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Conference terri::cars_uk

Title:	Cars in the UK
Notice:	Please read new conference charter 1.70
Moderator:	COMICS::SHELLEYELD

Created:	Sun Mar 06 1994
Last Modified:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	2584
Total number of notes:	63384

1273.0. "Fuel Injection - Fire Hazard?" by PEKING::GERRYT () Mon Oct 29 1990 16:08

    My brother in laws' dad worked in the traffic police for some time, and
    said that cars with fuel injection were much more likely to catch fire
    in an accident than normal models.
    Has anyone any experience/comment on this?
    
    Tim

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
1273.1		VOGON::ATWAL	Dreams, they complicate my life	`Mon Oct 29 1990 16:16`	11
	i think this used to be the case because FI cars continued to squirt out fuel even tho' the engine had stopped (ie. ignition still on (?)) as opposed to carb engines where fuel is not actually being pumped out continually however manufacturers sussed this out & fixed the problem ...art
1273.2		UKCSSE::RDAVIES	Live long and prosper	`Mon Oct 29 1990 16:28`	11
	I agree with .1, fuel injection cars usually have an electric pump near the tank pushing the fuel forward, as opposed to humbler vehicles which tend to have a mechanical pupm driven off the camshaft or similar, that pull the fuel forward and push it to the carb. When the engine stops the latter also stops, however the former will continue to pump as long as the electricity is applied. Hence they usually have a cut out of some sort. My Rover handbook actually points out where the inertia tripping fuel cut-out is to be found. Richard
1273.4	:-):-)	UKCSSE::RDAVIES	Live long and prosper	`Mon Oct 29 1990 17:33`	8
	>> <<< Note 1273.3 by VANTEN::MITCHELLD "............<42`-`o>" >>> >> -< higher fuel pressures >- >>As well, >>BTW the inertia switch makes agood immobilising device. How do you set it?, crash into a wall??
1273.6		HOTSPR::KENNEDY	Chaos is a Science.	`Tue Oct 30 1990 20:18`	5
	Most injection systems also have an ignition pulse detector which cuts off the fuel supply when the engine stops. This covers the situation where the inertia switch does not operate (for what ever reason). - John.
1273.7		SUBURB::SCREENER	Robert Screene, UK Finance EUC	`Tue Oct 30 1990 21:53`	2
	Thanks John, I've been wondering how that worked for some time.
1273.8	Can't stand the pressure!	YUPPY::SACKMANJ	I was dreaming of the past...	`Thu Nov 08 1990 18:25`	11
	One of the reasons for Fi cars burning so well is that the fuel pump squirts at about 120-150 psi as opposed to 10-20 for normally aspirated cars. Any petrol that is not used is sent back to the tank! If you leave the pump running you get petrol running to the engine compartment and then sent back to the tank. Some cars have the pump running when the ignition key is set to the accessory position, so if fire hits the petrol 'route' then lots of flames!! Plus, if the pipe fractures, the 120 psi pressure is going to send petrol gushing to alot of HOT areas!! Jon.