Was it karma? or "Why Glass Fuel Filters Suck"

[FFredo]

Last month I bought a car from my brother. Now even though it's not a Chevy it is a car I've tried to buy off of him for about 10 yrs now. A 1966 Chrysler 300 2 door hardtop.
Anyway I've been paying attention to the chrysler...a lot of attention, to the point of neglecting the 59 Apache.
Well today I decide to drive the apache into work. I stop for gas and drive about 2 blocks before I pull over and dial 911 cuz I'm on fire.




So far it looks like damage is limited to dash wires, switches, gauge cluster all rubber/plastic and wires under the hood and possibly the carb.
I lost the front windshield and the paint (if you can all it paint) damage is pretty rough.

[apache200]

Im sorry to hear and see that. At least you are ok, the truck can always be rebuilt.

[mknittle]

Sorry to hear that buddy. I had that happen to a motoorcycle once

[Highsider]

That suks!
The street sure looks empty...everyone scared away?

[VA72C10]

sorry to see that...So was the filter up near the intake?
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[Kim57]

That sucks.
Had something similar happen to two different cars in the past.
Glad you're O.K.
As has been said the truck can be fixed.
Kim

[shawno72]

That's scary. At least it's slavagible
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[meter swinger]

D@mn bro! Glad your alright. I hate seeing old cars on fire. An old vette burnt to the ground a couple years ago right after a local car show here. So you think it was the glass filter?
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[mr48chev]

One of those old sediment bowls that so many guys think is so cool on their older engines but doesn't really do much to keep the dirt out of the engine?

[fatboys69]

Had an old one in my tool box and put a new cartridge in it and installed it. It looked brand new, came home the next afternoon to a garage floor full of fuel !! and the truck hadent even been ran since I had mounted it the nite before. JUST BROKE SITTING THERE !!! Scary !!! Those things are a POS !!!
Still got a slight gas odor in the garage when it rains and thats been 3 months ago !!!

[Dan in Pasadena]

OH MAN! Fredo, I feel SO bad for you. (Not to mention this reminds me to FINALLY bolt in that Halon fire extinguisher I have for my truck!)

I bet you feel good (if that's possible) that you got the gas tank out of the cab before this happened, huh?

Well, as other have already said at least you're ok....well, except for the fists full of hair you probably pulled outta your head when this was happening!

So, will a cab remove/replace now be in order to replace the mounts and to clean up/paint behind the dash?

[elcamino72]

I have witnessed a glass filter breaking myself ... not a pretty sight. I'm glad you were okay.

[OrrieG]

Bad news, but glad you are ok. the plastic inline ones are bad too, I had one fail in a parking lot, luckily I could still smell then.

[Dan in Pasadena]

For some reason, the first time I read the title I thought of THIS kind of glass fuel filter:


But that's probably NOT the kind you meant, huh?
You more likely meant THIS kind (& I had to stop and think, "What kind do I have on MY truck?")


I am running a little aluminum can looking thing...because it was already there, but what do you guys recommend? The plastic kind like this, or what?

[FFredo]

Thanks for all the well wishes everyone.
So it's been over 24 hrs and I'm over the sadness of watching my truck burn.
First a big THANK YOU to the Lemon Grove Fire Dept. response time was supper fast. Although it seemed like forever sitting there and watching it burn. I could hear the sirens getting closer but it all happened in slow motion.
So far as I've taken a few minutes ot check it over. I've come up with the cab is in good shape. But it will be scraped for one I have at home that has never been cut on. So if anyones needs a patch panel cut out let me know you can have it for the price of shipping. Of course the comon areas are crap just like the one you already have, So no lower corners etc.
I think the upper hinge pockets are good. Upper door jams and what not. The dash on this truck was hacked up pretty good by the previous owner. I will post pics later this week for reference. But if you have a dented roof I'm your guy.
On friday I will move a bunch of stuff around my driveway so I can push the truck into the area where the *magic* will happen. Once I do that I'll pull the motor and get it on a stand for the Krylon rebuild. I guess I might as well do the Auto trans swap now and fill the holes in the new cabs fire wall too. All in all it is a huge setback but one that will allow me to do the work I've been neglecting for too long.
Heck this might even be the perfect time to start a build thread!

[FFredo]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

For some reason, the first time I read the title I thought of THIS kind of glass fuel filter:


But that's probably NOT the kind you meant, huh?
You more likely meant THIS kind (& I had to stop and think, "What kind do I have on MY truck?")


I am running a little aluminum can looking thing...because it was already there, but what do you guys recommend? The plastic kind like this, or what?

Dan, the one in the middle (inline glass with replacable filters) is the low down dirty snake in the grass that I was using. On my Chrysler I'm using the one on the bottom of your pics. Plastic with aluminum.

[egaray281]

I have the one in the middle! so should i get rid of it ive had it for almost 2yrs now and it sits pretty close to the top of the engine but its not sitting on it?

[Maximus]

Man that sucks! Glad things didnt get catastrophic, and everyone was okay.
I had a similar thing ALMOST happen to me in my F250 - towed it 40 miles to a lake (boat hooked up) and I was smelling gas. When i pulled over and poped the hood after smelling the gas for a couple miles i found an ALARMING sight - my hose clamp on the carb popped off, but it was still pressed up against the carb inlet - thus allowing gas to both pour ALL OVER the intake as well as get just enough gas in the carb inlet to keep the truck running - there was about a pint of gas literally BOILING on the intake of the 460 Ford. Boiling. I was petrified. To my amazement and luck, it DID NOT flash, and actually boiled away into evaporation. Replaced clamps but seriously reminds me that i am playing with fate for not having a extinguisher in all my older cars... something i should def. reconsider .

sorry luck was not on your trucks side, but again, at least your okay.

[FFredo]

Originally Posted by egaray281

I have the one in the middle! so should i get rid of it ive had it for almost 2yrs now and it sits pretty close to the top of the engine but its not sitting on it?

Yes get rid of it, get rid of it now, right away, do not dally or hesitate. Why are you still reading this and not outside taking that truck killer off?

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by FFredo

Yes get rid of it, get rid of it now, right away, do not dally or hesitate. Why are you still reading this and not outside taking that truck killer off?

Thats the one I thought of right off the bat.

Glad you are going to use this as an opprotuity to make some positive changes! of corse it is more work but the truck will be better!
Keep us posted buddy!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Fredo,

Well, if it HAD to happen at least you have a replacement cab already and the room to make the swap. It may end up being a blessing (yeah, RIIIIGHT!) in disquise. Your cab will be much better.

I've always wanted clean the gnarly old crap out from behind my dash and paint it white there to provide a nice contrast for future work/installations after I read here that someone else had done it. I think they even installed a couple small lights so they wouldn't have to use a flashlight when working behind there later.

Please DO write up a build thread complete with pictures of how bad it is now. You'll never believe how far you've come someday when you get her just like you want her to look. We're all pulling for you!

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by FFredo

Dan, the one in the middle (inline glass with replacable filters) is the low down dirty snake in the grass that I was using. On my Chrysler I'm using the one on the bottom of your pics. Plastic with aluminum.

Here is what I am using. It has a replaceable filter inside. Got it at NAPA.

[Indian113]

I saw a friend of mines 56 Ford Big Window burn to the ground waiting for a fire truck. We were on our way to a show and had just filled up our trucks,he had electric seats in his truck and they shorted out.
He also had the tank inside the truck and it was a mess,I carry a extinguisher in every thing I drive

[Hubscrub]

You are very lucky i was a vol. fireman for several years and most car fires are not worth but scrap after, UNLESS the owner had an extinguisher. I carry one in all my cars, home, shop etc. glad you was OK. I'm guilty of the plastic filters, i've never used the glass ones and i keep rubber lines to a minimum.

[meter swinger]

This spring I started my Travelall after it had sat most of the winter. It was in my garage. I fired it up and smelled gas right away. I popped the hood and saw the accellerator pump on the holley carb hemorroging gas all over the intake manifold. I jumped behind the wheel. And backed it out without touching the pedal. I was scared sh!tless that i was going to burn down my house.
My 59 had the same glass filter on it when I bought it. Its long gone now but it scares me to think about how much i drove it with it still on there. A time bomb is what those things are.
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