Well, after a week of having it back from the 5 month ordeal that was transplanting my old parts into a new frame, repainting, etc (see sig) I am driving down the road and my accelerator stops working, I see black smoke coming out the back and quickly pull off. Great my engine just blew I was thinking (probably that too).

Then I pull over and people are screaming at me and I run to the back and see that my car is on fire out by the exhaust.

I had JUST put my fire extinguisher back in a few days ago as I re-finished/painted my interior and yet I couldn't find it. I panicked and started ripping up everything I could reach...jack spot where I keep it, the spare tire well, bins, etc without getting burnmed but it was not there...so then I quickly ran 10 ft from the car. I hit 911, gave them the info and watched as my car started going in flames. Then I figured maybe the extinguisher had fallen further down awhere the jack was.

So I had to debate whether to run more like hell before it all exploded (the flames were getting big) or rush back and save it. I probably stupidly ran back, found the extinguisher where I suspected the 2nd time jammed way down in the jack spot, and at first it didn't want to work. Then finally it went off and I put it out. Some guy gave me a 2nd one just in case about 3 minutes later but it was just smoke then.

I lost my rear bumper, rear side skirt, tailight and center light but it could have been a lot worse, not to mention I was safe. The car had just been repainted and I had the Amemyia kit on, the Volks, etc.

Not sure what happened but my girlfriend picked up on a fuel smell earlier. I first thought my engine just blew.

So I have a car since 1994 with only repiar problems and fender benders until March 2002. Since March 2003:

(1) Engine rebuild. Poured $25k+ into the car.
(2) Hit by someone in rear passenegr side. Their fault
(2) Get Sandwiched between two cars. At least their fault, need to repaint yet again.
(3) 1 week back, I spin out and total the car in the rain. I get $17k and the wrecked c`ar back and start my frankenstein project.
(4) Now this.

This has been a very very bad year. The car was looking so nice too

Oh yeah...my mechanic had just teased me about the extinguisher, and I said with my car you never know...


David

 

I meant March 2002, not 2003. 1.5 years of hell.

 

holy poop dood, well you should be good to go now, in this year alone you got all the bad karma out to last for another 50 years !!! :-)

glad to hear your safe

 

that sucks man..... i feel for you...... hopefully you'll get it back running soon...... i think i'm gonna go buy a fire extinguisher now.......
harrison

 

Sorry about that dude, whats the plan now?

 

dang...thats rough. if i went through all that you did....the fire would have been from me pouring gas on the car out of frustration.

 

Sorry about that glad to see your ok...

That's an interesting place to see a fire start. Where do you think the source of the fire was?

 

Unburnt fuel maybe lit in the exhaust? The car was not yet ready to be tuned so I had it at minimum boost (wouldn't gover 6psi anyway since there must have been a leak). I had my old pOwerFc maps in there which seemed pretty rich (via smelland looking at my Wideband)

I have been driving very carefully for 300 miles/1 week to test for obvious issues like oil leaks, and stuff you need to have a few days back. We were smelling fuel today, and my eyes had been getting irritated the past 2 days but I blamed it on the bright sun we've had here and no sunglasses.

The thing that concerns me is that my engine seemed to quit. I don't want to touch it though. I called insurance, they'll probably drop me for sure now and who knows what the'll say since my car is so modded, and I want to tow it to the guy who transplanted all the parts and get his opinion. I hope it doesn't become a blame game.

As usual my accident is on a Sunday so I just have to be patient. This really sucks. I'd love to post pics and will try to soon, I honestly think my FD was looking the best I've ever seen an FD look live in person. It was flashy in a Viper/NSX/911 way without being ricey. Shiny new paint, brand new 18" wheels, etc. There just popped my ego now.... I get to once again play the waiting game, just when it was 90% there.


David

 

Sorry to hear what happened, but hey, when things hit rock bottom, they can only get better.

 

wasn't there a recall done on some fuel lines in that they crack and spray gas and can cause fire? maybe it completely came off hence the power loss?

 

Dave that just plain hurts

Let me know what the source of the fire was...

In any case you SHOULD get the car back right away

 

Wow! Dude I honestly feel sick to my stomach reading that! Who did the work, Mazsport or Maztech? I hope everything works out for you.

-Alan

 

MAN!! That sucks! Pretty scary ordeal. I don't know if I would have ran back to the car after seeing on fire in the rear.

My thoughts and prayers are with you...a lesser man would have let the car go but you...you the shiznet.

I'm watching football with some friends and we just drank some beer for you and your seven after I told them the hell you have gone through.

 

fuel in the exhaust would make flames, not fires

you just hit the gas and it will put the "fire" out

my car spits all kinds of gas vapors and smoke, it runs rich as hell, but no uncontrolled fires

did you modify your fuel system any? do list...

 

Dave,
Sorry to hear that. Shame I didn't get to meet up with you and Yanni to see the car last weekend

It sounds to me like one of your lines at the tank was leaking and it ignited on the exhaust. Fuel going through the motor and out the exhaust won't cause a fire like you describe. The engine would die from the over-rich condition before that happened.

Please let us know when you get definitive answers.
~John

 

Bummer man, big bummer!

I agree with the others, it is a weird place for a fire to start. I don't think it would be the fuel lines since they are on the opposite side as the exhaust.

I DO see how it would be possible for fire/flames coming out of the exhaust to catch the car on fire, especially if you have an aftermarket rear bumper, etc.

Lucky for you it is a "cheap" section of the car to burn. If you had a fire like that in the engine compartment you could have kissed it goodbye.

 

Damn that sucks! You have had some of the worst luck I have ever heard of with an Fd. At least most of the mishaps were covered under insurance...

Best of luck to you.

~ J

 

David, dude, your car just has some serious bad karma going on. You need to sell this one and get another. I think it has some bad mojo from the sounds of things.
Come to think of it though, this reminds me to get my extinguisher back into mine, thanks.
Oh, BTW, I hope your latest repair bill isn't too bad, at least you're okay.

Regards,
Frank

 

Really sorry to hear about it
I hope things go well for you from now on

 

DAMN Dave, I was hoping to see pics of the car, and to think we were just talking about how you couldn't wait to get her back when you were here. Sorry to hear about it man, glad you and your girl are okay

 

sucks..... you put all this work into it and just to watch it go up on flames

 

Sorry to hear that man. Some people just have no luck. I guess just take one step at a time if you want to repair that. That also might be a sign that a 7 just isn't for you.

 

Hey man, that's a pretty inane comment, especially coming from a newbie here and in light of the situation. I've had a 3rd gen since before you hit puberty (checked your profile) so find a different way to help your post count. :mad : I've had a bad enough last year and a half.

On another note to a different response, this actually *was* partially a different car - the frame/chassis of a different FD I bought when they totalled mine out. We moved the suspension, engine, tranny, gauges, black interior pieces (mostly) etc into the new car and I sold all the extraneous parts. Then it was repainted VR, new wheels and body work.

Hopefully by end of week I'll know the extent of the damage and insurance's position.

David

 

damn

 

Sorry, man .