Engine on Fire Tonight, Please Help?

NOTYSC

Registered User
Found out the hard way not to overfill the brake fluid resevoir, I was pumping the brake with the engine off(just after a quick ride), to build up the abs pressure in the line, as I had disconnected the battery- and had read that 20 or so pumps on the brake would firm up the braking system. However, being that the resevoir was overfilled or something, the engine started smokin, got out of the car, Its on fire! Just beneath the resevoir, a small flamin fire had begun-----luckly my roommates highly modified Jeep had an extinguisher on it and was parked next to me. Fire is out-----but here's the question why the fire? was it brake fluid on the headers? I just picked it up from the shop today ( got an art carr shift kit, magnecor wires, underdrive pulleys, SC pulley, and 190lph fuel pump installed), could it be anything related to the installs? I did see brake fluid ozzin out of the cap and rollin off the brake fluid resevoir. Anyway I am a newbie to the forum and any pointers would be great, Thanks, Dan

'90 Black SC
Removed air silencer, K&N Cold Air Induction, 76mm C&L MAF, 76mm Chrome inlet tube, 75mm BBK throttle body, Port matched inlet plenum, 10% Supercharger Underdrive pulley, SCP 3-piece Underdrive Accessory pulley set, SCP 3 Steel Idler Pulleys Goodyear Gatorback Belts, Magnecor 8.5mm Competition Plug Wires Motorcraft / Autolite Double platinum plugs
190 lph fuel pump, 180 Degree Thermostat, Flowmaster Force II 2 ½ Cat-back exhaust (no resonator), Art Carr Hi-Tech Valve Body Shift Improver Kit
 
It could be brake fluid on the headers, brake fluid will burn but it would have to get very hot first. As far as "firming up" the brakes, pumping them with the Key OFF will not firm them up. This is the method used to depressurize the system. So, pumping with Key OFF would have the opposite effect. If the brakes feel spongy, that is more likely due to air or moisture in the system. Bets bet is to bleed the system.
 
ya thats weird....never heard of that happening....maybe a short in a wiring harness or something.
 
Engine on Fire

The same type of fire happened to me. Brake fluid dripped onto hot exhaust and started burning. I to had overfilled the brake res.
glad to hear that you got it out fast.
 
When my ABS unit took a dump, the fluid poured on the manifold and started a small fire. Just remember to fill it only to the line and you'll be fine.
 
I must have been lucky

When I changed my accumulator I got fluid all over. When I started the car and it got warm I had a lot of smoke, but no fire. I guess the SC gods were watching over me that day.
 
Thanks

Thanks for all the feedback, I cleaned up the dry chem mess, got the proper fluid level, and just took it out. All went well and I experience 14psi for the first time, ,, very nice. Thanks again!
 
thats weird, just today i was wandering around the local walmart, and found some little fire extinguishers for like seven bucks. Thinking to myself they would be good to have mounted in the trunk of the car.

Justin
 
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