Fire safety

[jbcollier]

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:

[BDA]

How sad...

[Bainford]

Oh man, that seriously sucks. Looks like it was a nice car, too. Condolences to the owner.

[TurboFource]

 

[Footer]

Sad sight indeed.  Hope the owner/driver is okay.

[literarymadness]

Looks like it's a 1969 Fed-spec Type 54 S2. Are there any fire issues unique to the S1 or S2?

[jbcollier]

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.

[Richard48Y]

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.

[GavinT]

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!

[BDA]

Thanks for the tip, Gavin! I was considering them for my car! I'll just keep my K&N filters.

[GavinT]

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.