DamonB

The rubber fuel line between the primary and secondary injectors ruptured and started my car on fire Saturday morning. Luckily I noticed it right away and carry an extinguisher; the whole episode from noticing smoke to putting it out was less then 30 seconds. FWIW my fuel line was already the updated version, but I don't know when the work was performed. The hose developed a small pin hole right in the middle of the line and leaked before the fumes finally ignited when I put it out.

The extinguisher saved my car from burning to the ground. The insurance estimator will be examining it tonight but after removing the manifold I can see that at minimum the engine harness, injectors and OMP lines will need to be replaced. Suprisingly I got the fire out quickly enough that the solenoid rack is fine. The silicone hoses are all fine except for the two that go to the oil injectors; their ends are expanded enough from the heat they will need to be replaced.

Today's advice: If you don't have an extinguisher in the car get one. I carry a small $10 dry chemical extinguisher and only used half of it to extinguish the fire, but I was lucky in catching it early and having the extinguisher mounted in the passenger bin where I could get out with it quickly. I reckon my car was about 10 seconds away from burning uncontrollably and turning into a charred mess as the fuel pressure continued to spray raw fuel into the engine compartment after the line burst. As it is there is not even any smoke damage, only the items under the manifold were harmed.

The damage is actually quite minimal considering the fire and the car will go into the shop this week.

RX7SpiritR

iTrader: (1)

Sorry about the car, but it's good to hear you saved it in time and your ok. Kinda makes me uneasy and now I'm going to go get a fire extinguisher for my car too. I can get free refills too since my dad works for LA Fire department, he's a paramedic (trained as firefighter too) though.

JONSKI

Sux bro. I'm glad to hear the damage was relatively minimal.

ArchangelX

Uhh...you're planning on using it enough to HAVE to get refills?

I'd consider recharging..but not refilling...

RonKMiller

Just goes to show what a clear head and a cheap extinguisher can do. I'll bet you pooped your pants when you opened the hood!

I am going to replace my lines ASAP. (They were done 7 years ago under the recall but it's obviously time to do it again!)

Makes me want to route some tubing with nozzles into the engine compartment with Halon and a quick release on the other end..........

BoOsTin FD

I have a question, maybe a stupid one. How did you know your engine was on fire? Did you see smoke or flames or something from the sides of the hood or what?

I'm afraid if it ever happens to me, how will i know, since fd hood doesn't have holes/ducts like FC.

Thanks

ArchangelX

Drive around with your hood off, redkneck style.

wonder1and

Good Job Damon... least you caught it b4 all hell broke loose... time to get one for my car too...
Ryker

13brv3

DamonB

I happened to have just parked and shutdown to get gas. At first I saw very light, white smoke I mistook for steam from the front of the hood making me think I had overheated. Within seconds it turned a thick ugly grey and at that point I ordered my passenger out, grabbed the extinguisher from the passenger bin and popped the hood release. Before I actually lifted the hood I pulled the pin on the extinguisher and held it ready. I then lifted the hood in one hand and fired the extinguisher with the other. The flames ignited once the hood was up and hovered around the wastegate/precontrol solenoids. They were about the size of a melon and very transparent, I believe only the fumes were burning at that point but gas was still venting into the area due to the fuel pressure. There is nothing under the hood that actually caught fire, the heat merely melted the engine harness and injectors and had just started to burn through the hood liner, though it is intact and merely looks worn rather than burnt.

turbojeff

iTrader: (30)

Sorry to hear about your car. Here is some unsolicited advice.

Be very very careful with the insurance claim. I've bought two cars with fires that sounded just like yours. Both were totalled by the insurance company. One even still ran, no paint damage on either car, upper intake manifolds were good, etc... Fires were very minor, parts and labor add up quickly and can lead to a total. A salvage title for a car like this isn't really a good thing IMHO.

Engine wiring harness ~$900
ACV ~ $300
Injectors ~$250/ea (4 injectors = $1000)
WG + PC solenoids $140

+++ $$$ labor for installation.

It shouldn't be totalled but you should be getting a big check. Fix it yourself after you get paid, it isn't really much harder than doing an silicone hose job.

Buy the fuel hose recall kit, it is only $95 and includes all the HP fuel lines. Much, much cheaper than buying them individually.

Jeff

DamonB

Thank you for your advice turbojeff. I am completely capable of doing all the work myself and if the car was not insured I certainly would. Since it is an insurance claim my plan is to let Rotary Performance perform the work as they are familier with my car and I trust them. The estimater will meet myself and the car at RP tomorrow, so we will see what happens. I do know the parts and labor will add up quickly but I cannot imagine the car being totalled. Chris at RP already mentioned the fuel line kit you refer to, but to my (possibly incorrect) understanding my car had the update installed already. Regardless of the estimate outcome I will have the car repaired.

ArchangelX

It's good to see you were prepared...and you had quick thinking to stop the fire.



A few weeks ago, I read about possible engine fires (the one with the burnt out RX-7). So that day I went out and purchased two mini-extinguishers. They're currently in the right rear storage compartment.

Never can be too careful.

Mercury

I'm glad you were able to save your car, and that another FD lives to see another day. I hate engine fires... seen way to many FD's go to the yard due to them. <Knocks on wood> I hope I never have the opertunity to experence one.

RX7SpiritR

iTrader: (1)

oops, lol, yeah I meant to say recharge not refill....my bad hehe. yeah yeah it was funny so what.......actually it kinda was hehe.

rynberg

Sorry to hear about that, DamonB, especially since you have a recent rebuild in there. Glad to hear it wasn't worse and you were prepared. Now that I'm over 60k miles with the original FPD and fuel lines, I guess I should start carrying a small extinguisher.....

Good luck getting her fixed up.

DamonB

Dealing with my insurance company (Geico) was actually a nice experience; payment was issued and work is beginning this morning at RP.

For the record the ecu harness, injectors, ACV valve and solenoids, fuel lines, FPD, water temp sensors in water pump housing, temp sensors under the manifold and a few solenoids on the rack are all being replaced as they were either destroyed, melted or exposed to tremendous heat and deemed unreliable. RP reckons I will have the car back in a few days.

Vintage Red Touring

Glad to hear that your car is being taken care of so quickly!

I just want to know how you were able to get it into RP with no appointment. Seems like they have a 2 week waiting list every time I need them to look at my car.

DamonB

I slipped 'em a hundred I know RP is normally stacked up but Chris has made the effort of refocusing on FDs and I can only assume this leaves them more flexibility schedule wise. It's also winter so people aren't out breaking cars

JONSKI

DamonB,
If you don't mind, I'm just curious about the money part.

How much money is this going to cost you?
How much money is this going to cost Geico?

In other words, if RP charges x, Geico gives you y and you pay the rest z.
y + z = x
What are y, z, and x?

Shinobi-X

Glad to hear that you saved the car before it was too late. Engine fires suck.

DamonB

Forgot to add that the OMP lines and injectors will also be replaced. Basically everything under the manifold was toast.