Saw this and went out and bought a fire extinquisher

[applecran]

http://www.e30tech.com/forum/showthread.php?t=66947

Commercial grade extinguishers are on sale at Costco right now for 29 bucks. Good for flammable liquids etc.

Now, this really freaks me out. This could be me easily. Please someone tell me, when changing an FPR, what could you do wrong to cause your car to explode?

[direction88]

I have no idea what could have caused that but the "call Germany" part made me laugh my ass off!

[redhatpat]

I think the guy's on the right track when he says the FPR failed and fuel was getting the intake manifold and pooling there. You wouldn't smell any gas, but the engine would run rough and if it backfires, boom. Not sure why it would backfire, but anyway.

This is a reason why you don't cheap out on used parts. A new FPR is only something like $50 or $60.

[PPP]

Originally Posted by redhatpat I think the guy's on the right track when he says the FPR failed and fuel was getting the intake manifold and pooling there. You wouldn't smell any gas, but the engine would run rough and if it backfires, boom. Not sure why it would backfire, but anyway. This is a reason why you don't cheap out on used parts. A new FPR is only something like $50 or $60.

Agree, man. When it comes to fuel parts, I think it's safer to go for new parts. I think the valve must have failed to return fuel back to the gas tank and some how the fuel is backed up and pressured up in the system to cause an explosion like that. Perhaps the backed up and pressued up fuel popped a hose and the fuel got ignited by the hot exhaust manifold. Just a wild guess

And just want to share some info about the fuel pressure regular (FPR) I found on the internet. See below:

"The regulator's job is to keep the pressure in the fuel system to a constant 28 psi. It does this with a spring-loaded diaphragm that controls a valve. The valve, when opened by excessive pressure in the fuel lines, uncovers a fuel line that returns excess fuel to the fuel tank.

The vacuum connection is there to help reduce emissions during deceleration. During deceleration, the vacuum connection serves to open the fuel return valve wider, which reduces pressure in the system and prevents excess hydrocarbon emissions due to less fuel being injected as a result of the lower pressure in the system.

This is a very nicely designed device in that it provides for an automatic self-adjusting pressure regulator and emissions control device all rolled into one. The simplicity of the design also contributes to its reliability; the fuel pressure regulator rarely, if ever, goes bad. There's just not much to go wrong with it.
Unfortunately, it's not particularly tuneable either. With Bosch's older FI system, D-Jetronic, the fuel pressure regulator was adjustable. The L-Jetronic pressure regulator is not."

source: http://www.type2.com/bartnik/reg.htm

[mirek]

I'm going to say he installed it incorrectly.

[applecran]

Originally Posted by mirek I'm going to say he installed it incorrectly.

But how? There are two hoses, in and out, plus the vaccume.

if you got the in/out backwards, the car would not start I don't think....

[Al Canuck]

The FPR on an E30, is located awfully close to, and right above the alternator. Sometimes an FPR is hard to seat into the fuel rail, especially a used one with a hardened old O ring on it. Once running, a leak at the O ring would cause 2 things.

1) Loss of fuel pressure, and rough running.

2) Fuel to spill down onto the alternator.

A simple arc from the alternator would easily ignite the fuel.

Bummer for that guy.

Al

[applecran]

Kinda scary, this is easily something that I would do and not realize that there is an issue until my car is on fire.

[Al Canuck]

Originally Posted by applecran Kinda scary, this is easily something that I would do and not realize that there is an issue until my car is on fire.

People often question why it takes 4 years of training and schooling to become an automotive technician. That 4 years includes 8 months of in class theory training, and 9000 hours on the job. And once you're through that, and you have a piece of paper, you can use that same paper to wipe your ass. It takes many more years, and experience before you can truly become a "tech".

I always see people on the internet telling others "Don't waste money on a mechanic, doing X job is easy." 99% of people would say an FPR is an easy job. The 1% that don't, watch their cars burn down. Its the years of experience, tricks of the trade, knowing what chemicals and lubes to use where, and a deft hand to know that something as simple as an FPR, is properly installed.

I bet the owner of that poor E30, wishes he paid to have his FPR installed at a shop. It's a 15 minute job for a good tech, including pulling the car inside. That $20. $20 can mean the difference between driving your car, and burning your house down. Scary, eh?

[mirek]

Originally Posted by Al Canuck People often question why it takes 4 years of training and schooling to become an automotive technician. That 4 years includes 8 months of in class theory training, and 9000 hours on the job. And once you're through that, and you have a piece of paper, you can use that same paper to wipe your ass. It takes many more years, and experience before you can truly become a "tech". I always see people on the internet telling others "Don't waste money on a mechanic, doing X job is easy." 99% of people would say an FPR is an easy job. The 1% that don't, watch their cars burn down. Its the years of experience, tricks of the trade, knowing what chemicals and lubes to use where, and a deft hand to know that something as simple as an FPR, is properly installed. I bet the owner of that poor E30, wishes he paid to have his FPR installed at a shop. It's a 15 minute job for a good tech, including pulling the car inside. That $20. $20 can mean the difference between driving your car, and burning your house down. Scary, eh?

You charge 20$ to replace an FPR?

[Al Canuck]

Originally Posted by mirek You charge 20$ to replace an FPR?

Usually an FPR replacement comes after diagnostic work, to see why someone's car is running so poorly. If someone brought me an FPR to install, then yeah, I'd charge $20 for it. And why shouldn't I? I have to pay my lease, my hydro, and all the other expenses that come with owning a shop. If I didn't charge anything, I wouldn't have much of a shop, would I?

Now, if someone called me, and asked me to order them an FPR, and do the install, then I probably wouldn't charge for the labour(I'd make money on the part). Bring me an outside sourced part, and you're damn right you're gonna pay for it. Its how I put bread on my table. Why should I starve?

Oh, and besides the above, that $20 could mean the difference betwen driving your car away, and having it burn down. $20 is cheap insurance. I've likely installed more FPR's than the entire membership of most E30 sites combined.

Al

[applecran]

I think he meant:

you ONLY charge 20$ to replace an FPR?

that is what I got anyway, most mechanics I figure would charge me min 1 hour.

[Al Canuck]

Originally Posted by applecran I think he meant: you ONLY charge 20$ to replace an FPR? that is what I got anyway, most mechanics I figure would charge me min 1 hour.

Mirek seems to like busting my balls on occasion. I think he meant it as "it takes 2 minutes, why do you charge for that?"

A mechanic shouldn't charge an hour for an FPR. If you bring me a poor running car, and I suspect an FPR, I'll do a fuel pressure test to confirm, and then install a new FPR. THAT, would be about an hour, including the pressure test.

Al

[mirek]

No, applecran is right,

If someone brought you a car and a FPR and said please replace it, you would only charge 20$? That's good to know

[Al Canuck]

Originally Posted by mirek No, applecran is right, If someone brought you a car and a FPR and said please replace it, you would only charge 20$? That's good to know

lol, sorry about the misread post, then.

We charge what is fair. I like to sleep at night.