Nearly had roast bird for dinner

[ArcDevilz]

So I decided to take my carb to get rebuilt. I get the call that it's ready for pick up. I go and get it back to my shop where I install it and get it fired up. The guy who built it came highly recommended from another car guy that has some serious cars. I get it back to him and he dials in the air fuel and the idle screw. He says get the car timed and bring it back in a few days. I leave and no less than a mile away the car stalls. I could not fire it again. I push it off to the side and move it as close to the curb to avoid the moronic L.A drivers. anyways I forget my cell phone and I asked someone walking by if I can make a call to the carb shop. They send someone down and he proceeds to tell me to try to fire it after he is pushing down on the accelerator. All I could see at that point was him putting out a fire on his head and a huge flame coming out of the carb. I say oh sh!t and I took my shirt off to try to choke the flame out. This is not working and I start to panic because it's getting bigger. I kept trying to cover the flame but it's just way too hot at this point. Out of nowhere comes a guy with his two kids. small water bottles in hand . We poured to pour four bottles into the carb to get the fire completely out. He was driving by and saw what was happening and made a quick u-turn and sprung into action. I couldn't believe what was happening. I took his number down because all I could think of was I owe this guy some sort of reward, I have to send this guy to dinner with his family. It's the least I can do. He saved my bird from getting roasted. I am going to the carb shop and I am going to give the shop owner a piece of my mind.
I am not that familiar with an AVS but I figure it's a float that got jammed up that is causing the carb to flood.

Lessons learned get a fire extinguisher.
There are still good people in this world.
Never forget your cell phone.

 

[mcmopar]

Wow! Its good to hear you didn't lose the car! And I concur - a fire extinguisher is a necessity, but water on a fire? You're lucky you got it out. Get either a halon fire extinguisher or solid chemical type to smother fuel fires. Dry chemical leaves a huge mess but it's a small price to pay (cleanup) to keep from losing your car.

 

[ArcDevilz]

I was lucky to even have water. If that guy didn't pull over I think the car would have gone up. The flame was huge. It took four bottle to get it out. Seriously could have been worse. And the first thing i will do is get a Halon extinguisher I am still in a little shock and smell like fumes. :facepalm:

 

[george68hemirr]

you were very lucky....yes you should do the dinner thing for that guy and his family....good luck choking that carb guy

 

[Jim S.]

Wow, makes me want to get a halon for the trunk tomorrow. What's up with all the fire stories lately?

 

[69hemibeep]

WOW glad you contained it. Guys can you still buy Halon outside of commercial use :huh:

 

[Basketcase]

Damn! that was lucky!

 

[dobie]

Wow. I'm real glad to hear she didn't burn up. A fire extinguisher was the first thing I put in my car, before I even had a few small simple hand tools. It's one thing I hope never to use.

 

[Big John]

Ahh... the common carb fire. We get spoiled by the new fuel injected cars and forget about these things happening.

Here's what happens. You pump the gas and the accelerator pump fill the carb and manifold up with raw gas. The car tries to start, but backfires (probably the timing is off a bit) and ignites the raw gas. Instant carb fire!

Back when I was a kid, my Uncle (a great mechanic) told me when you have a carb fire to simply keep the starter cranking and suck the fire back down into the engine.

I've done just that a few times and it works just as advertised.

That said, a good fire extinguisher is a must! I almost lost a car to a gas leak, but I dumped the extinguisher on it and although it made a mess, the car didn't burn. My brother wasn't so lucky and lost a 66 Mercury to a fire.

 

[jays69bird]

When I was little my parents brought a new 69 Fury III 383 4 barrel,first 69 in Fulton.One day my mom and I were parked at my grandmother's which was right across the street from our house.My mom ran back into the house and left me in the car,I proceeded to get down on the floor ( ah the days before car seats) and pump the hell out of the gas pedal then got back up on the seat all innocent,well mom came out turned over the car and boom! the fire didn't go out right away,she was screaming,my dad ran over popped the hood and managed to burn his hand getting the fire put out,the backfire took the air cleaner off the motor Dad yelled at mom for flooding the car she yelled back she hadn't flooded it,they both looked at me who was already scared,I broke down crying "I'm sorry!" Did I get my ass blistered, :chuck: but I learned the hard way what happens when you flood one of these big blocks,just glad your car was saved

 

[ArcDevilz]

I got the carb over to the shop and he said he found a bit of debris and adjusted the float. We put it on and adjusted the timing. The car is back and running better than ever. Got a nice chirp into 3rd gear and shifting into 4th at 85 mph she wants to keep pulling. :crazy: I got a small extinguisher and will be mounting it somewhere within reach. Lesson learned big time. She's all ready for the spring fling tomorrow. :drool:

 

[Basketcase]

,they both looked at me who was already scared,I broke down crying "I'm sorry!" Did I get my ass blistered, :chuck: but I learned the hard way what happens when you flood one of these big blocks,just glad your car was saved

wow...you held out for what...five seconds? :acme: :jester: I don't think I lasted that long myself. I think I was four or five(from what I was told). Mom and Dad had a '63 Studabaker Station Wagon. For some reason I musta thought it was a good idea to put some little rocks in the gas tank. Dad had spotted some rocks laying around the gas cap.I'm sure Dad gave me just what I deserved.Oh...bent the radio antenna to.

 

[ArcDevilz]

,they both looked at me who was already scared,I broke down crying "I'm sorry!" Did I get my ass blistered, :chuck: but I learned the hard way what happens when you flood one of these big blocks,just glad your car was saved

wow...you held out for what...five seconds? :acme: :jester: I don't think I lasted that long myself. I think I was four or five(from what I was told). Mom and Dad had a '63 Studabaker Station Wagon. For some reason I musta thought it was a good idea to put some little rocks in the gas tank. Dad had spotted some rocks laying around the gas cap.I'm sure Dad gave me just what I deserved.Oh...bent the radio antenna to.

Seems like we all messed up the old mans cars. My dad left my brother and I in his car while he ran into the bank. 1967 Cadillac I was Bo my brother was Luke. Before we knew hit i put the column in neutral and rolled back into a parked car. :brickwall: Man did I get yelled at.

 

[69hemibeep]

Ive sucked a few carb fires out by cranking, but I did loose a 38' motor home to a gas leak :toetap:

 

[Basketcase]

[



Seems like we all messed up the old mans cars. My dad left my brother and I in his car while he ran into the bank. 1967 Cadillac I was Bo my brother was Luke. Before we knew hit i put the column in neutral and rolled back into a parked car. :brickwall: Man did I get yelled at.

better than putting it thru the side of the building!

 

[roadrunnerh]

Wow, just read this story. Thank God you didn't loose your car!!!!

Yep, you owe that guy and his family a nice dinner. I probably would have lost it on the carb guy.
What the F?

I have an extinguisher in the garage, but not IN THE CAR.

Where can I get a "halon" fire extinguisher?

 

[Basketcase]

you used to be able to find them in parts stores. I used to carry a smal one in the glove box. need to get a couple more. might be able to get them in a home center, or give a fire extingusher supplier a call.

 

[Confederate1969]

Holy crap man, just reading that made me cringe at the very near catastrophic loss you had there. There's two things I wouldn't drive my Road Runner without having - a pistol and a fire extinguisher. Both keep you from losing the car.

 

[moparchris]

Good thing you didn't lose your Runner! I have a similar story. I had just bought my Swinger and it had a POS of a edelbrock carb on it and a mess for a fuel system. So I was driving it down the street and it left me stranded at an intersection for hundredth time. This time it backfired as I was trying to start it except I hadn't looked underhood. This was key since it had filled the entire top of the motor with fuel! Needless to say when it back fired it erupted in a huge ball of flames! I know not to open the hood since I had no way of dealing with it if I had. I was so over this POS that I just threw up my hands and kinda felt glad that it was now going to burn to the ground. LET IT BURN! Well that was short lived as a fire engine happened to pull up by chance and stopped to put it out. The fireman pulled out the Halligan to pry open my hood and I had to jump in and open the hood using the latch. Well when he opened the hood a huge ball of flames and smoke came out. They put it out and I got a tow. It actually only burned the wires and hoses.

By the way I saw your Runner at Spring Fling. I didnt know it at the time, although I did realize that it could possibly be yours. I see your avitar is your shifter ball. I remember seeing that and making note. Great car.

 

[Jim S.]

What is everyone using for extinguishers? I used to have a couple small (115 grams) Halon ones but, they are no good anymore. I hear the dry chemical ones can really make a mess and corrode everything. All I can find as far as Halon, are the $100 aircraft ones. Guess if the car is burning, I won't care what I have, messy or not.
http://www.aircraftspruce.ca/catalog/pspages/rta400.php