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General => General Discussion & Topics => General Discussion => Topic started by: muebe on August 30, 2013, 10:49:44 AM

Title: Be careful parking over weeds!
Post by: muebe on August 30, 2013, 10:49:44 AM
We had a guy at work that pulled over on the side of the road to answer the phone. He parked over some weeds and the truck caught fire!

(http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx169/muebe/Album%202/20130830_072742_zpsc685227f.jpg)

Be careful guys and gals where you park on a hot day.
Title: Re: Be careful parking over weeds!
Post by: sliding_billy on August 30, 2013, 10:50:53 AM
Wow.  That is terrible.
Title: Re: Be careful parking over weeds!
Post by: Scallywag on August 30, 2013, 11:38:00 AM
Yikes!
Title: Re: Be careful parking over weeds!
Post by: drholly on August 30, 2013, 11:44:47 AM
I hope he got out ok!
Title: Re: Be careful parking over weeds!
Post by: muebe on August 30, 2013, 11:56:34 AM
I hope he got out ok!

Yes he is fine.
Title: Re: Be careful parking over weeds!
Post by: smoker pete on August 30, 2013, 12:20:22 PM
Glad your co-worker is fine.  The fire may have been caused by the Catalytic converter.  Here's a little clip about possible dangers with them ...

Car owners have also discovered that a catalytic converter can be a fire hazard. Since 1975, fire departments have found that many automotive fires have been started because a motorist parked a car over dry leaves. Even with the engine turned off a hot catalytic converter can emit sparks (Catalytic converters can get as hot as 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit) which can ignite leaves underneath. Should that unfortunate event happen, your car could be devoured by flames within minutes and destroyed.
Title: Re: Be careful parking over weeds!
Post by: muebe on August 30, 2013, 12:28:59 PM
Glad your co-worker is fine.  The fire may have been caused by the Catalytic converter.  Here's a little clip about possible dangers with them ...

Car owners have also discovered that a catalytic converter can be a fire hazard. Since 1975, fire departments have found that many automotive fires have been started because a motorist parked a car over dry leaves. Even with the engine turned off a hot catalytic converter can emit sparks (Catalytic converters can get as hot as 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit) which can ignite leaves underneath. Should that unfortunate event happen, your car could be devoured by flames within minutes and destroyed.

Yep. That is what we believe happened. Dry tumble weeds and a hot catalytic converter. I have seen the converter glowing red hot when an engine is out of tune.
Title: Re: Be careful parking over weeds!
Post by: pz on August 30, 2013, 05:07:23 PM
Nasty fire... although I've been aware about this hazard for years, it is really easy to forget - nice to have a reminder once in a while, but too bad your friend had to lose his vehicle.  At least he got out okay.
Title: Re: Be careful parking over weeds!
Post by: Keymaster on August 30, 2013, 08:00:47 PM
Great Warning Michael !!
Title: Re: Be careful parking over weeds!
Post by: TMB on August 30, 2013, 10:29:38 PM
Yep, I have see a few come through work on the way to the body shop.  Weeds and exaust systems don't mix well
Title: Re: Be careful parking over weeds!
Post by: RAD on August 31, 2013, 08:40:13 AM
HC - Glad nothing bad happened to him.
Title: Re: Be careful parking over weeds!
Post by: TwoPockets on August 31, 2013, 09:13:27 AM
Glad he is OK. I had the same thing happen with a 1975 Ford truck I had. I pulled into a field full of sagebrush and got out to go dove shooting and looked back to see smoke coming out from under the truck.
Title: Re: Be careful parking over weeds!
Post by: TentHunteR on August 31, 2013, 10:47:47 AM
Yep, I know someone that this happened to. He was going hunting and pulled into a dry weedy area to park his truck.

Glad he's OK, and thanks for the warning!  It's an easy thing to do too without even thinking about it.
Title: Re: Be careful parking over weeds!
Post by: Susie-Que on September 05, 2013, 11:32:56 PM
Nobody told me that could happen until now.  We get grass fires here.

Thanks for posting this.
Title: Re: Be careful parking over weeds!
Post by: GrillGeek on September 06, 2013, 12:50:16 AM
I've been on a few fires that have been attributed to Catalytic Converters...

The new diesels are even more dangerous with their regen systems. I was on a fire a few years back watching a Type 3 fire engine start their own grass fire as they romped through the grass attempting to flank it. Funny, but scary.
Title: Re: Be careful parking over weeds!
Post by: MoHuka on September 06, 2013, 02:57:48 AM
When I was a kid in Oregon the grass farmers would have the catalytic converter cut out of the exhaust system..save it, and have it welded back in when it came time to trade it in.  Local mechanic in the little town of Shedd had a lucrative business doing this "illegal" modification...
Title: Re: Be careful parking over weeds!
Post by: muebe on September 06, 2013, 08:21:14 AM
When I was a kid in Oregon the grass farmers would have the catalytic converter cut out of the exhaust system..save it, and have it welded back in when it came time to trade it in.  Local mechanic in the little town of Shedd had a lucrative business doing this "illegal" modification...

You get caught doing that in California they will force you to drive a Smart car and live with Ed Begley Jr. for a month ???