Date: Sat, 11 May 2013 17:52:38 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Bluestar =?windows-1252?Q?project=85no_start_yet?=
In-Reply-To: <F6F91144-F2EF-4198-9655-2388C2E90D4D@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed
It's not smart to work on gasoline fuel systems without a good fire
extinquisher handy.
it's not smart to own a Vanagon, or drive one , or work on one, without
at least one good fire extinquisher handy.
fwiw ..I have gotten quite a few gasoline car fires put out ..
key is 'right away' ..
like in the first 15 seconds max.
give it a few minutes, and it's too late often.
people don't need to be all freaky and paranoid about fire ..
but they do need to have proper fire handling things very handy.
it's not the initial fire thatis so bad. You can wave your hand in
yellow flames, easily.
but ..if you let it get going very well, it's often bye bye vanagon.
And of course, never open a hood or engine cover with a good fire going
under there ! duh.
shoot through the vents and grills with that extinqusiher.
anytimeyou're welding, or working on fuel systems..
you should know EXACTLY what your plan is if a fire starts.
a lot of people are pretty spaced out of course ....
normal people don't even know if their spare tire has air in it ..
where the jack is ..
and in some cases........can't even figure out how to use the stock jack.
it helps to study safety as a field of study.
The only place I've seen it REALLY worked on is in aviation ..
and they screw up there all the time even with that intention. ! lol.
scott
On 5/11/2013 3:27 PM, Steve Cotsford wrote:
> Warnings are heeded. I do not have a fire extinguisher close by but otherwise I'm not in bad shape. Proper tools are in the plan and I use clear tubing to check for flow. All my work lights are LED and usually worn on the head.
>
> The county fire marshal lives right opposite. Does that count ;-)
>
> Steve
>
> On May 11, 2013, at 6:17 PM, raceingcajun wrote:
>
>> I'm sure I'll get the standard horse laugh, for saying this but I'll except
>> it all the same. I hope there is a fire extinguisher handy with all this: I
>> SEE GAS FLOWING, I HAVE SPARK, I DON'T HAVE SPARK, I DON'T SEE RETURN FLOW,
>> I DON'T HAVE A PRESSURE GAUGE.
>>
>> Please get the proper equipment to test the fuel system. No fire
>> extinguisher is the formula for disaster. Electrical arc's and opened fuel
>> flow is a bad combination.
>>
>> I had a neighbor burn his house to the ground once, changing the mechanical
>> fuel pump on a Fo&d pick up. It was cold and he was working in the attached
>> garage. He was manually testing the new pump with the feed line hooked up,
>> while the exit line was opened and sprayed his drop light with gas. That was
>> all it took, by the time he got wife, kids and dog out of the house, that
>> whole side of it was engulfed.
>>
>> Fuel system diagnosis 101
>>
>> Get proper tools!
>> Get fire extinguisher!
>> Work away from house!
>> Have some one else around!
>>
>> Please note: This gentleman was an experienced independent shop mechanic
>> with 7 years hands on under his belt.
>>
>> If I have rung the bell un-necessarily, please disregard warnings!
>>
>> Howard
>>
>>
>> Subject: Re: Bluestar project…no start yet
>>
>>
>>> If you hot wire the fuel pump on, fuel should gush from the return side
>>> of the pressure regulator if the fuel supply system is working.
>>>> I have run the pump to pressurize the system. I see no fuel on the
>>>> return side of the pressure regulator however. I think this means that
>>>> I am not building enough pressure to cause it to relieve although I can
>>>> feel a vibration on the regulator while the pump is running.
>>>> I don't have a gauge on hand yet.
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