Avoid a fire, everyone should read this

Little Nellie · Jun 23, 2019

Chrisradioman said: ↑

The second Bay I ever had, Chug Chug, I put my heart and soul in restoring, when after 2 years he was nearly finished, he suddenly caught fire.
I wasn't exactly sure why it happened, the insurance assessor said it was the carb float over filling and fuel spilling out. The carb was vaporized in the fire so how would he know this?
I wasn't convinced.

I was sure of one thing, a few minutes before I had filled up with fuel and the engine was very hot.
I had my own theory of what caused the problem:-
1.) A tank full of fuel is very cold,
2.) the engine gets very hot
3.) the heat from the engine warms the fuel
4.) the fuel warms with the heat
5.) the fuel vapor leaves the tank through the breather system
6.) the little red pipe in the diagram was perished
7.) fuel vapor leaked into the engine bay
8.) a spark in the engine bay ignited the fuel vapor (either from the brake light or the ignition system)
9.) by the time the fire starts its too late!

The Bay I have now also had a perished pipe the frightening thing is I didn't realise until I owned it for nearly 4 years.
Now every bus owner I meet I ask them if they have changed the pipe, everyone says either yes or I think so.
When I check (takes 20 secs) its perished.
Right people open your engine bay, put your hand behind the spare wheel tub on the LHS you will feel a seam, behind this seam you will find the little red pipe, its easy to change and only takes 5 mins.
You will feel two metal pipes joined together in-line the perished pipe will actually be distorted pulling the pipe nearest the tank down, this aids the flow of fuel from the tank in a capillarity siphoning action.

Please people check your breathers now and report your findings here!
Click to expand...

Hi, I’ve got the old thread reinforced connection pieces and they’re looking a bit tatty. It looks like these can be replaced with snug fitting rubber fuel line pieces. I’s this the case?

Thanks
Andy

Baysearcher · Jun 24, 2019

Little Nellie said: ↑

Hi, I’ve got the old thread reinforced connection pieces and they’re looking a bit tatty. It looks like these can be replaced with snug fitting rubber fuel line pieces. I’s this the case?

Thanks
Andy
Click to expand...

Yep

Little Nellie · Jun 24, 2019

Ta, Will be fitting these ASAP

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Avoid a fire, everyone should read this

Little Nellie

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Little Nellie

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Avoid a fire, everyone should read this

Little Nellie

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Little Nellie

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