Kind of mad at myself for overlooking the slight fuel leak after installing the b&m FP gauge on the fuel filter, but i just wanted to do a compression test...

5 cranks and PFFFLOOOSH...half the engine bay was engulfed in flames, and it burned for a good minute while i searched the house for the stupid fire extinguisher. Looked worse than it was, tho, as it only melted a few wire looms and mouldings, aged the FR gauge by about 100 years and melted the paint off the top of the hood

Now how did this happen? I have my MSD ignition and coil mounted on the firewall directly above the filter. Would it have to have been the ignition wire from the coil to the dist. cap that caused the spark? I feel like taking the whole thing out of there if it can be this dangerous, but can any of the msd ignition wires only possibly spark? The external coil is history didn't do anything anyway

Uhhh, looks like we've got 180s (+/- 5psi) across the board

d

 

Sux man. If you motor was at normal operating temp, the header, cat, anything exhaust could have caught on fire. Any of the wires could have produced a spark to start the flame.

 

you still got the numbers!

dedication!

(i think this is a omen for testing compression of B20's!!!)

spark could have come from alternator?

doesnt MATTER where the spark came from,

it was the fact that there was fuel vapour daver!

live and learn. (always have extingisher at hand)

hope the wires are still cool!

i feel for you man,

t..

 

i think i've tracked the problem down. The fuel leak was sooooo so minor it just couldn't justify that big fire (it WAS BIG). It was the bloody degreaser i used to clean out the grime in the engine bay - it was the fumes that caught. Should have used the non-flamable stuff. The container says for automotive uses (body, engine, etc.), but also says keep out of open flame or spark...

How do i neutralize the stuff now. I had already scrubbed it with soapy water for a rinse.
Also, is there a fuse that will shut off the fuel injectors, Having them puffing out the spark plug holes can't help.

As far as the bubbly paint on the hood...well, i was gonna do a whole body job (needs it - thanks to salty roads), just wasn't gonna do it yet.

d

ps. i just disconnected the ignition to finish the compression test, i've been waiting a week to see if i got a good engine, not gonna let a little fire stop me...

 

if you have a metal intake pipe nxt to your battery it has been known to cause spark and then you have the rest of the contributing factors. Good luck.

Blaze

 

I believe I read in my Helm's manual last night that the compression test with the throttle body open is supposed to read 250 psi. I believe they are 10.0:1 compression. Just an FYI for ya.

 

not for a b20
lower compression.

 

c-speedracing has a "how to" section for cr tests and their demo 11.6:1 cr engine got the 250psi's.

I did about 6 cranks with WOT to get the 180+/-. My other tester even read 10 psi more.

The actual cr on these jdm b20b's seem to be a mystery. So far i've heard 8.8 - 9.1 - 9.2 - 9.3 - 9.6 and 10.0:1. The compression tests i've heard of are generally in the 160 - 170s range with some in the 190s. There's a small chance that some of these engines are different internally, but that would be gay considering the same badging. Its too easy for one person to do their comp. test different than someone else, so i don't put much stock into peoples numbers. Point is they all seem to perform like the b20z, and it would be rare if one of these "non performance" engines was shot at these low milages.

d

 

Speaking of fires and compression testing, you might want to remove the 8-wire connector (if you are using 1992+ electronics) or unplug the injector resistor (if you are using pre-1992 electronics) when doing a compression test. That way, the engine will not be getting ANY fuel, reducing the fire risk further. This will cause a code which will need to be erased, though.

 

well, i'm glad to hear the motor's fine, and i'm feel even better knowing it wasn't a fuel filter leak, when i FIRST did my swap it leaked from there, and i fixed it but tighten the bolts (haha, thas a non brainer! ) but i'm not 100% that it's not leaking at all, hopefully my motor wont burn up, and btw, i have a fire extingisher mounted on my roll bar , hope i wont be needing that!

 

well, get some NEW crush washers from your Honda/Acura dealer and replace the ones on your fuel filter so you WONT have to use your extingisher at all...

please?

t..

 

Dealer? ahhhhhhh! hellz naw, they'll charge me like $20 per washer probably, hahaha. i think empty two fire extinhishers might he cheaper! hahahahaha, j/k. naw, i'm sure it's fine, been 8 months since my swap and no flames yet! hehe. plus i have a b&m gauge comming in the mail, i think they come w/ it.

 

dayam, don't think i ever wanna use carb cleaner then........ sounds pretty damn dangerous if i ask me, i'll stick w/ simple green, hehe, envornmentally safe!!!!

 

Ive done that too w/carb cleaner testing for vacuum leaks on a Jeep cherokee.
I was misting the carb clean around the distributor area to check for a leaky intake manifold gasket and then whoosh the little bastard went up in flames. Luckily I had a fire extinguisher or it could have been bad

 

that's why you have a fire extinguisher mounted on teh passenger side pillar

 

All i can say is there's nothing worse than spending a week and a half of torture putting in an engine, and then watching it go up in flames on the first crank.

d

 

**** happens......That does ******* suck badly man....**** that spontaneous combustion shyit......com to my house and have a to you up

 

caution to all memebers:
DO NOT USE CARB CLEANER, PROVEN BY HONDA-TECH MEMBERS TO BURN UR MOTHER PHUCKING CAR! hahahahahaha

btw, i think kingpen wants to get you drunk and rape u, hahahaha, j/k