Engine Fire

[FW500]

Had a very scarey moment in the Westfield. I'm working on getting the engine turbo'd and was busy removing the inlet manifold to modify it to draw a stronger vacuum for the map sensor. Stupidly I forgot to disconnect the battery so with the braided fuel pipes flapping about and dripping out petrol there was an accident waiting to happen.

Something touched the positive terminal on the alternator and the fuel pipes caught alight. It was a pretty terrifying prospect - I'm in a carpeted garage (which has probably soaked up gallons of flamable fluids over the past x months) and the door is padlocked shut. I dart into the kitchen with a bucket and fill it about a third of the way up - run back to the fire and pour it directly onto the flames... nothing happened. It's still on fire.

I have a fire extinguisher which is locked in the boot of the car. To get to it I have to squeeze past the fire towards the padlocked end of the garage, unlock the boot and remove all the crap I have piled up on top of the extinguisher. It seemed to take forever! eventually I grabbed the extinguisher and with just a quick squirt it knocked the flames out.

Fortunately the damage was very very minor. It seems the only thing that got damaged was the TPS and connecting loom. There's a few scorch marks on the manifold and a bit of extinguisher powder to clean up but I got away very lightly indeed. Lesson learnt though - always remember to disconnect the battery when pulling stuff off the car!

Picture of the aftermath to follow.

[BuGsBuNnY]

What is going on with fires this month?!

Another lucky escape...

[westy666]

fook   ... thank cluck you caught it in time

[Tim Reid]

Why do people keep reaching for water? A fuel fire will spread if you add water as the fuel floats. Next time grab a rug to put over or power extinguisher  

Glad nothing too major happened and the important thing is that the car... sorry you are safe!  

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Sounds like the next bulk buy ought to be for full size fire extinguishers for the garage.  

[alistairolsen]

FS Neil, after Fly and all!

Glad youre both ok

[Matt Seabrook]

After all the trouble you have gone to to build it Neil

[RICHARD+PHILIP]

I found my speed series t shirt worked well for putting out a fuel fire last year.  

[combatsapph]

I've got two fire extinguishers screwed to the roof of the garage - one on each side within reach of the car.  Also have a small one in front of the passenger seat with will travel about with the car.

There have been a few occasions when I've been doing stuff with fuel lines and leaked some fuel - hand hovering near the fire extinguisherwhilst the other mops up with some paper towels - paper towels go straight outside into a metal bin.

For around £15 per extinguisher, is it worth NOT having at least one?

[FW500]

Already have the powder extinguisher I used replaced and am having the old one refilled so will have 2 for the garage as well - I'll get a couple of the little firemasters for the car.

I had no idea water was so useless - I've even managed to put out a previous engine fire with water so wasn't expecting it to do nothing this time. I guess the persuit of more power was never meant to be easy lol

[combatsapph]

Regarding disconnecting the battery - I had a rather interesting experience fitting heat shielding to protect the alternator from the exhaust manifold heat last night - forgot one side of the heat matting is alluminised

So I certainly echo disconnecting the battery neg terminal when doing work on the car.

I always used to wonder why EVERY single topic in a Haynes manual always started with:-

1:  Remove the negative cable from the battery.

[Norman Verona]

I was managing a garage in Whitfiekd St, near the post office tower in the 60's. We had a contract to service the pool cars for a company called Matthew Hall Ltd.

The lad was cleaning the engine of a Singer Vogue with a mixture of parrafin and gunk and shorted the metal banded brush between the live battery post and the battery frame.

The whole engine bay "exploded" into flames and the lad comes running out the work bay onto the forecourt screaming FIRE!, FIRE!

Thick black smoke is billowing out the work bay and being 5pm the road outside is packed with people going home. All the windows of Matthew Halls building have people looking at the smoke.

I run into the workbay grabbing a small brass trico extinguisher on the way.

May as well as pee'd in the ocean. So I grab a big red extuinguisher and remove the pin and bang. Nothing. Then, whilst this car is burning at my elbow, read the instructions.

Under these conditions would you fully understand "remove pin, bang hammer and invert". I didn't. Then someone shouts, from outside, "Turn it upside down".

I did and got covered in white foam from the small hose which was acting like a wiggly snake.

Anyway, having got the hose under control and pointed it at the engine bay the fire was out.

Then I heard the bells (told you it was a long time ago) of fire engines. I was inspecting the damage. A few hoses a bit of wiring and all would be well.

Oh, no. Fire brigade fill the fuel tank with solvent and then wind a window down 4" and fill the interior with water.

Car was a write off.

So, lesson 1 - have fire extinguishers and lesson 2 - learn how to use them.

[combatsapph]

QUOTE

2 - learn how to use them.

That's an extremely valid point!

[lukeyboy]

My friend was recently trying to get a turbine running on an old large helicopter from his small hanger. He'd been trying for a couple of days (with just the exhaust pointing out of the door). Finally it took light, spewed jet A1 out of the back and on to the floor followed by flames  

Him and his mate running round grabs extinguisher numer one, dead, extinghusher two dead........... mate refuses to switch turbine off as it's taken too long to get running  

In the end he opted for a large mat.

[Blatman]

2 - learn how to use them.

That's an extremely valid point!

I have a certificate from the LFB 'cos I am a qualified fire warden... well qualified enough to satisfy H&S

Small tip for those of you with powder extinguishers... if they've been sat for a while and you need to use them, (and yes I know it's a bit much when it's all gone up in smoke) try to remember to shake them first, otherwise you may as well try putting the fire out with a talcum powder bottle...