Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Do not look if you're of a nervous disposition!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50FdTV6H_No

That's horrific... Video was posted by a Todd Girgulis... appears to be somewhere in North America...

Massachusetts plates?

Been there, had that happen, no T shirt though.

But there will be a Pheonix coming out of the ashes, won't there?

gherlt wrote:But there will be a Pheonix coming out of the ashes, won't there?

Being a Lotus it would have to be an Eonix.

A good reminder to inspect your fuel lines and cover exposed positive terminals.

My engine fire 4 years ago could have ended like this. It was a hot day and I did a club rally with my daughter. Suddenly there was a ‚bang‘ followed by flames leaking from the bonnet. We stopped immediately, I pulled my 1l extinguisher, opened the bonnet a tad and killed the fire. After 20 sec. the flames were back, no more extinguisher, just a little water. The flames were back, but now nobody had an extinguisher or even a bottle of water. Finally I was able to stop the fire with some textile cloth and burnt my hands doing so. I was very lucky, but it still meant new paint, electrics and most of the rubber parts on the engine side. I still don‘t know what‘s started the fire, but most likely a leaking or fractured fuel line close to the fuel pump. What I learned from this: No fire extinguisher is to big to carry in the car. Learn how to use an extinguisher, because you don‘t and panic doesn‘t help. Fiberglass plus oil crud, once they have a certain temperature, will continue to burn.

My biggest nightmare. I check my carb fuel lines regularly, but am always worried that the Webers often have a bit of fuel residue under the misab washers after a run. I have been told this residue is normal, and to expect a bit of 'fuel varnish' to accumulate under the flexible washers. Maybe time to get two fire extinguishers, one under the seat and another in the trunk!

Also check your clutch hose to the slave cylinder, if that fails and sprays brake fluid on the exhaust you can also get an engine fire as happened on my Plus2.

Luckily it happened on the track and the fire marshals' got to the car in about 30 seconds and put it out after I had emptied my in car 1.5kg extinguisher to little effect . The quick action by the marshals meant damage was limited luckily to plastic and rubber in the engine bay and paint scorching of the hood.

cheers
Rohan

I had just acquired rigid stainless steel fuel line. My plan, when the body comes off, or just feed the lines. Is to make some flare fittings which will hopefully stop this.
As Rohan points out, the clutch line. One of my cars has a newer braided stainless and as have been the comments before. Impossible to inspect.
My +2 on the other hand has rigid clutch line, flared fittings. And I am not as worried.

h20hamelan wrote:I had just acquired rigid stainless steel fuel line. My plan, when the body comes off, or just feed the lines. Is to make some flare fittings which will hopefully stop this.
As Rohan points out, the clutch line. One of my cars has a newer braided stainless and as have been the comments before. Impossible to inspect.
My +2 on the other hand has rigid clutch line, flared fittings. And I am not as worried.

My Plus 2 had the rigid line from the slave to the bell housing and then flexible rubber brake line from the bell housing to the chassis and rigid line to the master cylinder. It was the flexible line from the bell housing to chassis that failed at the bell housing end spraying onto the exhaust.

cheers
Rohan

Is silicone fluid safer in that respect, or is it just as flammable?

rgh0 wrote:Also check your clutch hose to the slave cylinder, if that fails and sprays brake fluid on the exhaust you can also get an engine fire as happened on my Plus2.

Luckily it happened on the track and the fire marshals' got to the car in about 30 seconds and put it out after I had emptied my in car 1.5kg extinguisher to little effect . The quick action by the marshals meant damage was limited luckily to plastic and rubber in the engine bay and paint scorching of the hood.

cheers
Rohan

Slight thread drift, but I did read that many modern post-crash vehicle fires are caused by the brake fluid reservoir breaking free in the crash, depositing fluid over the exhaust. Very similar to Rohan's situation.

Modern electronics cuts the fuel pump in a crash, and unlike the Webers with their float chambers, there is no appreciable fuel in the injection system in the engine bay.

Another good advertisement for an EFI conversion