Do I need a Halon Fire Extinguisher?
11-26-2006, 11:57 PM
#31
3rd Gear
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Many years ago, the fuel line in my '64 VW engine compartment split while driving the freeway in LA. As power died, I pulled over on the right shoulder, and walking around the back, could see this flickering light on the ground under the engine. When I opened the engine lid, the flames fanned up into a nice little bonfire. Having no extinguisher, the only thing I could think to do was throw handfulls of dirt on it.
The dirt from the side of the freeway contains all kinds of interesting things, like gum wrappers, cigarette butts, condom wrappers, etc. Since the gas was still coming out, it quickly soaked the dirt, wrappers et al, and kept merrily burning. About this time the friendly California Highway Patrol pulled up and doused the flames with a conventional FE.
As he drove away, I remained standing on the side of the freeway, looking at a soggy mess of melted wire, dirt etc. The friendly tow truck driver took me to the next off-ramp (for $50) where I knew there was a wand wash and an auto parts store. To make a long story short, I wand washed the mess, installed a new piece of fuel line and a set of plug wires, fired her up & drove away. Good old Dr. P.....
The dirt from the side of the freeway contains all kinds of interesting things, like gum wrappers, cigarette butts, condom wrappers, etc. Since the gas was still coming out, it quickly soaked the dirt, wrappers et al, and kept merrily burning. About this time the friendly California Highway Patrol pulled up and doused the flames with a conventional FE.
As he drove away, I remained standing on the side of the freeway, looking at a soggy mess of melted wire, dirt etc. The friendly tow truck driver took me to the next off-ramp (for $50) where I knew there was a wand wash and an auto parts store. To make a long story short, I wand washed the mess, installed a new piece of fuel line and a set of plug wires, fired her up & drove away. Good old Dr. P.....
09-18-2007, 11:40 AM
#33
AutoX
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: San Clemente, CA, USA
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09-18-2007, 12:38 PM
#34
Instructor
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Steeler Country!!
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09-18-2007, 02:13 PM
#35
Burning Brakes
Maybe if you kept the lid to an engine compartment closed ...
... However, in the case of a car fire, I'll just deal with the damage from the chemical agent. I think you would have a much better chance of extinguishing the fire before it got larger if you actually smothered the source with the chemicals. Again, this is just my opinion.
... However, in the case of a car fire, I'll just deal with the damage from the chemical agent. I think you would have a much better chance of extinguishing the fire before it got larger if you actually smothered the source with the chemicals. Again, this is just my opinion.
Keith
'88 CE coupe
05-24-2010, 08:16 PM
#36
Rennlist Member
I didn't include this in my original post, but truth be told, it did happen to me:
I was in high school, in my 1968 Chevy Nova SS, coming home at the end of a Saturday night. The car stalled at a major intersection, but at midnight (curfew time), there weren't many cars on the road in my small town. I turned the engine over, pumping the gas, trying to get it started, but to no avail. I got out (notice I didn't say that I put the car in gear) and popped the hood. Instantly, a fire broke on the intake manifold and carburetor of the 350 cubic inch V8. I nervously looked around, but no one was available to help me. I ran to the nearest house on the corner and frantically rang the doorbell. I asked the weary and wary stranger if he had an extinguisher, and he actually had one in the hallway of his home!
By the time we read the directions and figured out how to pull the pin (not as easy as it sounds in an emergency, especially with all the different pin setups out there), the car was rolling down the hill, hood open, and still on fire!
Running along side the car, I managed to get the door open enough to literally jump in and hit the brakes with my hands. Enough time had passed to put the fire out, but it was quite the incident. And funny as hell, too, since the entire police force and fire department showed up, along with my parents, just about the time the car came to rest.
Afterwards, I had to replace the 650 double-pumper carburetor with a new one, but the hood paint bubbled off and produced a nice 5-inch bare spot. The spot is still there to this day, and I joke about it being my beer coaster. Then I tell the person asking that it was really just a small engine fire
I was in high school, in my 1968 Chevy Nova SS, coming home at the end of a Saturday night. The car stalled at a major intersection, but at midnight (curfew time), there weren't many cars on the road in my small town. I turned the engine over, pumping the gas, trying to get it started, but to no avail. I got out (notice I didn't say that I put the car in gear) and popped the hood. Instantly, a fire broke on the intake manifold and carburetor of the 350 cubic inch V8. I nervously looked around, but no one was available to help me. I ran to the nearest house on the corner and frantically rang the doorbell. I asked the weary and wary stranger if he had an extinguisher, and he actually had one in the hallway of his home!
By the time we read the directions and figured out how to pull the pin (not as easy as it sounds in an emergency, especially with all the different pin setups out there), the car was rolling down the hill, hood open, and still on fire!
Running along side the car, I managed to get the door open enough to literally jump in and hit the brakes with my hands. Enough time had passed to put the fire out, but it was quite the incident. And funny as hell, too, since the entire police force and fire department showed up, along with my parents, just about the time the car came to rest.
Afterwards, I had to replace the 650 double-pumper carburetor with a new one, but the hood paint bubbled off and produced a nice 5-inch bare spot. The spot is still there to this day, and I joke about it being my beer coaster. Then I tell the person asking that it was really just a small engine fire
When I was in high school I had a crazy hopped up 72 Nova with a 327, 4 speed out of a Vette in it.
One night, while out with my girlfriend and a couple of other female friends (lucky me), one of them tossed a smoke out the window. What nobody noticed was that it blew right back into the back seat. After a while the car started filling with smoke and once we all figured it out we pulled over and removed the burning seat from the car and poured 4 cans of beer over it to put it out. (Don't ask where the beer came from)
Just another Saturday night, LOL
Sometimes I wonder how the hell I survived my high school days. :-|
