Fixing Vacuum Problem Causes Fire!

[itsrickfromfl]

The EGR and some other things on my '86 were not getting vacuum. The plastic "manifold" that distributes the vacuum was broken and I couldn't find an original replacement, so yesterday, my brother and I replaced it with some t's, connectors and vacuum lines. We started the truck to test our work. The fuel pressure regulator kicked in, and an electrical fitting on the front fuel pump blew out! Gas was leaking, the seperated hot lead grounded and threw a spark, and ignited the gas!

 

Lucky for me, we were able to extinguish the flames before any serious damage occurred. But my heart was about to jump out of my chest!

 

The pump was purchased aftermarket, and was less than three months old. I was 80 miles from home, but the chain store had a location in the town I was visiting. We called my local store, verified the warranty information, and they replaced it with a new one that had many noticable improvements where the wiring hooks to it (I have to believe mine wasn't the first instance of a terminal blowing out on this pump).

 

This was a new one on me. Thank God I wasn't on the road when it happened, my dream truck might have gone up in smoke, with me in it!

 

I'm gonna get a fire extinguisher and keep it inside the truck!

 

 

[Justshootme84]

A fire extinguisher is alot better than pouring a can of Coke on the fire. Saw that on a trail ride. Good thing you caught the "blaze' in time, and got the Bronco running, JSM84

 

[Roadkill]

That is exactly why so many OHV parks and clubs require a fire extinguisher to be "within reach of the driver" in order to participate in their events. $30-$40 for a fire extinguisher is pretty cheap insurance against such a thing, and one **** of a lot cheaper than a totaled rig. Glad you were able to save your truck.

 

[Yardape]

This is a good time to tell a little story I have about car fires. I learnt a valuable lesson that day. I was riding in a buddies Camaro quite a few years ago, back in the drag race days. This thing was fucken fast. Anyways it caught on fire on day we were rat racing through town, without hesitation he cut his upper rad hose close to the thermostat housing and with his hand wrapped in a Tee-Shirt he held the hose and aimed it at the flames. Went out like nothing, thats so simple of a solution and its something that I had never thought of. I was like what the **** are you doing... We are going to be stranded... Ummm wait a minute, we would be stranded with a burnt car otherwise duh!!! I wish I would have thought of that when my '73 Comet burnt. Hope this story saves someone Bronco out on the trail some day

 

[itsrickfromfl]

This is a good time to tell a little story I have about car fires. I learnt a valuable lesson that day. I was riding in a buddies Camaro quite a few years ago, back in the drag race days. This thing was fucken fast. Anyways it caught on fire on day we were rat racing through town, without hesitation he cut his upper rad hose close to the thermostat housing and with his hand wrapped in a Tee-Shirt he held the hose and aimed it at the flames. Went out like nothing, thats so simple of a solution and its something that I had never thought of. I was like what the **** are you doing... We are going to be stranded... Ummm wait a minute, we would be stranded with a burnt car otherwise duh!!! I wish I would have thought of that when my '73 Comet burnt. Hope this story saves someone Bronco out on the trail some day

Your story reminded me of another vehicle fire I had many years ago. Basically the same thing. It was a Ford Econoline van, and it caught on fire under the hood during morning rush hour in Orlando. A weak radiator hose ruptured and sprayed out the fire. My brother was off that day, and replaced the damaged wiring right there on I-4! I drove it home that afternoon. I've been lucky twice, and I am not tempting fate again! There's a new fire extinguisher on board now.

 

[Justshootme84]

That's a wonderful tip - cut the radiator hose and douse the fire. Gotta be a brave dude to do that with a hot motor and a raging fire!!! I had an incident last Fall, while welding on the SAS on my 84 Bronco. Sparks from the welding ignited the dry grass under the Bronco, where the flames quickly got out of control. I used some cardboard on my lap for chaps, and flapped the fire out with that. By the time my Dad got the water hose turned on and up to the Bronco, I had the fire out. Learned my lesson: Prepare for ANY emergency BEFORE it happens!!!

 

[firelt90bronco]

I was torching the old cat off my bronco last weekend when a spark hit the transmission crossmember that had some oil on it and it went up until i smacked it out with my glove.

 

[RBuffordTJ]

Your story reminded me of another vehicle fire I had many years ago. Basically the same thing. It was a Ford Econoline van, and it caught on fire under the hood during morning rush hour in Orlando. A weak radiator hose ruptured and sprayed out the fire. My brother was off that day, and replaced the damaged wiring right there on I-4! I drove it home that afternoon. I've been lucky twice, and I am not tempting fate again! There's a new fire extinguisher on board now.

Ah yes, Orlando rush hour on I-4....I live it every day. Well, not too bad as I live downtown near Lake Eola and work downtown too but my job makes me drive a good bit. You still in the area man?

Rick in Downtown Orlando

 

[itsrickfromfl]

Ah yes, Orlando rush hour on I-4....I live it every day. Well, not too bad as I live downtown near Lake Eola and work downtown too but my job makes me drive a good bit. You still in the area man?
Rick in Downtown Orlando

I moved from the Orlando area to Ocala 13 years ago, so I miss the I-4 "fun". The fire I had was just before the Princeton exit westbound. Lucky for me, I worked on Ivanhoe, so it was a short walk <grins>

 

While I am thinking of it, do you know of any Bronco clubs in Central Florida?

 

[89Bronco58]

my wusetion is, what is a fuel pump doing under the hood?

 

[RBuffordTJ]

I moved from the Orlando area to Ocala 13 years ago, so I miss the I-4 "fun". The fire I had was just before the Princeton exit westbound. Lucky for me, I worked on Ivanhoe, so it was a short walk <grins>  

While I am thinking of it, do you know of any Bronco clubs in Central Florida?

I work at the corner of Central and Garland, my window looks down on I-4 from 10 floors up.

I wish I did know of some clubs around the area but the only thing I have stumbled on was some Jeep clubs. Do you know of any good trail runs up your way, I would like to take the top off and take the family for some trail rides up in the forest area but I have not hung out there since the early 1990's when I was hunting up in Hopkins Prairie.

Rick