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Oh well, my 1991 Festiva (the one I've been driving every day) just caught on fire and burned to the ground. I even had a red 5 gallon gas can and it was in the car and full. The car had a strange electrical problem that I could never figure out. When all of the car was shut off, something was still running what sounded like it was inside of the intake manifold (the large aluminum intake on top and back of the engine) and it sounded something like a very small fan running. I pulled all fuses and it still did that. So I was having to undo my negative battery cable when ever I let it set for a lengthy time so that the battery would not die.
Well, I was driving it home today going down the highway at around 70 mph when it started to jerk and the dash lights dimmed. That kept happening for a few seconds so I decided to pull over onto the shoulder and stop. Then I went to put my flashers on and they worked for about 3 or 4 seconds and then every light went dead. Now here's the weird thing: I had the key off and 'I think' it was in reverse...everything off. Then the car made a weird noise and jerked (it moved a little, something made the crank turn). It did it again for just a second and then poof! Flames shot out from under the hood, burned for a little bit and then subsided. At that point I started to grab my stuff, opened the door, and ran behind the car about 50 feet. When I turned around I noticed fire was now burning under the cars engine. I ran back, lifted the hatch back and grabbed my tool boxes and that's all she wrote.
I called 911 and a small fighter truck arrived in about 5 minutes and two guys got out and foamed it. It took them about 15 to 20 minutes to put it out. I heard the glass breaking, tires blowing. I thought that 5 gallon full red plastic gas can was going to explode but the fire fighters said what happens to them is that they melt and let the gas out slow and then there's a large fire but no explosion. He said the same about the gas tank, he said those plastic gas tanks do the same stuff but I'm pretty sure the Festiva gas tank is steel, right? They said it was ok for me to leave it on the side of the road and I'll go pick from it in the morning.
I've got a video of it, it's uploading and I'll post it soon....now I'm jittery about my Festiva's.
Well, I was driving it home today going down the highway at around 70 mph when it started to jerk and the dash lights dimmed. That kept happening for a few seconds so I decided to pull over onto the shoulder and stop. Then I went to put my flashers on and they worked for about 3 or 4 seconds and then every light went dead. Now here's the weird thing: I had the key off and 'I think' it was in reverse...everything off. Then the car made a weird noise and jerked (it moved a little, something made the crank turn). It did it again for just a second and then poof! Flames shot out from under the hood, burned for a little bit and then subsided. At that point I started to grab my stuff, opened the door, and ran behind the car about 50 feet. When I turned around I noticed fire was now burning under the cars engine. I ran back, lifted the hatch back and grabbed my tool boxes and that's all she wrote.
I called 911 and a small fighter truck arrived in about 5 minutes and two guys got out and foamed it. It took them about 15 to 20 minutes to put it out. I heard the glass breaking, tires blowing. I thought that 5 gallon full red plastic gas can was going to explode but the fire fighters said what happens to them is that they melt and let the gas out slow and then there's a large fire but no explosion. He said the same about the gas tank, he said those plastic gas tanks do the same stuff but I'm pretty sure the Festiva gas tank is steel, right? They said it was ok for me to leave it on the side of the road and I'll go pick from it in the morning.
I've got a video of it, it's uploading and I'll post it soon....now I'm jittery about my Festiva's.
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