -CTH
PS. She was driving a recent chevy.
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  #12  
Old 04-12-2004, 09:41 PM
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Quote:
Just bear in mind that the in-flight fire-abatement procedure was devised because it's a bit difficult to quickly pull an in-flight Cessna over to the curb.
Right, but I also carry a small Halon fire extinguisher in the cockpit, and I fly a Piper.

After reading this, I think I might invest in an extinguisher for the car. The last thing I need is all that oil from my front seal leak to catch fire!
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  #13  
Old 04-13-2004, 12:04 AM
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Nothin like a car fire to wake you up, LOL..... this happened on my Moto Guzzi MC a few yrs back - leaky Del'orto carb was bleeding fuel that soaked the sponge rubber air filter and caught afire, how i dont know. Yep, I throttled the bike which made matters worse adding more fuel to the flames.... then pulled over and thrashed the fire with my gloved hands to put it out.

Tomguy, emergency help you got from the service shop should be S.O.P. for *any* vintage car. I myself will stop to help anybody with 20+ yr old vehicle, yet will drive right past somebody with something new. The logic being that anything built in the last 20 yrs includes components beyond my comprehension. I will bet those guys looked offended when you offered money as they expect nothing in return, yet will be talkin about the old MB that came smokin on fire into their shop for awhile. Hell, they probably enjoyed hearing your story. Meanwhile if you want to settle the score - show up at end of the day with 6 pack of beer, drink one with them and leave the rest. Its very rare that somebody helpin another person out expects cash in return.
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  #14  
Old 04-13-2004, 11:43 AM
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Dog: I thought about the beer thing myself, and I think that on Sat or Sun I'll go down with a few ice cold Yuenglings and have a toast!
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2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited "Hefe", 1992 Jeep Cherokee Laredo "Jeepy", 2006 Charger R/T "Hemi"
1999 Chrysler 300M - RIP @ 221k
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  #15  
Old 04-13-2004, 06:31 PM
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i bought an rx7 where the guy put the fire out with his beer....

car fires are scary, especially fuel!

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