take a look at pic 1of4. looks like the car was on ramps.



its a shame he lost the car, but hopefully nobody got hurt.

OK got it, looks like a plastic ramp that melted.

I should probably rethink hanging out on this list, I can't remember a list that has had more cars crash and burn ( or get backed into or munched with a garage door. .. ) than this one. Including some auto racing lists.

Interesting,
I can't make up my mind as to the cause of the fire.
All the debris lying around seems to have burned an older wood garage to the ground. And, yes I see the Ramps too. Also, the blue car in the background got hit.
In a weather condition as such, a nearby lightning strike could come to mind, but it would have to be really nearby. Likely, it could have been a Human error.

CAUTION: As we all know, I hope, a fuel to air mixture at the ratio of 14.7:1 is the most combustion happy. Therefore, a fuel tank that is near empty, might as well meet this condition (another reason to have a working purge valve) and is actually more dangerous as a full tank. The fuel auto ignition temperature is between 246 - 280 C or 475 - 536 F while fuel mixed with air, has a much lower flash point temperature, which depends on it's ratio and the amount of O2 etc. of course.

One can overdo it, by grounding the chassis to a metal water pipe or so, before starting to exchange the filter. In my opinion, it is essential to disconnect the battery whenever work is done, that involves fuel. Grounding would add safety to the process, but I think is not necessary.
Also, keep in mind that your vehicle can charge to several thousand volts on a long drive in dry, dusty condition. Guess, many of us have experience that jolt (ESD) while locking the doors after a long drive.

Also, a non insulated wire, shorted out to the chassis, causing a little tiny ark near the fuel saturated area and your car and perhaps you, are history.
That's the other mystery, a blast like this, we don't know, but anyone that was working there, would be toasted, unless dripping fuel got ignited and a slow burn started to further evolve into that blast. I am using toasted loosely and no disrespect to the person that might have gotten hurt in the blast.

These are my two cents!

__________________
Mostly, I don't know notin, I just know where to look.
I am looking back, to over 30 years in Electronics Design.
Electrons don't care if they move in a car, computer or relay!

95 W124 E320 M104.992 - Because, I love to repair, naaaah!
Over 221,000 Miles
Cheers,
Norbert

You might have that ratio backwards?

Holy crap!!! I am so sorry for your friend. That is just horrible!

RTFM! You de-pressurize, and then you crimp the fuel lines as per manual! I did the same job a month or so ago, in my garage/workshop (I actually redid the entire rear unit, i.e. pump check valves, fuel line connecting the two pumps, accumulator, and fuel filter). Be ready to capture a tiny amount.

__________________
Henry Bofinger
1989 560 SEL (black/black)
2001 Audi TT Roadster (silver/grey)

That is certainly outside of the norm. Let us know what the fire marshal says.

__________________
Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 401,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 26,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.
99 Mazda Miata 183,xxx miles.

This is why when changing a gas fuel filter I:

-Do it with tank WAY empty (maybe 1-2 gallons left at the most)
-Depressurize the system at the engine end first before touching rear assembly
-Multiple fire extinguishers
-ALLways outdoors away from any buildings
-Hose pinch clamps on all lines leading to the system.


I suppose going a step further, spritz things with water before hand to make SUPER sure of no static, or wear a PC tech ground strap.

If a tank on a W126 gasser is full, that's around 2.7 MILLION BTU of heat energy sitting in that tank. Enough to heat a moderate size home in a cold climate for a week or more!
Yikes!

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

This happened several years ago. I just happen to find the pics on my computer. Since then garage was rebuilt, vehicles were replaced. I don't know what the final verdict was from the fire marshall but now I'm curious to find out. All I know is the boyfriend of my friend's daughter was working on the car in the garage. Fuel filter change or something to do with the fuel tank toward the back of the car. Yes, the rear wheels were up on ramps. He mentioned a static charge ignited some fuel vapors. If static was not the cause, who knows? Could have been a faulty trouble light, bad electrical cord, maybe garage heater?

BTW, the ramps were metal. The metal got so hot the ramps lost their structural integrity.

For an ESD to ignite fuel vapor, the vapor has to be between the upper and lower explosive limits. Gasoline is volatile enough that it rapidly exceeds the upper explosive limit in any kind of closed environment except in very cold conditions. In open environments, the vapor usually dissipates quickly enough to generally keep it below the lower explosive limit, except for very small areas. The guy was either very unlucky, or something else happened.

__________________
Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 401,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 26,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.
99 Mazda Miata 183,xxx miles.

One small correction to Jim B's note about the fuel filters on the SE/SEL/SEC's, Gen I's have one filter and one fuel pump. Gen II's have One fuel filter and two Fuel Pumps.

I am guessing that maybe the battery cables were not removed and possibly the two or 4 Fuel pump wires may have shorted.

__________________
1986 Euro 500SEC "RUF" 9:1CR, "Rose"
1985 Euro 500SEC Cabriolet AMG Widebody
1982 Euro 500SEL "Blue"
2001 Texas Heeler (Aussie/Queensland X) "Sulphie",
2012 Queensland Red Heeler "Squeak"
Best dogs I've ever had.

We recently replaced the fuel pumps, filter, accumulator and hoses in my 190E 2.6 and I was scared this kind of thing might happen. It was also mid-summer when we did the job, the car was leaking fuel on the plastic fuel pump cover by the left rear wheel.

Sorry to hear, glad nobody was hurt!

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