360 - 360 Fire with Very Happy Ending! | FerrariChat

360 360 Fire with Very Happy Ending!

Discussion in '360/430' started by SRLC716, Apr 10, 2021.

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  1. SRLC716

    SRLC716 Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 15, 2019
    285
    Buffalo
    Full Name:
    Sam
    I’ll preface this by saying I’ve had some of the most epic and bizarre car related issues over the past 20 years with every single car I’ve owned. And, everything is fine, so it makes it more of an epic tale than a tragedy. But this one really takes the cake...

    After a spirited drive with my wife after dinner last night in my 2003 360 spider, the low fuel light came on and I stopped to gas up. I had put about 3 gallons in, car NOT running of course, and WHOOSH!!! A giant fireball exploded in the engine bay and shot out of the vents next to the glass engine cover. It was similar to if you’ve ever opened the propane for 30 seconds and then hit the igniter on a grill. I’m surprised it didn’t singe my hair...

    I immediately stopped fueling up (obviously), popped the rear lid to see if there was an active fire or damage. At first I didn’t see any... but then I saw some slow smoke coming from the top air intake... I looked into where the evap canister was and saw something smoldering! Then it burst into flames!

    While I didn’t have an extinguisher in the car, I sprinted into the gas station, grabbed theirs, ran back out, and shot it twice to put it out. I was totally stunned.

    After inspecting the engine bay thoroughly, letting it cool off, and wiping it down a little, I did what now seems pretty stupid... since I was literally two miles from my independent shop (owned by a close friend), I decided to try starting it up. Luckily it fired right up and I was able to drive it to the shop.

    This morning I hosed all of the extinguisher crap out of the engine bay. NO damage whatsoever. There must’ve been gas vapor leaking from somewhere that caused a fireball. It ended up being some tape / wrap on the end of a wiring harness that caught. I put it out so quickly that nothing else was damaged. Needless to say my tech is going to get to the bottom of the vapor leak...

    By chance I went back to the gas station to see if they’d pull the video, and they did! Here’s a screen shot of the moment the fireball happened (you can see in the drivers side rear of the glass engine cover). Video is too big to upload...

    Clearly I feel super lucky... my wife and I (and others) could’ve been killed. Car could’ve been a total loss. Car could’ve been significantly or even somewhat damaged. None of that... only thing will be a small repair bill and an EPIC story...

    Phew!

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    armedferret, tonyc, Bigilo and 4 others like this.
  2. tonyc

    tonyc Formula 3

    Oct 19, 2003
    1,638
    Monterey, CA
    Full Name:
    Tony C
    Glad you are ok. Putting gas in my 360 is always an adventure ... just getting gas into the tank ... your story is epic. Let us know what the tech determines about the vapor leak.
     
  3. Dewinator

    Dewinator F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 22, 2017
    5,971
    WA
    tonyc and brookliner7 like this.
  4. spider348

    spider348 Formula 3

    Nov 3, 2003
    1,264
    MA
    Full Name:
    John
    Glad you are OK! Not a 360 but applicable.
    Tribune News ServicesCHICAGO TRIBUNE
    Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer suffered minor burns when his Ferrari caught fire as he filled up at a gas station. The fire Wednesday was apparently due to a leak in the fuel hose. Heat from the car ignited gasoline. Kramer's arms and a hand were burned, and flames scorched the car.
     
  5. brookliner7

    brookliner7 Formula Junior

    May 5, 2018
    772
    San Antonio, TX
    Full Name:
    Hans
  6. SRLC716

    SRLC716 Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 15, 2019
    285
    Buffalo
    Full Name:
    Sam
    Thanks everyone - should have info on what’s going on this week and will post updates.


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  7. mello

    mello F1 Veteran
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    Jul 12, 2013
    5,035
    CA Bay Area
    Full Name:
    Steve
  8. NMNMNMN

    NMNMNMN Formula Junior
    BANNED

    Wow nutty!! Glad all is well. I thought I had strange stuff happen.


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  9. Zanny1

    Zanny1 Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 19, 2003
    974
    Arizona
    Full Name:
    Mike
    Epic story. Glad it wasn't too bad. Us 360 owners will be interested to learn what your tech has to say.
    My 360 is always awkward to fill with gas. Unless the nozzle is in just the right position, it can't be done. Having owned a few other Ferrari V8 cars that had similar fill up woes, I assume it is normal.
     
  10. becausephilchow

    becausephilchow Formula Junior

    Aug 26, 2016
    543
    Hong Kong
    Very lucky man! Glad you're alright!
     
  11. Stams

    Stams Formula Junior
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    Apr 30, 2020
    491
    Colorado
    Full Name:
    Sean
    EastMemphis likes this.
  12. Element

    Element Karting
    Sponsor

    Oct 29, 2016
    133
    Hearing about a Ferrari fire, even a small one, is never nice. Great to hear this one had a happy ending. Having a fire extinguisher is always a good idea with a special car and if you choose to carry an Element you will have no mess to clean up and it is made in Italy just like a Ferrari :)
     
    kes7u likes this.
  13. kes7u

    kes7u Formula 3
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    Oct 18, 2017
    1,136
    Shorewood, MN
    Full Name:
    Kevin
    I'd never heard of your product. VERY interesting and well priced. Never carried an extinguisher before, but I think I'm going to get one for the Ferrari AND the kitchen!!!

    Kevin.
     
  14. mello

    mello F1 Veteran
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    Jul 12, 2013
    5,035
    CA Bay Area
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    Steve
    The OP got lucky because he was able to extinguish the fire just in time with little damage. Hopefully, the repair is not reported in CarFax. If the fire is uncontrollable, I would just let the fire rage on and burn. There's no point in salvaging a Ferrari car-b-que.
     
  15. EastMemphis

    EastMemphis Formula 3
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    May 25, 2019
    1,717
    Memphis, TN
    Full Name:
    John
    I beg to differ. For a car like a 360, not much has to be damaged to total it out. The rest of the car still has lots of impossible to replace parts. So save what can be saved for posterity if nothing else.

    I carry an Element fire extinguisher in my 360. It's in the driver door pocket. That way, as I'm exiting the car, I can be grabbing the extinguisher.
     
  16. SRLC716

    SRLC716 Formula Junior
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    Sep 15, 2019
    285
    Buffalo
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    Sam
    For those interested, the culprit was a faulty fuel tank float valve. Basically right near the drivers side header.

    I believe my Indy is replacing all four of them even though one was broken.


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    E60 M5 likes this.
  17. osuav8r

    osuav8r Karting

    Feb 16, 2005
    142
    Houston, TX
    Full Name:
    Alan
    Maybe someone will chime in, but I'm not familiar with float valves on a 360. Was this what is commonly referred to as the rollover valves? I had to replace them on my 360 spider as well because I smelled gas after taking corners hard. Just trying to figure out of theres another set of valves that need me to keep an eye on them.
     
  18. SRLC716

    SRLC716 Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 15, 2019
    285
    Buffalo
    Full Name:
    Sam
    This was the specific part name on the order form. They’re also known as rollover valves or vapor ports. We’re talking about the same parts, and I had a similar issue (smelling gas after taking corners hard) prior to my pyrotechnics.


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    osuav8r likes this.
  19. Some Guy in the sky

    Some Guy in the sky Formula Junior

    Sep 19, 2018
    344
    PSA, if you smell gas in the engine bay, do not start your car again and ship it to a shop. Or fix it yourself. Whichever.
     
    EastMemphis likes this.
  20. SRLC716

    SRLC716 Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 15, 2019
    285
    Buffalo
    Full Name:
    Sam
    Agree 100%.

    I smelled it intermittently / rarely, and usually only after filling up all the way, which made me think I had spilled a little or stepped in some spillage. I was clearly wrong.


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