Lotus Europa Community

Lotus Europa Forums => Garage => Topic started by: jbcollier on Saturday,January 09, 2021, 06:38:12 PM

Title: Fire safety
Post by: jbcollier on Saturday,January 09, 2021, 06:38:12 PM
Please, please check your fuel lines and change them regularly.  Today's fuels are harder on them.  Make sure your "T" fitting in your twin cam is still not plastic.  Once a Europa starts burning, even the pros struggle to stop it:

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Lotus-Europa/i-2LnK397/0/ee68edb7/O/large._MG_4836.jpg.93bae46a93548a1888afe31eb4ecc8e1.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Lotus-Europa/i-86NRLX4/0/7a4d5918/O/large._MG_4858.jpg.3a45e0b35796ce2712bf00c306c21c1b.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Lotus-Europa/i-XKwVVwh/0/90d2139c/O/large.autobrandestersveld.jpg.a94b7152b92d97a02228e8f9957f61d7.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Lotus-Europa/i-GtCrvtd/0/8ad04093/O/large._MG_4829.jpg.1ddf659364200687f4f976fcb0075aa6.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Lotus-Europa/i-R6zjtP6/0/9a57cf1c/O/large._MG_4851.jpg.dc9860c64b69f7f6a5539c751c3a0d47.jpg)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/Lotus-Europa/i-zzqXLRV/0/5908055d/O/large._MG_4872.jpg.bca3e21ae4a47bfb48977859ad1bf917.jpg)
Title: Re: Fire safety
Post by: BDA on Saturday,January 09, 2021, 06:45:20 PM
How sad...
Title: Re: Fire safety
Post by: Bainford on Saturday,January 09, 2021, 08:59:20 PM
Oh man, that seriously sucks. Looks like it was a nice car, too. Condolences to the owner.
Title: Re: Fire safety
Post by: TurboFource on Sunday,January 10, 2021, 04:28:07 AM
 :(
Title: Re: Fire safety
Post by: Footer on Sunday,January 10, 2021, 04:07:04 PM
Sad sight indeed.  Hope the owner/driver is okay.
Title: Re: Fire safety
Post by: literarymadness on Monday,January 11, 2021, 01:30:02 PM
Looks like it's a 1969 Fed-spec Type 54 S2. Are there any fire issues unique to the S1 or S2?
Title: Re: Fire safety
Post by: jbcollier on Monday,January 11, 2021, 03:54:32 PM
Just the usual fuel leak onto the exhaust.  All older carbs and fuel pumps are susceptible to the press-in, brass, fuel fittings pulling out of the alloy castings.  We used to pull them out and refit them with loc-tite.  The fittings on my Dells are lock-wired.
Title: Re: Fire safety
Post by: Richard48Y on Monday,January 11, 2021, 05:18:36 PM
Just the usual fuel leak onto the exhaust.  All older carbs and fuel pumps are susceptible to the press-in, brass, fuel fittings pulling out of the alloy castings.  We used to pull them out and refit them with loc-tite.  The fittings on my Dells are lock-wired.

Another good excuse for the TS head conversion!
Not that it guarantees anything.
Title: Re: Fire safety
Post by: GavinT on Tuesday,January 12, 2021, 07:56:49 AM
Looks like it's a 1969 Fed-spec Type 54 S2. Are there any fire issues unique to the S1 or S2?
Probably not unique to S1/S2 but - foam sock air cleaners on DCOE's.

Happened to a mate of mine. He'd just filled it up at the servo, started the car; it backfired through a carb and a flame licked and caught one of the socks.
Luckily he noticed it and put it out without anything but the obvious BBQ'd sock.

Use an air box!
Title: Re: Fire safety
Post by: BDA on Tuesday,January 12, 2021, 08:46:39 AM
Thanks for the tip, Gavin! I was considering them for my car! I'll just keep my K&N filters.
Title: Re: Fire safety
Post by: GavinT on Tuesday,January 12, 2021, 09:54:00 PM
Yeah, BDA, I reckon keep the  K&N's.

I used Warnerford paper filters which were fine and I revelled in the DCOE music.

My initial trip included running in the engine on a 1,200 mile stint to Melbourne, Oz which saw the music become a deafening drone. At the time, the Europa was my daily driver and the rain coming through the vents was also damaging the paper part of the filters.

I eventually fabricated an air box which quietened down the intake roar substantially and went some way to addressing the water damage.
I suspect the Warnerford and the K&N are OK . . and by that, I mean I've not seen fire related reports.

I just think that with a plastic car, an abundance of caution is a good idea. I reckon an air box & trunking has a better chance of containing a foot of flame. We've all seen them spitting, popping, chuffing and carrying on when no filters are attached.