Just a little engine fire

[Natesriv]

While trying to determine if both my Sickspeed horns are working I was doing some under the hood work. The relay for the horns is mounted on the driver's fender. Never had a problem with it. It sparked some yesterday while jostling it around.. Today when I was putting it all back together I tightened down the bolt holding the relay to the fender and that's when the fun started!

If you've seen The Green Mile, where Percy didn't get the sponge wet during the execution of Eduard, and he at first starts to smoke, then POOF he's on fire...yeah it was like that!!

Luckily I keep a fire extinguisher in the garage and that saved my ass!! Was plenty scared for like 15 good seconds though!

There's an inline fuse, did nothing!

Turns out the relay when fully installed made metal to metal contact with the fender and the wire which went to the battery...

So I cut a notch in the fender, painted it and put some foam on the fender to further cushion the relay

No damage, house smells like burnt plastic, but all done...

whew!!!!!!!!!

 

[LS10Sleeper]

I was expecting to see a lot worse of pictures. It's a good thing that you were able to catch it in time.

 

[Natesriv]

yeah...fire extinguisher was right besides me, but I stood around for about 10 seconds going.. "oh oh oh ohohohoho!!!"

Halon fire extinguisher, need to get another! This is a dry chemical one, that's the type which puts out a white powder...thankfully didn't use it on my engine!

 

[Sonic]

Wow. Glad things weren't any worse than that.

 

[Natesriv]

Thanks...

What sucks mostly though is now I need another extinguisher that isn't a dry chemical one (white powder).... halon is expensive!!!!!!

 

[$ub$onic]

Wow, that could have been a lot worse.

Being a firefighter, I have a fire extinguishers in every car plus a couple through out the house.



Your inline fuse should have blown, what size fuse did you use?

 

[Natesriv]

It's a 25 amp fuse, it was cooked... maybe didn't totally break the contact... I mean the wire was glowing red...then LOTS of white smoke then fire....

do they make an alternative to dry chemical???

 

[Natesriv]

I've 3 other's as well, I ain't burning down my house!!