MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER

[Deleted]

Today was my lucky day, my very very very lucky day. I was at the builders merchants loading my Anglia up with curse word and when I went to start it up to leave a Weber spat back and caught fire. In no time at all I had a pretty serious fire under the bonnet, which I couldn't get open fast enough because of dzus fasteners, a fuel line then burned through, fire-balled, and it went right up.

LUCKILY a bloke in a truck pulled up and he had a fire extinguisher in the cab and apart from some singed paint and a bit of powder skank the car is ok. I managed to patch the fuel line and bodge the melted throttle cable and get it home by itself.

MAKE SURE YOU GET A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU.

They are about £12 delivered from eBay so that means there are no excuses, go and buy one now. I NEARLY lost the car I had spent 5 years building, I DO NOT want it to happen to you!!!

Picture of what was nearly destroyed:

[lukesweetser]

bloody hell that was a close call!!

glad someone was there to help mate, would have been such a shame to see that car all burnt up

[Nathan]

Luck one dude, I am always wary of this so I carry 2 lol.

[JohnnySomersett]

YOWZERS! lucky escape dude!

I have an extinguisher.... its been sat by the front door for more than a year - fat lot of good it'd be there

I'm ACTUALLY off to put it in the car NOW

[Deleted]

Powder washes off, fire doesn't.

[VW]

Man thats lucky!!

Ill get me a fire extinguisher tomorow.

On a similar note, whast the deal with the switches that kill electric fuel pumps in the event of a crash?

[Speedman]

I have one in all three Dubs, the camper has two, without it this....

....could of got a lot worse

Glad you managed to catch it in time, if you do have an extinguisher then remember to give it a shake and rotate it every so often. The most common fault is the the powder clags together as it vibrates in the car and then jams the nozzle

[JohnnySomersett]

Apr 15, 2009 20:31:38 GMT VW said:

Man thats lucky!!

Ill get me a fire extinguisher tomorow.

On a similar note, whast the deal with the switches that kill electric fuel pumps in the event of a crash?

All you need is a switch wired in the power supply to the pump - flick the switch = fuel stops

I'd fit it to also relay to kill the ignition too, easy enough and double-safe

[Davenger]

Crikey!
That was a lucky escape.
Glad it didn't end in tears, bloke in the truck must be an Anglia lover

[mk14dr]

Bloody lucky was that Mr 69.

Ive had an extinquisher in the car for over a year now, it never occured to me to give it a shake to keep it conditioned though - top tip

[Stiff]

Wow. That was VERY lucky indeed! Glad you caught that in time, would have been a real shame to see such a lovely motor burnt out.
It's doesn't take that long for a small fire to spread if it's not caught early

... as this old footage shows.

[VW]

Apr 15, 2009 20:41:38 GMT JohnnySomersett said:

Apr 15, 2009 20:31:38 GMT VW said:

Man thats lucky!!

Ill get me a fire extinguisher tomorow.

On a similar note, whast the deal with the switches that kill electric fuel pumps in the event of a crash?

All you need is a switch wired in the power supply to the pump - flick the switch = fuel stops

I'd fit it to also relay to kill the ignition too, easy enough and double-safe

thats all well and good if you are still concious to flick teh switch!

[Speedman]

Also replace them once they're past their use by date, I'm sure theres normally a date stamped somewhere on them.

Some of the camper owners i know have fitted a Firetec system in the engine bay, its a pressurised can of powder with a meltable pipe running round the engine bay, any sign of fire, the pipe melts and dispenses the powder straight away, £100+ but worth thinking about

[jamesp]

iv had this twice common with webbers fire extigushers are worth every penny

glad it didnt total the caR mate

[Deleted]

its probably telling you how to suck eggs but if your carb ever catches fire simply floor the throttle and turn it over, it sucks the flames back inside where they cant do any damage (engine is pretty fireproof inside)

[JohnnySomersett]

Apr 15, 2009 20:51:15 GMT VW said:

Apr 15, 2009 20:41:38 GMT JohnnySomersett said:

All you need is a switch wired in the power supply to the pump - flick the switch = fuel stops

I'd fit it to also relay to kill the ignition too, easy enough and double-safe

thats all well and good if you are still concious to flick teh switch!

True LOL

Speedmans suggestion is the best alternative then

[ThePollitt]

Holy curse word mate, glad your okay though.

I always have one, although I've never had to use it. Also, if you've got the money a Lifeline Halon (?) system is a good way to go too.

Chris

[Deleted]

we had a transit once that had a rod connected to the bumper that in turn was against a switch for the fuel supply.. theory being in a crash it was meant to turn off the fuel supply..
never got to try it luckily lol

[JohnnySomersett]

Apr 15, 2009 21:01:55 GMT @rottie007 said:

we had a transit once that had a rod connected to the bumper that in turn was against a switch for the fuel supply.. theory being in a crash it was meant to turn off the fuel supply..
never got to try it luckily lol

That'd be relatively easy to do yourself!

Presuming you have metal bumpers, you could rig a switch that connects when the bumper is 'fouled' by means of a conductivity switch that relays to cut the fuel power supply!

Me likey!

[akku]

I had a Cortina Mk3 which caught fire twice. Fire extinguishers FTW.