Beware on Fill Up !!
Beware on Fill Up !!
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Discussion

over_the_hill

Original Poster:

3,334 posts

276 months

Tuesday 27th June 2006
quotequote all
Was filling up yesterday and got a splash back.
Fuel ran from the filler cap down the side of the
boot seal, down the back of the car and poured
off mm away from a nice hot exhaust pipe !!

Panic and quickly look around for water
- none to be had - to wash down and dilute
the petrol. Fortunately nothing came of it
but momentarilly had visions of a melting Chim.

jasandjules

72,607 posts

259 months

Tuesday 27th June 2006
quotequote all
Yep, it flows the same way the rainwater/hosed water heads down the rear of the car...

Always keep an eye on it !

anonymous-user

84 months

Tuesday 27th June 2006
quotequote all
Shouldn't be too dangerous though. I think you would need a spark to light it rather than a hot exhaust.

I had an Opel Manta and the fuel lines perished and leaked onto the exhaust manifold.

Although this was leaded (so only slightly less flammable than unleaded), it just sizzled away.

It happened quite a lot to Manta's, never heard any stories of them going up in flames though.

Bob the Planner

4,695 posts

299 months

Tuesday 27th June 2006
quotequote all
If you are worried put a bit of the paper towel in the guttter to catch any spillage.

razorman

440 posts

260 months

Tuesday 27th June 2006
quotequote all
I mentioned this before and got the same sort of replies.

However, did it again the other day, which was even worse because the automatic cut off on the pump for when the tank is full wasn't working and I wasn't paying attention.
The thought of going up in flames was only marginally more worrying than the thought of that expensive optimax going to ground.

slikk

2,135 posts

273 months

Tuesday 27th June 2006
quotequote all
I always wrap a paper towel around the filler to catch the odd splash. In reality, i dont think that the tailpipe would ever get hot enough to ignite the petrol.

kim

GreenV8S

31,021 posts

314 months

Tuesday 27th June 2006
quotequote all
Petrol is actually very hard to light, because the boiling point is below the flash point (it evaporates before it gets hot enough to spontaneously light). Oil and brake fluid are much more dangerous because they'll catch fire on a hot exhaust.

2 sMoKiN bArReLs

32,031 posts

265 months

Wednesday 28th June 2006
quotequote all
...it doesn't arf make you chuckle though when the petrol sizzles on the hot tail pipes...it's happened to me umpteen times..

Bomber Denton

8,762 posts

298 months

Wednesday 28th June 2006
quotequote all
Petrol won't flash that easily, it's the vapour your need to be aware of.

2 sMoKiN bArReLs

32,031 posts

265 months

Wednesday 28th June 2006
quotequote all
Bomber Denton said:
Petrol won't flash that easily, it's vixpy you need to be aware of.