ALWAYS Have Your Fire Extinguisher!!

[sptcoupe]

Consider this an important reminder.

So Monday I was driving the coupe to work, and as I slowed for a traffic light, I noticed the smell of something burning. A bit later, when I had fully stopped, I saw smoke (not steam) billowing out from under hood. Some cars made room for me and I pulled it to the side of the road, popped the hood, grabbed the fire extinguisher from the trunk, and lifted the hood. There were 10” high flames and lot’s of smoke coming from something burning hotly at the bottom of the exhaust header, right at the bottom of the 4-2-1 downpipe, where it turns rearward. The flames had spread to the plastic coating on the heavy duty ground cable I have running from the block to the chassis, and it was burning hotly. Two or three shots with the extinguisher took care of the problem. When the smoke cleared, I could see a lump of something charred laying on the bend in the header. It turned out it was a cleaning rag with oil and who knows what else on it that somehow ended up there and had ignited from the heat of the header.

I drove it home, cleaned it up and found the only damage to be the melted/burned plastic on the ground cable, and a very slight bubble on the engine mount. Fired her up drove her to work with no incidents or other issues.

If I had not had that extinguisher at hand, I am fairly certain I would be posting pics of a burned out hulk. I’ve driven the coupe every day since and it is running fine. Could have very easily been a lot different outcome.

You just never know - so please take this reminder to heart and check your extinguisher to be sure it is still charged and rated for all A,B and C fires.

[Chihua33]

Sounds like you were pretty lucky!

Glad you and your vehicle are okay! Very good reminder to everyone else.

[phaetn]

Good advice.

I always have one close at hand:





Cheers,
phaetn

[cormac]

I second the thought...good advice, drove by a smoking burned out car just yesterday at the side of the road, with owner watching the fire dept cleaning up

just added "fire extinguisher" to my notes for the Fiat

[spiderdan]

I got one at home and at the cottage but not in the Fiat.
Tx for the nudge sptcoupe, I'll get me one this week.
I would hate to see my Angelina fried crispy

[btoran]

and if you're not carry a fire extinguisher, bring along some long sticks and marshmellows.

[sptcoupe]

You mean some REALLY long sticks....

[TX82FIAT]

Great reminder for all. i never leave home without the extinguisher in the FIAT given the 30 year old wires and fuel lines. Now, I'm thinking.... May be a good idea to have a fire extinguisher in all cars given the number of recalls put out lately.

[SunnySideUp]

An extinguisher is a must-have and it's cheap insurance. I get comments that mine looks like a NOS bottle because of where I have it located under the dash.

[narfire]

Wonder if an extinguisher would have helped here...
This happened about 10kms South of Penticton a few years ago...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7r6tk5QXno

[tartan18]

I have a Haylon fire extinguisher and it sits perfectly behind my driver's seat. It is just wedged there -- I didn't use the mounting brackets.

[toplessexpat]

I need somewhere to secure it that isn't too visible. I'm sure Mrs Topless wouldn't get into the beastie with the heightened sense of awareness of one's own fragility (and that of the vehicle) that having a visible extinguisher may bring!

Although - I am minded of a vehicle we used to drive that had a built in extinguisher set up. Three pull switches on the dash, one for the engine bay, one for underneath the center of the vehicle, and one under the trunk... now THAT would be a fun customization for the spider

A

[SoFlaFiat]

Get right on that Andy!!! And share the plans

[pgilling]

I read lots about what sort of extinguisher to get and I was trying to balance up the pros and cons. In the end, at work I spoke to an old and experienced fireman (I work at an airbase and he obviously has a lot of experience in fuel fires) and he said straight out to use a dry powder extinguisher of at least 2 Kg.

So I bought one and installed it in the same place that many of you have.
It's nicely hidden so no casual toe-rag can steal it but it is easy to grab as I get out of the car.

[vandor]

I'm glad to see you got one with a metal head. Cheap ones with plastic heads are available, but they can break off if banged around...