Dangers of filling the tank?

[waltklatt]

I am coming from an odd view of the SL design.
The gas filler neck is in the same vicinity as the exhaust pipes and fuel tank vent line.
Doesn't this strike as some what odd?
The fuel is an extremely flammable liquid that turns to a vapor and it is right next to the hot exhaust pipes.  
Has there been any report of a fire starting due to some errant drops of gas spilling onto the exhaust pipes?
Maybe there is something missing from my head as fuel vapors dont ignite till there is a spark.  But static electricity or... can be a spark.
I haven't seen or heard of anything and I am glad too.
Walter Klatt
1967 220SL-diesel
1963 230SL-gas

[enochbell]

Walter,

I get your point, but I don't think you could get the tailpipe to a temperature that would ignite fuel or even fuel vapors.  Maybe at the header, maybe at a cat converter, but not at the tailpipe.  Now, on the other hand, if one were to completely screw up the valve settings like...say...setting them 180 degrees out of phase on one side of a 4 cylinder 1967 VW engine and somehow be able to get the engine started and somehow get it to run for long enough to allow the muffler to actually serve as a combustion chamber and shoot flames out the tailpipe...well that might do it.  Don't ask me how I know, it was too long ago.  But I can tell you that the SOP for extinguishing a car fire is for the FD to break the rear window with an ax and then fill the car with foam.  Who was it who said wisdom comes from experience and experience comes from making bad decisions, or something like that.

Best,

g

'64 230sl, fully sorted out...ooops, spoke too soon

[Benz Dr.]

I guess you've never owned a 190SL. They usually drip fuel out of the carbs after shut down. There's supposed to be a pipe that drains extra fuel safely under the car but it's often missing. Fuel drips right on to the hot manifold where it instanly turns into a vapor.
I did set the ground on fire under one once but in that case there wasn't any exhaust system on the car. You CAN set everything on fire in a case like that due to sparks or flames coming out of the exhaust. It takes a spark or flame to get fuel to burn in most cases.
I keep fire fighting equipment handy after a car burned to a crisp on my driveway a few years ago.


Dan Caron's
 SL Barn
benzbarn@ebtech.net
 slbarn.mbz.org
  1 877 661 6061

[J. Huber]

only slightly related...one of the earliest records I have on my car (the first 15 years are a complete mystery) is the replacement of the "wire harness due to previous fire." Obviously electrical but fires do happen. I keep an extinguisher handy -- I suggest everyone does.

James
63 230SL

[TheEngineer]

I have seen a car completely on fire: It was in Germany, maybe ten years ago, on the autobahn from Munich at the exit to Nürnberg. A four door sedan, couldn't tell the make, flames coming out of all four doors. A real scary sight! I didn't realize a car could burn that much. You'd think that there wouldn't be that much inside to burn that way. On my 280SL I carry a halon fire extinguisher right forward under the driver's seat in a vehicle bracket. And I weigh it periodically! I hope, I never have to use it!

[George Des]

I've got to believe the German engineers who designed and built these cars were well aware of the dangers when it comes to gasoline and the explosive nature of its vapors and took those factors into account. I've always been somewhat wary though of the thought of electicity and gasoline coming together in electric fuel pumps especially when in close proximity to the fuel tank. I really think it is a tribute to all automotive engineers worldwide that there aren't more car fires than than are, particularly in rear end collisions. If the thought of the gas tank filler next to the tailpipe gives you a chill though, think for a moment about the interior car heaters on the early VW bugs--remember these cars were air cooled so no cooling water to draw heat from. The heater boxes built around the exhaust manifolds provided only marginal heat--no fan either--and tended to rust through rather quickly. So the German engineers designed a gasoline fed heater that was offered as an option. Other chilling thoughts--When I was in the Service we had pot bellied stoves to heat out GP Medium and Large Tents fed by gasoline-they were very effective-but we had to post all night fire guards to watch for sparks--these things would burn down along with everything in them w/in seconds. We also used gasoline in our hot water immersion heaters to make hot water for cooking out in the field.

George Des

[TheEngineer]

It's a real dilemma: We use this stuff called "fuel" for many things: The natural gas furnace to keep us warm at home. Some burn oil. It's advertised to be 99.9% warm. Diesel fuel in boats and trucks. Propane for cooking. Wood in our fireplaces. And we complain that the stuff burns; it causes a fire. Here is the answer: Generous Motors is developing a car that runs on water. Well, almost: They take water, run electricity thru it and get hydrogen gas. That gas uses a fuel cell to make electricity which turns an electric motor that turns the wheels of your favorite automobile. The exhaust drips water! No fire in the hole! I saw a similar setup that produces one HP: A horse is lashed to a merry-go-around. The resulting spinning action is used to power a variety of implements. I wonder if I'd lash the horse in front of my Pagoda? Might that work? No fire hazzard there? The exhaust is biodegradable. What do you think? Please vote by dialing 1-800-YES-HORSE if you think it's a good idea or 1-800-NOT-HORSE if you don't think.

[Chad]

Walt:  Your diesel fuel should be safer anyway, less volatile right?? Or is that wrong?

[JamesL]

Has anyone ever come across an LPG conversion for a Pagoda?

The tank could sit where the spare wheel is... question is, would the whole injection system have to be changed in some way?

Just wondering as my Smart ForTwo is LPG and it's half the price of regular unleaded

[Chad]

What is LPG? In simple terms, if possible.

[n/a]

LPG is Liquified Petroleum Gas.  Grossly oversimplified, it's like propane.