Scary night – trial by fire (almost)

[samyer]

I had just replaced the carburetor after having new bushings installed.  Tightened all hoses, etc., everything looked good.  Took my 54 Migi for a spin and my wife says ‘I smell gas’.  So did I.  I pulled over, and the engine quit.  I raised the hood, and the brass fuel inlet tube had came out of the carb body.  I pressed it back in with pump pliers and was on my way again.  I’ll need to secure it somehow.  What was really scary was the gas had been hosing all over the inside of the engine compartment and was steaming on the intake manifold.  I carry a fire extinguisher but I sure am glad I didn’t need to use it. 

[Mark Hendrickson]

That little brass tube is pressed into the pot metal that the carb body is made of. If you try some Marine-Tex epoxy it may stay put.

Also, score the outside of the tune with some pliers or wire cutters. This will also help keep it in place when you use the epoxy. Be sure it’s Marine-Tex (available at decent boat suppy).

Or you could buy a new carb.

Keep that fire bottle ready. I hope everyone that drives these kit cars keeps at least one fresh bottle in the car.

[William J Collins]

I was at a VW show several yrs back and was quite impressed with a nice restored 1965 VW and I was following the car back to New Jersey and going down Rt 23 I noticed that his rear end was on fire .. I beeped at him and pulled up to him and motioned that he was on fire .. By the time he pulled over. He was luckey he and the girl with him got out .. The car was a lost all together .. even his trophy that he won that day burned .. I stayed with them till the fire Dept left and we saw that the fitting was missing from the carb. And that the gas had sprayed and started a fire .. I mentioned this to my VW Mechanic friend in WoodRidge NJ and he said to put a small hose clamp on the hose and attach a wire from the clamp to the closest screw on the carb…nice and taught so that the fittng can’t come loose.. Being it is only pressure fitted in..Sort of insurance .. I have this now on Angelicas Carbs and my Ghia Bill Collins39668.9162268518

[samyer]

I re-fitted the fuel inlet tube with epoxy, and I am going to safety wire everything after thinking about it some more.

Years ago I lost a car (67 Olds Cutlass, brand new) to a fire.  I was driving along and kept hearing a car horn behind but wasn’t paying much attention.  Suddenly, the engine quit and everything on the dash lit up.  I pulled over, and got out and the guy behind me pulled over (he was the one blowing his horn).  The whole underside of my car was on fire! He said he thought he had a fire exinguisher.  I ran across the street to call the fire dept.  By the time I came back out the car was engulfed in flames. It didn’t explode like you see on tv (I know it could have).  I could only stand there and watch.  The hood bent in two from the heat, then the car tried to start itself for a bit, then the horn came on and blew for a while.  Then the fire dept. showed up.  Only thing missing was marshmallows. 

 

samyer39671.3282175926

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