Can an overheating engine REALLY cause a fire?
- Thread starter Avery4
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Not really slippery slope. More of a potential scenario.
Slippery slope is of the form if we allow X, then pretty soon, people will want Y.
This is not about allowing some behavior. It's about potential consequences if an event happens.
I suppose someone could CHOOSE to overheat their engine. If they do, one of many possible outcomes is a fire.
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Originally Posted By: geeman789
Overheating engine seizes, rod breaks and punches hole in block, oil leaks onto exhaust and catches fire...fire burns fuel hose... car burns to ground.
Slippery slope argument.
Slippery slope is of the form if we allow X, then pretty soon, people will want Y.
This is not about allowing some behavior. It's about potential consequences if an event happens.
I suppose someone could CHOOSE to overheat their engine. If they do, one of many possible outcomes is a fire.
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Originally Posted By: geeman789
Overheating engine seizes, rod breaks and punches hole in block, oil leaks onto exhaust and catches fire...fire burns fuel hose... car burns to ground.
Slippery slope argument.
Originally Posted By: Donald
Originally Posted By: Warstud
Oil leaks can cause a fire.
I have read more engine fires are because of oil than gas.
Yes, gas must be a vapor and have a spark to catch fire. I believe oil can catch fire at its flash point. Get enough oil on an exhaust manifold above the flash point and you could get a fire going.
Originally Posted By: Warstud
Oil leaks can cause a fire.
I have read more engine fires are because of oil than gas.
Yes, gas must be a vapor and have a spark to catch fire. I believe oil can catch fire at its flash point. Get enough oil on an exhaust manifold above the flash point and you could get a fire going.
I would think that you would likely ruin the engine before a fire started. It probably also improves safety to not have a hood on my car(I do not have a hood, funny story about that) because you get more airflow over engine and traps less heat. Correct me if I am wrong.
I would think it would be more likely to get a fire in that case - more airflow (oxygen) available to the fire.
And removing the hood put an end to my dangerous overheating issue. I was on a road trip and it got hot. I removed the hood and hid it behind bushes planning to get later after I got luggage out of car. No room in it. It was not there when I got back. Must have been stolen. I do not care about the way the car looks enough to pay $150 for a junkyard hood.
Originally Posted By: Avery4
I would think that you would likely ruin the engine before a fire started. It probably also improves safety to not have a hood on my car(I do not have a hood, funny story about that) because you get more airflow over engine and traps less heat. Correct me if I am wrong.
You're wrong. Or at least potentially wrong.
The vast majority of cooling for a water-cooled engine is through the radiator, which depends on air flowing through the radiator- almost no heat is shed to the air directly surrounding the engine itself. With the hood on, ram air comes in the front of the radiator and exits to the low-pressure area under the car. Cars form a high-pressure aerodynamically at the base of the windshield, which is why "cowl induction" scoops are so effective. Removing the hood can actually make it run hotter, because that high pressure region exposed to the BACK side of the radiator, counteracting the ram air pressure in front of it and making you dependent on the fan to move all the air to keep the radiator cool. When the hood is in place, the back side of the radiator is kept at lower pressure, increasing flow through the radiator and helping the fan, cooling the engine better.
I would think that you would likely ruin the engine before a fire started. It probably also improves safety to not have a hood on my car(I do not have a hood, funny story about that) because you get more airflow over engine and traps less heat. Correct me if I am wrong.
You're wrong. Or at least potentially wrong.
The vast majority of cooling for a water-cooled engine is through the radiator, which depends on air flowing through the radiator- almost no heat is shed to the air directly surrounding the engine itself. With the hood on, ram air comes in the front of the radiator and exits to the low-pressure area under the car. Cars form a high-pressure aerodynamically at the base of the windshield, which is why "cowl induction" scoops are so effective. Removing the hood can actually make it run hotter, because that high pressure region exposed to the BACK side of the radiator, counteracting the ram air pressure in front of it and making you dependent on the fan to move all the air to keep the radiator cool. When the hood is in place, the back side of the radiator is kept at lower pressure, increasing flow through the radiator and helping the fan, cooling the engine better.
Originally Posted By: Avery4
Can an overheated engine really cause a fire like I heard? I always wondered. The only thing I could think of is if it melts wiring or a fuel line. Could someone please help?
No. How is melted wiring going to cause a fire? How is a fuel line going to melt?
Worry warts abound here.
Can an overheated engine really cause a fire like I heard? I always wondered. The only thing I could think of is if it melts wiring or a fuel line. Could someone please help?
No. How is melted wiring going to cause a fire? How is a fuel line going to melt?
Worry warts abound here.
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
It continually amazes me how often people will totally ignore other peoples' real-world experiences and say "impossible."
If an overheated engine could get hotter than the flashpoint of motor oil, I'd believe you. Exhaust manifolds can get that hot, but it has nothing to do with an overheated engine. To get motor oil to burn like that ain't easy. Must have been loaded with fuel.
Almost all engine fires are due to leaks in the fuel system. Overheating or not overheating is not a factor.
It continually amazes me how often people will totally ignore other peoples' real-world experiences and say "impossible."
If an overheated engine could get hotter than the flashpoint of motor oil, I'd believe you. Exhaust manifolds can get that hot, but it has nothing to do with an overheated engine. To get motor oil to burn like that ain't easy. Must have been loaded with fuel.
Almost all engine fires are due to leaks in the fuel system. Overheating or not overheating is not a factor.
I've had a blown transmission line spray fluid on tube headers and catch fire(huge cloud of smoke was a dead giveaway)... I grabbed my fire extinguisher and got ready to unload but fire was smallish so I just beat it out with a rag... Had more than enough mess to clean up without adding to it... No damage, reconnected line(and safety wired) filled trans with fluid and went on my way...
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