Your car or your life?!?!

[Spirit]

Phew I've just had the most scary experience of my life. Basically following DanS13 and suddenly I saw flames coming from underneath his car. He also saw them,(luckily) pulled over and opened up the bonnet. Fire was coming from the turbo :eek: :eek: but had 1 litre evian in back, poured it on it, which helped it to cool, and it eventually went out by itslef. (see post in general questions:someone call the fire brigade). Meanwhile, I was running about like a headless chicken calling the fire brigade and shouting at Daniel to get away from the burning car.

I just wanted to say that I genuinely thought that the car was gonna blow up and that Daniel (coz he loves his car too much and wouldn't leave its side) was a gonner. Please everyone, don't love yer car too much - protect yerself ,coz i tell you if I lost Daniel I wouldn't kno what to do - God, even thinkning of it makes me wanna cry. -Okay so I may have looked like a knob rushing about, but life is more important that cars - Right?

[vega]

:eek:

Glad to hear you are both ok.

In the event of this happening, you are never meant to lift the bonnet in case it goes up with all the extra air, and deffinately not use water as it can dilute the fuel of the fire. Easier said than done I know, and it looks like it did the job this time.

[Spirit]

Actually thinking about it that is an incredibly good point - although the only thinking I was doing at the time was call the fire brigade and try to drag daniel away from the car. But (God forbid, if there ever is a next time) I shal l remember that.

Cheers

[vega]

To be honest, I would have done the same thing though :)

I bought a dry powder extinguisher when a bloke at works car went up, makes you think :(

Cheers

[yeager]

Amy

Glad your ok, when Dan was describing this I thought you were in the passenger seat!! LOL, so glad you were BEHIND him :) Well... in another car I mean *cough* sorry

Anyway... i would find it VERY hard to stand and watch my car burn. I'd be doing everything possible to cool her down. Silly I know, but I dont think i'd be that logical with flames pouring out of it.

Hope you both got home ok. On a side note my cats go in for their ops on Monday, wish them luck :):)

[Wak]

Originally posted by Spirit
I just wanted to say that I genuinely thought that the car was gonna blow up

:D You've been watching too many American films :D

Glad you and Dan and the car are OK :)

[Hayley]

Trust me, when your car is really on fire, you get as far away as possible. I've been there and I know.

My capri went up in flames. Fuel line went. I got out and ran when I saw the smoke. Some guys came over to help, lifted the bonnet then ran as flames shot out of everywhere. Out from the engine, wheel arches then the aerosol in the glove box exploded and blew the dash apart. It was one of the most scarey things in my life. :( :( :(

That was 12 years ago and it is something I will never forget. Human nature is to survive at all costs.

[Leon]

I was with a mate, trying to fix his car, when it went up.
THe stupid git asked another of my friends to turn the engine over while we were both ovver the engine (old VW Varient). THe thing I didn't see what that Nic had taken one of the carbs off and was holding it a little above the engine....
Hit it with the powder and all was fine.

I guess if someone wont get away from a burning car, use the caveman method - hit of the head and drag...

Glad you are both OK :)

[Jezz_S13]

I set fire to my BMW a few months back, was scary as fook fortunately had 5 litres of antifreeze/water mix in the car so hoofed it all over the burning engine and fortunately it went out.
Very lucky really cos I was in the middle of a posh cul-de-sac somewhere near Solihul at the time and I'd just pulled off the motor way to fill it up with oil.

Picture the scene, it was about 10AM on a sunny Sunday morning I roll/clatter up in my battered BMW park out side a big house in said posh close, people all around washing their big BMWs and Mercs, I set fire to to my car, create a huge cloud of steam and smoke as I put the fire out then drive off shaking like a leaf.
Not one person came to see if I was okay, perhaps as well really cos was a tad embarrasing.

Scary then, funny AF now. :D

[Chris_Lacey]

Firstly what I want to know is how it caught fire?!!!

Secondly, I am going to buy a CO2 or Dry Powder Extinguisher.

[gaz.thomas]

I've helped to put out two car fires and have taken to keeping a powder extinguisher in the boot. The second car was too far gone for anyone to do anything other than call the fire brigade but the driver (sh1tty old granada) insisted on going back to the car three times to get stuff out - the firemen had to physically restrain him from going back a fourth time.
Quite a sight when the tyres blew though

Gaz
-x-

[Pete C]

Originally posted by Hayley
My capri went up in flames

Yeah that nearly happened to my first Capri. Fuel pump exploded and it started pissing petrol all over the floor. I was standing by it for nearly an hour by the side of the road waiting for the RAC man to turn up.

There was a huge puddle of petrol under the car and running down the gutter. Every time someone walked past smoking a fag I was like :eek:

The car blew up two fuel pumps like that. Don't know why :confused:

[JB]

Seen too many cars on fire over the years. I Always have a fire extinguisher to hand (you'd be surprised how many people have an extinguisher but keep it in the boot :eek: )

I don't suppose in the event of a real fire an extinguisher would be much good but it comforts me to know it's there.

[Nathan_200sx]

I keep a fairly big dry powder jobbie behind my seat. Last thing you should do is open the bonnet right up as this just gives any fire loads more oxygen and can cause a huge feckin fireball if it's well alight. I was told to only pop the bonnet and fire the powder through the gap, that way you save your hair and eyebrows.

The strange thing is about these cars is the siting of the abs unit, you could pour petrol on the manifold and it just vaporises. so unless theres anything to ignite it it's safe, the same cannot be said for brake fluid which would reach it's flash point on a hot manifold :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: I dont recomand anyone try this theory though ;)

[Martin T]

Do 200sx's have a fuel pump kill switch? Handy to know if they catch fire. Think I might get a CO2 fire extinguisher after hearing that. Glad you're both allright.

[Dom_S13]

**mental note to self** buy dry powder extinguisher.

[AshT_200]

Originally posted by Chris_Lacey
Firstly what I want to know is how it caught fire?!!!

Secondly, I am going to buy a CO2 or Dry Powder Extinguisher.

Oil leaked from the feed over the turbo. Fires in cars are commonly caused by oil leaks.

[AshT_200]

Originally posted by Hayley
Trust me, when your car is really on fire, you get as far away as possible. I've been there and I know.

My capri went up in flames.

Best thing for a capri :D

Seriously tho, it is scary. When I had a crash a few years ago (Hit an artic) The battery split, fuel got broken, and the car caught fire under the bonnet.

However, I was so shocked from the accident, I didn't get out and was lucky that some wuick thinking person from the petrol station opposite came and put the fire out.

Ok, it wasn't a big fire, but it's scary to think what could have happened.

Hayley, I was only jesting :)

[Spirit]

Just wanna say to everyone thanks a lot for all yer help and advice. Unfortunately I was in my Dad's car, otherwise if I had been in mine I would've had an extinguiser to 1) Put out the fire and 2) Hit Daniel over the head with it so I couldv'e dragged him away from the car :D :D (ta for that bit off advice - definately something to remember if I'm faced with the situation again).

Although I was shocked and sorry to hear that so many of you have experienced car fires :( - I thought that they didn't happen to much. Oh well, at least we all survived them :)

P.S. I shall be investing in an extinguisher for Daniels car - it might look a bit silly but at least it can keep my mind "at ease" ;)

[Jason]

Note to self: because of the amount of people that have set their 200's alight just on this thread alone, go and buy the biggest baddest fire extinguisher you can find jason.
in fact go now.
Glad you 2 ok, very scarey thought. id have probably jumped on my car to put the fire out! :eek: :D ;)