davidr5610
11th-May-2009, 02:11 AM
Driving home from the dragstrip on 5-9-09, my water temperature started to rise, and as I pulled to a stop sign, the inside of my car filled with smoke, and when I stopped, smoke was billowing out from under the hood. I opened the hood, and there were flames a foot high if they were an inch. Grabbed my fire extinguisher, and put it out. In theory, I could have just as easily put it out with my shirt if I had too, but at the time I thought it was a lot worse.
Basically a wire for the electric fan melted against the radiator and grounded out, which of course stopped the fan, and began melting the plastic covering on the wires all the way back to the battery, and caught the wire loom on fire.
Fixed it all today. Looks awesome, and no wired are touching the radiator!
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w213/grudd_photos/1970%20Nova/bug7103.jpg
That crap gets everywhere.
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w213/grudd_photos/1970%20Nova/bug7104.jpg
crazy88
11th-May-2009, 03:18 AM
good to see u caught it fast.
also reminds me, i need a fire extinguisher.
fossilrunner
11th-May-2009, 10:29 AM
I remember I had a fire while I was at the gas station one time.I was having problems with it starting so I poured a little gas in the carb and some must have gotten on the rim of the carb and when I started the car it backfired and caught on fire. good thing I had a towel in the car
bowtieman55
11th-May-2009, 12:17 PM
glad the damage was minimal. It's a great idea to have a fire extinguisher in most any car. :yes:
ALLT4
11th-May-2009, 01:13 PM
No fuses in that line that shorted?
74 hatchback
11th-May-2009, 01:43 PM
Just put another sicker over the burnt area, nobody will know you had a fire:rolleyes:
tnblkc230wz
12th-May-2009, 01:16 AM
No fuses in that line that shorted?
Good to hear the damage was minimal. It can be really devestating. You need to get a fuseable line or circuit breaker or something protecting that circuit.
davidr5610
12th-May-2009, 02:12 AM
The fuse is just past where the short occured.
Bluesman
16th-May-2009, 12:48 PM
Hey David, we all have to catch our cars on fire at least once!:yes: Now you get to clean up all that PK powder.:cool:
Glad it wasn't worse........
Dave
Dr. Denny
16th-May-2009, 10:40 PM
Hey David,
I had the same exact thing happen to my car last summer. The wire going to the fan shorted as a result of melting on the radiator. I was in my drive way and got it out fast and had it fixed in about 15 minutes. I now carry a fire extinguisher in my car.
Glad there was no real damage.
Denis
Sooner1
17th-May-2009, 11:41 PM
Hey David,
I had the same exact thing happen to my car last summer. The wire going to the fan shorted as a result of melting on the radiator. I was in my drive way and got it out fast and had it fixed in about 15 minutes. I now carry a fire extinguisher in my car.
Glad there was no real damage.
Denis
i agree with the fire extinguisher- they are very cheap at walmart.
simply a good piece of mind.
i actually thought mine caught on fire last week- i smelled smoke, and when i got home i saw smoke rolling out of the rear fender wells! :eek:
i then hosed the whole rear of the car down but to fiind that
idiot me left the e brake on! :eek: