Hey i just wanted tell my story of my 1981 Subaru Dl wagon. I bought the car off of a guy for $125 put a new clutch in it and drove it. The car lasted me about 2 years and 50000 miles.

So I went out to go get something to eat last night. Came back to the car as normal and got in and tried to start her up. She tried to start and then she backfired and for some reason i have now clue why, she caught on fire. It melted all of the paint off of the hood, destroyed the spare tire and melted EVERTHING near the carb. I just converted the car from the hitachi carb to a solex about 2 months ago. This car was running so good and she is now deceased. The carb has been melted especially the float bowl. Everyone was alright and didnt get hurt. I cannot be mad about the car though, because i bought it for so cheap and it lasted me for over 2 years and 50000miles. Her life ended at 232000 miles and will dissassemble the car and probably get it crushed. I will post some pictures of the car probably tomorrow.

 

Brad

You should fix her. she sounds like she was good to you, so you should be good to her. I got a weber I'm thinking about selling. Could be her new lease on life.

I had the same thing happen with my brat but luckily it happened in my driveway where I could grab the hose in a hurry. scary moment for sure. Melted the paint on the hood a little and fried the wiring and vacuum lines. replaced the hoses and wires and it fired right up. Good luck fixing or replacing

man that sucks. i would be pretty upset if my wagon burned. thats why i carry one of these.

only $19.95. have mounted in a handy spot! also 'cause i have an hour drive to work at 12:00 am and having to sit in the dark out in BFE watching my ride burn to the ground holds no appeal.

thats some suck, i say tat you should fix it and keep her on the road.

Fix a $125 Subaru thats toasted? You guys from the east:rolleyes:

The wiring is probably all a puddle of plastic and copper.

And look where he's from.....the PNW!

He can find another Soob in a couple of days, for around the same price!

I think it should be donated to the East Coast Subaru Foundation. That way instead of another one biting the dust. It can recieve a wiring transplant and live on for another few years in the land of the old school deprived.

who here has seen the results of a REAL car fire?!???

 

 

Re BUILD it?!!! puddle of copper sounds more accurate. There are two kinds of fires in a car:

 

1) the kind that you manage to extinguish REALLY FAST

 

and

 

2) the kind that kills the car.

 

Yank the engine out, fire doesnt hurt a longblock too much.. but I wouldn't trust any engine accessories OR front end steering/suspension systems after a fire bad enough to melt the float bowl in your carb.

 

Sorry to hear about the flameage... but at least YOU are OK. Good luck finding another 'roo; try an SPFI flavored one next time! they're grrrrreat!

Yeah all the electronics are pretty melted the spare tire has been burned and the battery is about 1/4 the way melted. It is kind of weird to look at, i will have some pictures for you guys tomorrow when i get my digital camera. The fire department pried open the hood to the hood is now in a v shaped. I think i am going to invest in a couple of fire extinguishers now. I have always wanted a hatch so if anyone in the pacific northwest is selling a hatch or a brat let me know.

My 89 Gl Turbo hah an engine fire just prior to me getting it. I think the wastegate failed and the Turbo got insanely hot. Ignited the CV boot and all the grease slung all over the Cat by the CV boot. Then burned up the turbo coolant tubes, the Maf and wiring, the the Fuel injectors, The throttlebody and all engine harness and hoses. All the transmission wiring was burned, the whole thing was a mess and the top end(heads)of the motor where toast.

 

Luckily I had all the parts needed on hand to fix it.

My 89 Gl Turbo hah an engine fire just prior to me getting it. I think the wastegate failed and the Turbo got insanely hot. Ignited the CV boot and all the grease slung all over the Cat by the CV boot. Then burned up the turbo coolant tubes, the Maf and wiring, the the Fuel injectors, The throttlebody and all engine harness and hoses. All the transmission wiring was burned, the whole thing was a mess and the top end(heads)of the motor where toast.

 

Luckily I had all the parts needed on hand to fix it.

 

I cant imagine it was a fire that burned incredibly vigorously, though.. axle grease isnt known for its incendiary qualities.

 

I also had a small electrical fire in the engine bay of my Z; its a long story but suffice it to say that my fusible link block shorted, and caught fire. It burnt up to the point where it joined the main wiring harness, and that was the straw that broke the camels back on my Datsun. It has sat in my driveway since that day because "it needed a break for me to do the rear disk swap, and the exhaust, and reseal int injector rail, and front shocks, and maybe springs, and some honest to god sanding and priming... and I just CANT do it when its my DD...." Thats when I got my soob.

 

In any case, small fires are lucky. Thats my kind of luck.. I get to say that when MY car caught fire, it wasn't as bad as this. :-\

axle grease isnt known for its incendiary qualities.

 

 

depends how hot it gets......i've seen a the bearing barrel breather on a 2" waterpump start 'breathing' flames due to the grease inside getting that hot that it was fumeing off

axle grease isnt known for its incendiary qualities.

 

 

depends how hot it gets......i've seen a the bearing barrel breather on a 2" waterpump start 'breathing' flames due to the grease inside getting that hot that it was fumeing off

 

yes but how long does it maintain that flammability once it is removed from the heat source?