[alfa] Re: 164 up in flames , all safe, was : 164 cabin fuel vapor smell

["Peter Marino" <alfa02189@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mark and Every one with 164's that smell gasoline (or any car) please read
this!

YOU SHOULD STOP DRIVING YOUR 164 AND HAVE IT FIXED!!!  My 91 went up in
flames last night.  I was very luck to get my daughter, Victoria  and my
dog, Baily  out of the car.  I had NO signs of a gasoline leak; no smell, no
seepage.  I was bringing my dog to the vet last night with my daughter in
tow.  The 164 was running well.  She had a quarter tank of gas so I decided
to go and filled her up.  On the way home, about a block away from my
street, she started to stumble badly.  I thought must be a misfire...
something else to fix.  About two houses up from mine my daughter said she
smelt smoke. three seconds later the cabin started to fill with smoke.  I
shut of the car and coasted to the side walk in front of my house.  Got her
and the dog out of the car.  Ten seconds later flames came up from
underneath the car, in the rear, below the rear seats.  I had my cell phone
with me and  called 911.  The fire truck came with in a minute (lucky
they're just down the street).  By this time the 164 was fully engulfed in
flames.  Water would not put it out so they had to use foam but the
firefighters had to wait for the switch over to take place.   At one point,
the flames got so high that the telephone pole wires where burning!  I was
at least 300 feet away and could feel the heat from the flames.  The tires
popped and melted.   They finally got the foam on her...Then it was out as
fast as it happened.  The 164 is a complete lost.
Everything that was plastic is melted.  The windows are all busted out.
The interior is toast.  But my daughter, dog and me are alive...Thank God!
(I had waited years to get a 164 and bought this one three months ago. This
is the only car I have ever had catch fire.  I will NEVER buy another but
that's a story for another time).   The fireman said the a fuel line
somewhere in the back to middle of the car had ruptured.   Gas hit the
exhaust/converter and that' s what started the fire.  I cannot explain to
you the horror of seeing your car go up in flames and thinking you and your
loved ones could have been in it.  Please, if you smell gas, stop driving
and get it fixed!  I know the next old car I get I'm going to replace every
fuel line before I drive it.


Peter Marino
Weymouth, MA
God protects fools, drunks and Alfa owners.


----- Original Message -----
From: Mark Pavich <pavichm@domain.elided>
To: <alfa-digest@domain.elided>
Sent: Monday, September 01, 2003 6:22 AM
Subject: [alfa] 164 cabin fuel vapor smell


> Hi Folks,
>
> I've been trying to track down an annoying fuel vapor that's been finding
> its way into the cabin of my '91 164 L. Cracked fuel vent line perhaps?
> Anyone else come across this annoyance? It's particularly bad when I have
my
> sunroof cracked just a bit. Any advice would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mark Pavich
>
> Columbus, Ohio
>
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