Urgent fire risk check cerb V8s

[fatjon]

Luckily not far from a bucket of water so no real damage!

Started the car and backed it out of the garage this morning. Running for LESS THAN 4 MINUTES and noticed smoke from under the bonnet, when I lifted it up the inner wing was on fire. The exhaust manifold had rubbed a hole in the shield or maybe it had just fallen apart from the heat but either way the plastic underneath was on fire and I do mean flames and smoke not just a bit hot! Had I not forgotten my glasses and driven off immediately that would have been one less cerb on the road. As it was I was 5 paces from a fire extinguisher and a bucket of water. Reckon it's worth a check all you V8 owners out there. So anyway I'm now off the road until I get time to remove the engine and replace all the heat shield materials completely and I shall be buying an extinguisher which will be in the back of the car knowing how reliable to boot lock is..

This was drivers side and the point where the exhaust manifold is at its closest to the side of the engine bay. You will see some heat shield material and if it's like mine it will have degraded and fallen apart and you are sailing close to disaster. Check it or lose it folks.

[high52kojak]

You were lucky there then, jesus. How is the heat shield mat supposed to be attached to the body/chassis?

[900T-R]

My Chim's heat shield material on the inner wings was a bit iffy in places, closer inspection when replacing the exhaust manifolds learnt that the GRP underneath was affected to the extend that you could hear it crack. Cue an impromptu GRP repair - good thing the man who replaced the manifolds had the proper GRP material for this area at hand. He said that had we left it for much longer, a mould repair would have been needed.

No smoke or fire, though.

Edited by 900T-R on Saturday 25th July 18:07

[Defcon5]

There is something so exciting about driving a car that could burst into flames at any minute

[fatjon]

I think it's riveted on. On closer examiniation it has just degraded at the hottest part and fallen apart, just crap quality in an area where you can't afford crap quality.

[Mad Mark]

Thanks for the heads up!!

[cerdad]

where do you get the material from ,mine look a bit iffy,as regards the extinguisher i found one on the net that you plumb in and works off a toggle to activate it ,lost the site now but thought its worth thinking about again now you have had your mishap ,all i remember was it was about £150.

[fatjon]

not sure where to get the material. Need to do some homework but it will be a few weeks yet as I'm toom busy to start taking the engine out right now. Will make it a winter project as part of a full rebuild.