Just my luck
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 199
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Just my luck
Well as you guys should remember i had a 73 econoline 200, well driving it up a hill i had to kick it down into 1st and give it some gas, WEll i hadnt replaced the carb cleaner, it was just and open carb under the dog house. (it was in the process of being worked on) Well the truck had one or two bad valves, and was pushing some gas/air mix back up through the carb. which ignited and lit my van on fire. it started burning quite nice.
i know have to strip apart my van and engine, i was going to use the engine and trans, along with all the parts from the van.
oops
i know have to strip apart my van and engine, i was going to use the engine and trans, along with all the parts from the van.
oops
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 337
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I had a pinto burst into flames on me once.... [no joke]. what caused it was the air cleaner lid came loose, fell over on the battery and corssed the terminals.
this melted everyting and started a wire fire and quickly spread till flames were licking the windshield.
yeap... always have a fire extingisher in the car.
and comfortable shoes to help you run away.
the firetruck drowned the poor pinto....
this melted everyting and started a wire fire and quickly spread till flames were licking the windshield.
yeap... always have a fire extingisher in the car.
and comfortable shoes to help you run away.
the firetruck drowned the poor pinto....
New User
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 15
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The big burn
Hey, no kidding, and I know that the last post is a joke, but one of the worst burn cases I have ever seen was a guy that poured gas in a carb, and as someone else cranked the engine got sprayed with burning gas. Permenantly disabled, tons of surgury, and you would not recognize him now. Guys, be carefull. I hate to even put gas in my mower without my asbestos undies on after that one.
An old junkyard owner friend of mine had the saying that "Things that remove skin... hurt!"
An old junkyard owner friend of mine had the saying that "Things that remove skin... hurt!"
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
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From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
I try to always use a small neck soda bottle when pouring gas in a carb. That way only a small amount can escape should one have to make a quick or evasive move.
John
John
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,222
Likes: 1
From: East Central Florida
In the FWIW area, . . . [& this is no joke] --> 
Instead of pouring gas directly down the throat of a carb, you can, by using a pump type oil can, or suitable "squirt bottle", fill your float bowl backwards thru a vent tube. Then the accelerator pump will "spray" the correct quantity of fuel in the intake, thus removing any potential for a backfire within the intake causing a fire under the hood. It may still backfire if something else is malfunctioning, but it won't errupt burning fuel into the engine bay and all over everything. . . . I'd teach all the guys in my shop this better method. I'd fire anyone I caught who poured gasoline into an engine directly.
Besides that safety fact above, the engine usually runs long enough on a float bowl full of fuel to prime a fuel pump, or make a fast diagnosis, unlike with a splash of fuel poured thru the carb into the intake manifold.
I was taught this method by an uncle who happened to be an assistant Chief and the Safety Education Officer for the entire, Fire Department.
FBp
Instead of pouring gas directly down the throat of a carb, you can, by using a pump type oil can, or suitable "squirt bottle", fill your float bowl backwards thru a vent tube. Then the accelerator pump will "spray" the correct quantity of fuel in the intake, thus removing any potential for a backfire within the intake causing a fire under the hood. It may still backfire if something else is malfunctioning, but it won't errupt burning fuel into the engine bay and all over everything. . . . I'd teach all the guys in my shop this better method. I'd fire anyone I caught who poured gasoline into an engine directly.
Besides that safety fact above, the engine usually runs long enough on a float bowl full of fuel to prime a fuel pump, or make a fast diagnosis, unlike with a splash of fuel poured thru the carb into the intake manifold.
I was taught this method by an uncle who happened to be an assistant Chief and the Safety Education Officer for the entire, Fire Department.
FBp
Last edited by FordBoypete; Apr 7, 2006 at 09:18 AM.
New User
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 15
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Good call, hey let's face it, 99 per cent of the time the old hobby is safe and no one gets hurt. Everyone who has spent much time working on this stuff has a "close call" story. Personally for me its about reducing risk, fire extinguishers in the truck and on the garage wall, good jack stands, safe level work area etc. Take that advice, put your lucky penny in your pocket and enjoy the best hobby in the world......that and never check under the hood with the engine running and a necktie on....but that's another story.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,222
Likes: 1
From: East Central Florida
Man I can't agree more!
Risk management & prevention is much more effective than after the fact attempts at superssion, or regaining control, or using crisis management to stop cascading tragedy from unfoldong after it's started.
"I Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda" is always too late to get it done, And it sure enough doesn't prevent anything from happening either. OOoops is not a word successful folks use an awful lot, ya know?
FBp
Risk management & prevention is much more effective than after the fact attempts at superssion, or regaining control, or using crisis management to stop cascading tragedy from unfoldong after it's started.
"I Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda" is always too late to get it done, And it sure enough doesn't prevent anything from happening either. OOoops is not a word successful folks use an awful lot, ya know?
FBp