Staypuff Fire damage

Here are the photos of the fire damage to My beloved 68 handi-bus, "Staypuff"

Note to all, DO NOT use the clear inline fuel filter they sell at Advance Auto. It was the point of failure that caused the fire.[img][/img]

staypuff your picture didn't post but hope the fire wasn't to bad but a good warning to the rest of us as i was thinking of putting one on the van if you are talking about the glass ones, i use to use them on my gto back in the day. guess i'll stick to the metal sealed one i have on there now

Sorry to hear abought your fire,hope it wasnt too bad.I use the clear fram filters and was wondering whatcaused the failure?Did it fracture?

He has the pictures over at VCVC, and have to say hard to see what was a very nice van now all burned up. I'm sure it can be rebuilt but hate to see all his work go up in flames

Sorry for your loss. Doghouse temps run higher than other engine compartments because they are so small. Neoprene hose should not be used anywhere in the doghouse. For safety, use a metal filter back at the gas tank.

Hey Scott- what steering column is in the van??

I never realized a carb would melt like that. Not the first time I have heard of one of those glass filters breaking either, and unfortunately won't be the last. I almost had my dd catch fire Friday, a fuel rail bolt broke and lost fuel pressure and died, but not until all the fuel had spray all over the engine bay.

I warned people here about these filters a while back and was shot down by a few members. I hope that this fire will serve as a warning that glass filters are bad news. Here is an example. They also flow terribly.

The filter was a plastic one by purolator. In VA we run ethenol gas, I think the combination of a crappy product and crappy fuel is what did the van in. I am going back to a hard metal line and a filter in the carb.

She will rise again from the ashes. The fire was a mixed blessing. I will now take her down to bare metal do it right. I am think a blue flame motif....

Twinpilot001 wrote:Hey Scott- what steering column is in the van??

uh, It looks like an automatic..

Not my van.

It is an automatic with a powerglide.

had a glass filter on a truck like in rods pic. never could get it to seal.

Ive got a metal one in the back ,, no problems ,, easy to get to also.

2X


63

So sorry to hear of your fire. That really sucks.

Am an old VW guy so I've seen too many. VW always used straight steel line right to the carb. Then of course people would modify with rubber and plastic. Boom.

And, thinking of that I have a rubber boat fuel line (extra thick, double ply) going to my carb. I think your horror will motivate me to go back to steel.

Thanks for the heads up. Was that one of those little, transluscent almost conical filters with the two sized ends? I used those for years on lawnmowers and such yet always seemed too cheap and probably too Chinese to use on a vehicle. The Chinese and Israeli filters have almost always leaked. Never a failure with an American or German filter. Getting hard to get tho. I might start hoarding them when I find em.

Thanks again and sorry for your loss, Mark

The filter was a plastic one, I want to say it had 3/16th fittings on the end. I am trying to look on the bright side, sometimes you are put on the planet simply as a warning to others...

Yeah, I had one of the see through filters until reading on these couple of fires recently including yours. Sorry to hear of that craziness that happened to you. Glad you decided to keep her and make her better. My filter was the glass/metal filter that RodStRace posted up. It looked solid enough. The only thing that didn't look solid enough was that you have to add some plastic fittings to the ends that were included with it inorder to connect it to your fuel lines. It was tough to get a good seal when clamping on the rubber hoses. One side always seemed to leak. I finally got a good seal but I would always go into the doghouse and check just to make sure.I had to play with different fittings and clamps to get it right and dry. I can't see it popping/breaking. The issue I would have with these is not having a good seal at the fitting ends. It was a great filter to be able to see if fuel is flowing through my system especially when I had to diagnose starting/idling issues. But after these posts, I can't take such a risk. I switched the glass filter for a metal/chrome one this weekend. I am keeping the glass filter in storage just as a tool for checking fuel flow in the future. I checked the rest of the system. One other thing I noticed when changing mine was the rubber hose that was connected to the fuel pump and heading back to the tank was touching part of the frame. After inspection, I noticed that rubber fuel line was starting the process of melting through from the heated frame touching it. Glad I caught it before it was too late. That would have been a definite fire. That could be a cause to other peoples fires to. I managed to move the hose a bit so it wouldn't touch anything. I'm thinking of putting a heat wrap or tubing over these rubber lines. Should be something out there right? I thought I saw them. Thanks for the advice and the warning.

No matter the vehicle, if you can run a steel line, that would be the way to go. The only rubber gas line I have is one small length from tank to frame where a "new" steel line takes it to the front of the van where it stops about 8 inches from the fuel pump. A small length of rubber line from there to the fuel pump. Steel fitted line from pump to carb. Fuel filter is a metal "thread on", spliced into steel line on frame. System has no leaks and no filter under the hood(beside the one in the carb). This system was on my 67 that will now be put on my 66. Motor is a 1981- 350 and there is more then enough heat to melt anything. I to will definatly ride on the side of caution. Sorry again to hear of your fire.

I had the same problem different filter



Just got her back together, though my fire was not as bad as staypuffs, I used a metal filter.
Eagle1