??? FIRE !!!!

[petroscf]

It wouldn't start today...
Turned the key at least 15 times (and kept it form 5 to 30 seconds...)
Something (don't know what but in Greece we say: I probably had a saint on my side) pushed my hand to open the hood...and I saw the flames!!
I opened the hood, and the webcon filter (foam) was burning!!! I searched for the fire extinguisher (AND I DID NOT HAVE ONE !!!!!) well it burned all the foam for some seconds and then it stopped. Thank god nothing more...

Thinking that if I hadn't opened the hood the fire would probably have spread to the sound proofing foam on the back of the hood !!!

Anyone any ideas?
How, and why?

[nas80]

Back fire from Carb??

[Jeroen]

Guess so?!

[petroscf]

I don't know!

What I can tell, is that I sometimes lubricate the moving parts I can see and reach outside the carb (choke cable end, springs etc.) using WD40 spray.
Is this flammable? Because the way I hold the spraying bottle might cause some lubricant fall on/in the air filter area...I am not so sure I should be doing this on my own, or just no touching there and leaving this to the specialists...

Even so however, it's been a long time(before summer) since the last time I did it, and the car was standing in the garage for about one week, and was taken from service (where carb was cleaned and set) about 3 weeks ago.

I really don't know!

Haven't touched anything yet. Hope that, if I clean the burnt foam pieces from the filter plate, I could turn the car on, in order to take it to the mechanic!!

Am I right to guess that I should also first use a vacuum cleanr in order to take all remaining little pieces of burnt foam from the carb choke holes?

[e21-Mark]

NO!! Potentially sucking petrol vapour through an electrical appliance might be termed as being ''risky''! I would just use a stiff brush (or old paint brush to clean from the carb)

Carb's do sometimes backfire (especially if the car has been stood for a while) but with the old metal air filter housing this isn't usually an issue, as the paper element has a limited air supply and being so enclosed is less likely to catch. Foam filters retain a bit more oil and vapour I guess? Personally I would prefer the K&N type that have the metal top and wire mesh element. I would also use 3in1 type oil to lubricate the linkage. WD40 can actually wash out lubricating oil that would usually cling to moving parts and as it dries, leaves the moving part with even less lubrication than it started with. That's why it shouldn't be used on bearings etc.

It's hard to be certain from so far away, but so long as there's no damage to fuel lines etc it should be OK to run, once you clean away and old burnt foam etc. A photo would help.

I hope you get sorted OK.

[petroscf]

Ok, I 'll upload a photo, but it won't be until tomorrow, and tomorrow morning the car goes (? hopefully not towed) to the mechanic...
Good thing is I always have the custom made filter box that was made when I fitted the carb, before ordering the webcon one, so hopefully I should get the car back same day... And then look for a K&N

[e21-Mark]

[Saphire]

leaking petrol + spark (weak electric contact, altenator is nearest, starter, bad ignition cables...)

[petroscf]

Mechanic said that I probably was trying to turn on ignition, having pulled the choke cable and pushing the gas pedal at the same time, which is not far from truth

I admit I find it difficult to learn how to turn on the car with the manual choke (for almost 20 years I have been driving it on the factory automatic solex)

[petroscf]

But he found some petrol leaking as well
So the carb is now going to weber specialist for repair.
Hopefully everything will soon be running better than before.

[costask2]

Geia sou Petro... Tixi stin atixia (hhmmm in english good luck inside the bad luck or something like that)
My dad had a similar fire case on his engine many years ago.. So I recomend also the K&N filter
If I was you, I would let it burn a little bit more to have a reason to my wife to replace the engine to a bigger one hahaha

[petroscf]

Geia sou Petro... Tixi stin atixia (hhmmm in english good luck inside the bad luck or something like that)
My dad had a similar fire case on his engine many years ago.. So I recomend also the K&N filter
If I was you, I would let it burn a little bit more to have a reason to my wife to replace the engine to a bigger one hahaha

Geia sou Kosta!
I did actually!! I let it burn as I couldn't find any extinguisher, but it stopped by itself...

[petroscf]

Everything fine now.

And, indeed, better than before: carb was in need of repair, probably from the start, this fire was probably caused due to carb's petrol leaking.

Mechanic told that now its very good, a lot of small parts were replaced (of which I am not sure about the english terms : jinglers, gaskets, flanges, according to what I was told) and now it should be running fine and way more efficiently.

My experience : I drove the car for about ten kilometres after service, to see how it goes: It drives way smoother than before, at a point that it seems producing less power, however it's the same when pushing the gas pedal. Filled her up afterwards, next to see is fuel economy.

[gerrit323]

Good to hear that it drives fine and there is damage other than the carb

[petroscf]

Pics added in my place in Owners' gallery.
Be welcome to visit.