FIRE!!! - So, what have you had left under your bonnet?!
Discussion
Driving home today feeling rather chuffed with myself after getting a 12 month MOT for my Freelander with minimal pain, I was rather shocked to see smoke pouring from the bonnet and into the car through the air-vents.
I made sure I cleared the junction then pulled into the driveway of an industrial estate as me and the 6 year old bailed out quicker than your average police camera action joyriders. To be honest my main concern was getting him out safely before it went up in flames!
Once we were clear I rather tentatively if foolishly raised the bonnet, expecting to have my head burnt off in the ensuing explosion! Imagine my surprise to see the melted remains of a screwdriver stuck to the manifold!!!
So has this ever happened to you?
I made sure I cleared the junction then pulled into the driveway of an industrial estate as me and the 6 year old bailed out quicker than your average police camera action joyriders. To be honest my main concern was getting him out safely before it went up in flames!
Once we were clear I rather tentatively if foolishly raised the bonnet, expecting to have my head burnt off in the ensuing explosion! Imagine my surprise to see the melted remains of a screwdriver stuck to the manifold!!!
So has this ever happened to you?
Yeah, when I was about 6yrs old, remember going with my dad to pick up his Volvo 740 (Don't ask) from a garage, smelled like burning on the way back, and then had a few wide eyed people pointing at the car so we pulled over.
Jumped out and there were decent sized flames in the middle of the car underneath and a lot of smoke pouring out. I became a little bit agitated as my only experience of cars + fire was from TV, so that meant an imminent explosion, and my f
king dad was lying on his back rummaging around underneath.
He eventually managed to dislodge the remains of an oily mechanics rag which had been draped over the exhaust. From memory, he phoned up the garage and lost his rag with them fnarr, fnarr
Jumped out and there were decent sized flames in the middle of the car underneath and a lot of smoke pouring out. I became a little bit agitated as my only experience of cars + fire was from TV, so that meant an imminent explosion, and my f
king dad was lying on his back rummaging around underneath.He eventually managed to dislodge the remains of an oily mechanics rag which had been draped over the exhaust. From memory, he phoned up the garage and lost his rag with them fnarr, fnarr
Diving to the Belgan GP many years ago in my old XJS, the evening before i had done the usual checks under the lid and topped up the oil in readiness for teh trip.
Belting down the M2 clouds of smoke start pooring out from under the bonnet, so pull into a very conveniently located service station and jump out armed with the fire extinguisher in a Red Addair style
Crack the bonnet and take a peek, no flames so lift the lid ....
wazzock that i am, i had forgotten to put the oil cap back on - there it was still sitting on the rocker cover, the smoke was from the several litres of oil that had splashed out and onto the hot engine.
muppet.
Belting down the M2 clouds of smoke start pooring out from under the bonnet, so pull into a very conveniently located service station and jump out armed with the fire extinguisher in a Red Addair style
Crack the bonnet and take a peek, no flames so lift the lid ....
wazzock that i am, i had forgotten to put the oil cap back on - there it was still sitting on the rocker cover, the smoke was from the several litres of oil that had splashed out and onto the hot engine.
muppet.How is it that oil caps that aren't replaced never fall off and disappear en route? One of the mysteries of the universe I guess...
Not fire as such, but remember having a barbecue with a few mates, I leant on the bonnet of the 'red rocket' aka my mates ropey old Escort Van and instantaneously thick, white acrid dmoke started billowing out of the wheel arches and gaps in the bonnet. I leapt of the bonnet like a scalded cat and my mate had never moved so fast. Turned out the battery had touched the underside of the bonnet and melted all the wires straight away.
Not fire as such, but remember having a barbecue with a few mates, I leant on the bonnet of the 'red rocket' aka my mates ropey old Escort Van and instantaneously thick, white acrid dmoke started billowing out of the wheel arches and gaps in the bonnet. I leapt of the bonnet like a scalded cat and my mate had never moved so fast. Turned out the battery had touched the underside of the bonnet and melted all the wires straight away.
but the dipstick had just popped out and sprayed oil everywhere.Rubin215 said:
I'm stunned that in each case so far, no one has mentioned calling the fire service...
"Gosh! Smoke and flames! Think I'll just have a look and see what it is..."
Would you do the same if your smoke detectors went off at 3am and you thought your living room was on fire?
So you're saying if your smoke alarms go off you just run out of the house and phone the fire brigade? I would look to see what has set it off and if the house is on fire I will then leave so I think I would look to see what was causing smoking in the car before calling the fire brigade."Gosh! Smoke and flames! Think I'll just have a look and see what it is..."
Would you do the same if your smoke detectors went off at 3am and you thought your living room was on fire?
XJSJohn said:
Diving to the Belgan GP many years ago in my old XJS, the evening before i had done the usual checks under the lid and topped up the oil in readiness for teh trip.
Belting down the M2 clouds of smoke start pooring out from under the bonnet, so pull into a very conveniently located service station and jump out armed with the fire extinguisher in a Red Addair style
Crack the bonnet and take a peek, no flames so lift the lid ....
wazzock that i am, i had forgotten to put the oil cap back on - there it was still sitting on the rocker cover, the smoke was from the several litres of oil that had splashed out and onto the hot engine.
muppet.
.....yup....you only do that once....I know.....Belting down the M2 clouds of smoke start pooring out from under the bonnet, so pull into a very conveniently located service station and jump out armed with the fire extinguisher in a Red Addair style
Crack the bonnet and take a peek, no flames so lift the lid ....
wazzock that i am, i had forgotten to put the oil cap back on - there it was still sitting on the rocker cover, the smoke was from the several litres of oil that had splashed out and onto the hot engine.
muppet.
eybic said:
Rubin215 said:
I'm stunned that in each case so far, no one has mentioned calling the fire service...
"Gosh! Smoke and flames! Think I'll just have a look and see what it is..."
Would you do the same if your smoke detectors went off at 3am and you thought your living room was on fire?
So you're saying if your smoke alarms go off you just run out of the house and phone the fire brigade? I would look to see what has set it off and if the house is on fire I will then leave so I think I would look to see what was causing smoking in the car before calling the fire brigade."Gosh! Smoke and flames! Think I'll just have a look and see what it is..."
Would you do the same if your smoke detectors went off at 3am and you thought your living room was on fire?
If a fire has started behind a closed door there is a risk that it will have used up most of the oxygen in the room, leaving a potentially explosive atmosphere inside.
You open the door to have a look, fresh air rushes in, BANG!
You're roasted, your family upstairs are now trapped by the fire, and still no one has called for the fire service.
It's called a backdraught (like the Hollywood film of the American spelling).
Google it.
Best advice;
Get everyone out of the house,
Call the fire service,
STAY OUT until they tell you it is safe.
The fire service would rather come out to a false alarm, than carry you out in a body bag.
Rubin215 said:
eybic said:
Rubin215 said:
I'm stunned that in each case so far, no one has mentioned calling the fire service...
"Gosh! Smoke and flames! Think I'll just have a look and see what it is..."
Would you do the same if your smoke detectors went off at 3am and you thought your living room was on fire?
So you're saying if your smoke alarms go off you just run out of the house and phone the fire brigade? I would look to see what has set it off and if the house is on fire I will then leave so I think I would look to see what was causing smoking in the car before calling the fire brigade."Gosh! Smoke and flames! Think I'll just have a look and see what it is..."
Would you do the same if your smoke detectors went off at 3am and you thought your living room was on fire?
If a fire has started behind a closed door there is a risk that it will have used up most of the oxygen in the room, leaving a potentially explosive atmosphere inside.
You open the door to have a look, fresh air rushes in, BANG!
You're roasted, your family upstairs are now trapped by the fire, and still no one has called for the fire service.
It's called a backdraught (like the Hollywood film of the American spelling).
Google it.
Best advice;
Get everyone out of the house,
Call the fire service,
STAY OUT until they tell you it is safe.
The fire service would rather come out to a false alarm, than carry you out in a body bag.
I'm aware of what a back draught is and how it occurs, however i'm also pretty sure I can tell this difference between the missus burning some toast and a raging inferno behind a door.
Rubin215 said:
I'm stunned that in each case so far, no one has mentioned calling the fire service...
"Gosh! Smoke and flames! Think I'll just have a look and see what it is..."
Because we are Ph'ers and we are don't get all scared and girly as a default reaction."Gosh! Smoke and flames! Think I'll just have a look and see what it is..."
If I saw smoke coming from my bonnet area I would lift the lid (slowly) and have a look, then If it was a real fire not a screwdriver/rag/oilcap faux fire I would phone the relevant emergency reponse persons.
ETA: Or piss on it, yeah, that's what I would do, Piss on it.
Edited by Getragdogleg on Saturday 25th September 09:51
PhillipM said:
Dan_1981 said:
Are you seriosuly advocating fleeing your house and phoning the fire brigade everytime your smoke alarm goes off?
Yeah, that'd be a bit iffy, SWMBO uses it as the dinner timer.As for the house analogy, its not the same is it ?
One is smoke pouring from underbonnet and the other is a peeping alarm, obviously if I woke to a peeping alarm and could smell smoke I feel it might be a good indication something might have combusted and like in the film mentioned earlier I would be suggesting "Lets get out of here" as the best option, if I am woken by peeping only then it warrants further investigation, which I (as the man of my house) would carry out by having a good look.
I know that society seems to frown upon inititive and free thought prefering to look towards the "what if" herd mentality of relying on experts to tell you something is safe but I am quite capable of making my own mind up about situations and danger thank you very much.
One is smoke pouring from underbonnet and the other is a peeping alarm, obviously if I woke to a peeping alarm and could smell smoke I feel it might be a good indication something might have combusted and like in the film mentioned earlier I would be suggesting "Lets get out of here" as the best option, if I am woken by peeping only then it warrants further investigation, which I (as the man of my house) would carry out by having a good look.
I know that society seems to frown upon inititive and free thought prefering to look towards the "what if" herd mentality of relying on experts to tell you something is safe but I am quite capable of making my own mind up about situations and danger thank you very much.
thats a good one!.Years ago I fitted a mickey mouse rocker gasket to my Renault on a Sunday.
On Monday morning I was driving to work, and after a motorway stint pulled up at a roundabout whereupon plumes of smoke came bellowing from under by engine.
Turns out the gasket had split and was pouring oil onto the exhaust manifold. Only about half a litre it turned out but enough to make the most almighty cloud of smoke.
Genuine part fitted at lunchtime, sorted.
On Monday morning I was driving to work, and after a motorway stint pulled up at a roundabout whereupon plumes of smoke came bellowing from under by engine.
Turns out the gasket had split and was pouring oil onto the exhaust manifold. Only about half a litre it turned out but enough to make the most almighty cloud of smoke.
Genuine part fitted at lunchtime, sorted.
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