WARNING: Holley Fre-Flo - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

bubbastrick · 10-23-2002, 04:00 PM

WARNING:

The Holley Fre-Flo air cleaners are a fire hazard.

http://www.holley.com/HiOctn/ProdLin...C/120-148.html

This afternoon on the way home from college, my truck backfired through the carburetor and caught the foam element in the air cleaner on fire. If I had not had to stop for a red light then I might not have noticed it as soon as I did. It put a small spot on the outside of my hood where the paint got hot, and dripped into my carburetor. I am glad my fuel line didn't melt or I would have been in deep "stuff". I did not have a fire extenguisher, so I used a couple of towels on the air cleaner once I got it to the bed of my truck. The towels didn't do much except catch on fire themselves. I ended up going to a nearby restaurant to get some water to pour on the whole mess.

Thankfully the truck still ran, and I was able to make it home without further incident.

I wonder if I would have let it burn could I have sued Holley for the repairs?

Just be aware that these Holley Fre-Flo will catch on fire.

Beast388 · 10-23-2002, 04:09 PM

Same thing goes for the Edelbrock Pro-Flo. Those things will ignite in a heartbeat from a backfire. I was luckly that when mine caught fire, I had an extinguisher.

Replace it with a K&N......

bubbastrick · 10-23-2002, 04:17 PM

Yeah but it looked cool while it lasted.

**68 Stepside** · 10-23-2002, 04:44 PM

I would have to agree with both of you.

Yes, the edelbrock filter is just as bad, I've personally seen at least a handful of them catch fire.

And yes, they look cool, until they're a ball of flames

TJ

crazy longhorn · 10-23-2002, 05:58 PM

2nd that beast......id go K&N!

ckhd · 10-23-2002, 07:21 PM

My '68 came with one of those things. It was the first thing to be introduced to the trash can.

**Bowtie468** · 10-23-2002, 07:21 PM

3 rd that. Those filter s*uck !!! Like previously mentioned, they only look good.

**'68OrangeSunshine** · 10-24-2002, 07:23 AM

I had that same problem with a K&N. The oil-soaked cotton elememt has no flame retardant. A 5" x 14" on top of a carter afb on a 454 caught on after a backfire; it melted and dripped onto the fram gas filter (my bad - someone talked me into a plastic see-thru one), that metled too, while the electric fuel pump stayed on because I forgot to shut down the ignition when I got the dog away to a safe ditch. I was lucky. Some guys from across the street rushed out with fire extinguishers and we knocked it down. Had to tow it home and it's been sitting ever since.
For a long time I was down on K&Ns, but now I have them back on my other two trucks,[292, 350]. It's just an acceptable risk for the performance.[I carry a fire bottle.] Some aftermarket catalogs list a factory style flame-arrestor for inside the air cleaner. Do these work in this application?

Longhorn Man · 10-24-2002, 11:12 PM

Yup, I have one of these here except it says Wieand (or what ever) on it.
Coplete POS, and it should have never been sold at all...let alone for over 15 years and with a whole list of name badges on it.

I hear they don't even breath well.

10-23-2002, 04:00 PM	#1
bubbastrick Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Jacksonville, AR, USA Posts: 44	WARNING: Holley Fre-Flo WARNING: The Holley Fre-Flo air cleaners are a fire hazard. http://www.holley.com/HiOctn/ProdLin...C/120-148.html This afternoon on the way home from college, my truck backfired through the carburetor and caught the foam element in the air cleaner on fire. If I had not had to stop for a red light then I might not have noticed it as soon as I did. It put a small spot on the outside of my hood where the paint got hot, and dripped into my carburetor. I am glad my fuel line didn't melt or I would have been in deep "stuff". I did not have a fire extenguisher, so I used a couple of towels on the air cleaner once I got it to the bed of my truck. The towels didn't do much except catch on fire themselves. I ended up going to a nearby restaurant to get some water to pour on the whole mess. Thankfully the truck still ran, and I was able to make it home without further incident. I wonder if I would have let it burn could I have sued Holley for the repairs? Just be aware that these Holley Fre-Flo will catch on fire. __________________ James Strickland AS Computer Information Systems “Ignorance is a powerful tool if applied at the right time, even usually surpassing knowledge” ~E.J. Potter Last edited by bubbastrick; 10-23-2002 at 04:03 PM.

10-23-2002, 04:09 PM	#2
Beast388 Suburbans RULE! Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Clinton, IA 52732 Posts: 689	Same thing goes for the Edelbrock Pro-Flo. Those things will ignite in a heartbeat from a backfire. I was luckly that when mine caught fire, I had an extinguisher. Replace it with a K&N...... __________________ --Ben 71 GMC Suburban 4X4 The "Beast" 388 CID Stroker, TH350, NP205, 8-lug D44, 14BFF w/ Detroit, 4.10:1 gears, 4-Wheel Disks 4" Lift, 35" MT/R's.

10-23-2002, 04:17 PM	#3
bubbastrick Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Jacksonville, AR, USA Posts: 44	Yeah but it looked cool while it lasted. __________________ James Strickland AS Computer Information Systems “Ignorance is a powerful tool if applied at the right time, even usually surpassing knowledge” ~E.J. Potter

10-23-2002, 04:44 PM	#4
68 Stepside huh? Join Date: May 2000 Location: Washington, Illinois Posts: 5,692	I would have to agree with both of you. Yes, the edelbrock filter is just as bad, I've personally seen at least a handful of them catch fire. And yes, they look cool, until they're a ball of flames TJ __________________ Someday when I'm lonely, Wishing you weren't so far away, Then I will remember Things we said today. RIP El Jay

10-23-2002, 07:21 PM	#6
ckhd Registered User Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: St. Johns, Arizona Posts: 2,660	My '68 came with one of those things. It was the first thing to be introduced to the trash can. __________________ my 2¢ - t.i.o.l.i. Bowen 1968 K20 fleet 1969 K10 swb fleet 1972 K10 Suburban 1972 C10 lwb step 1992 K1500 'burb 1995 K2500 'burb 1997 C1500 'burb 1999 K1500 2000 K1500 'burb Why do I own so many Suburbans?

10-23-2002, 05:58 PM	#5
crazy longhorn Fabricate till you "puke" Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ill Posts: 9,403	2nd that beast......id go K&N!

10-23-2002, 07:21 PM	#7
Bowtie468 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Cecilia, Louisiana Posts: 1,638	3 rd that. Those filter s*uck !!! Like previously mentioned, they only look good. __________________ Chris click here to see my buildpage http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=394656 ---------------------------------- 1979 C10 Silverado Big10 SWB Factory 454/400 Cardinal Red/Santa Fe Tan (original paint) 1969 Camaro X44 LS swap 1968 C10 SWB Fleetside (SOLD) 468BBC MultiPort TPI / Dynamic EFI P4 Black/Black 1963 Nova SS convertible (SOLD) 194 I6/ PowerGlide

10-24-2002, 07:23 AM	#8
'68OrangeSunshine Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Tucson, AZ USA Posts: 7,202	I had that same problem with a K&N. The oil-soaked cotton elememt has no flame retardant. A 5" x 14" on top of a carter afb on a 454 caught on after a backfire; it melted and dripped onto the fram gas filter (my bad - someone talked me into a plastic see-thru one), that metled too, while the electric fuel pump stayed on because I forgot to shut down the ignition when I got the dog away to a safe ditch. I was lucky. Some guys from across the street rushed out with fire extinguishers and we knocked it down. Had to tow it home and it's been sitting ever since. For a long time I was down on K&Ns, but now I have them back on my other two trucks,[292, 350]. It's just an acceptable risk for the performance.[I carry a fire bottle.] Some aftermarket catalogs list a factory style flame-arrestor for inside the air cleaner. Do these work in this application?

10-24-2002, 11:12 PM	#9
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	Yup, I have one of these here except it says Wieand (or what ever) on it. Coplete POS, and it should have never been sold at all...let alone for over 15 years and with a whole list of name badges on it. I hear they don't even breath well.



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