The Washington herald., 1916-07-02
auto FIRES ON
RAPID DECLINE
Education of Owners and
Chaufeurs Results in
Big Decrease.


Education of automobile owners and
chauffeurs is decreasing the number OF
automobiles which go up in smoke, but
there are still enough cases to make time
ly- word OF warning as to causes and
prevention.
Automobile fires sometimes come from
causes not ordinarily considered to be
under ones control. However, a little
extra caution in a few matters will rem
der the motorist practically free from
danger.
OF course, the principal cause of auto
mobile fires Is from back firing. With
out going into all the causes Of back
firing. the chief one is too lean a mix
ture fed to the cylinders. This will al
most invariably cause back fire In start
ing, and sometimes when the engine Is
throttled down close. Really. the chief
trouble comes in starting when the en-
gine is cold. and naturally this is most
frequent in the winter. When there lis
back fire a sheet of flame comes from
the air intake of the carbureter; If there
is anything inflammable in that vicinity
/: is quite apt to take fire.
Gasoline yaporizes so rapidly that II
there is gasoline in the drip pan there
Is almost sure to be a sufficient mix
ture around the carbureter TO make
. trouble. AS a matter OF fact, the drip
pan under the carbureter should be 50
arranged as to allow any gasoline to be
drained off before It has time to vapor-
ize.
Avoid Much In Drip Pan.
Indeed. there ought not to be very much
gasoline in the drip pan at any time.
II 1t comes from the leak in the supply
pipe Of the connection to the carbureter
the leak should be repaired. II 1t comes
from an overflow of the carbureter due
to poor seating of the float valve that
should be taken apart and cleaned so that
the float will scat properly. These two
things are practically the only causes
for gasoline in the drip pan.
Another cause of fire may be in run
ming for some time at extreme speed
This will usually cause the exhaust pipe
to become very hot, sometimes to glow.
The exhaust pipe in some cases is placed
close to the woodwork OF the car, which
may be set on fire. Particularly is this
true IL the woodwork has an accumula-
ton OF grease or oil. and here is where
caution will have a beneficial effect The
owner who keeps the woodwork free from
oil and grease-cleans it off regularly and
Observation-Disclosures the danger at this
point
The pipe also heats up when the engine
is run with a greatly retarded spark
Sometimes the pipe gets red hot and 1t is
an easy matter to ignite the woodwork
AS matter of fact the economical opera
tor will not allow grease and oil to be
wasted sufficiently to gather upon the
woodwork nor to collect in the drip pan
When there is grease or oil and gasoline
in the drip pan they make a FIRE very
difficult to extinguish.
Cause of Fires.
Fires have been started occasionally
by opening the muffler "cut-out'' In
starting up. This is particularly dan
serous when the car is in a garage.
where there is usually grease and gas
oline spilled around on the floor, CIV
ing of fumes and creating a danger
zone. Occasionally when the car is
standing In the garage the supply line
Will drip little. 1t may run ali right
when the gasoline Is passing into the
car5ureter regularly. but when It
stands the very tiny drop will make
a considerable mixture beneath the car.
A leak. SO small as to be unnoticed
ordinarily, when continued overnight
will cause enough mixture to be dam
gerous.
II to aid In starting up the engine the
operator opens the cut-out there are
quite likely to be some sparks fly out
Sparks and gas mixture are a very dan
gerous combination and there is pretty
sure to be a blazing car in a moment.
Sometimes in filling the gasoline tank 1t
overflows and drips down. Perhaps the
operator, delayed by taking on gasoline,
is in a hurry, SO he opens the cut-out
and finds that making haste is often
dangerous.
Another cause Of fires comes from
short-cirCuiting Of the wires OF the ig-
milton or lighting system when a stor-
age battery is used. Occasionally a
short circuit will heat one of the wires
red hot and burn off the insulation
Then. If there is a collection Of grease
or oil. 1t will burn. To obviate vibra-
ton, some chauffeurs pack the battery
in used waste, which is more or less
greasy. 1t is possible for a tool to
drop down on the battery and give of
a spark or under vibration a series Of
sparks. sufficient to set fire to the waste.
Another Cause OF Fire.
Another cause of fire has been written
about extensively OF late, that is the
static spark. which comes when the gas
is filtered through chamois in certain
conditions. Very many tunnels have q
chamois strainer. Gasoline poured upon
chamois creates static electricity. 1t Is
all right If the funnel touches the gas
tank, but II 1t does not a spark is very
likely to cross the gap and set fire to the
volatilizing gasoline. The remedy, OF
course. Is either not to use chamois OF
to make sure that there Is a perfect con-
nection between the funnel and the tank.
Since one of the chief troubles Is in
back-firing when the car is being started
it would be well for the operator when
starting the car in cold weather to enrich
the mixture slightly: this will prevent
the back-aring and when the car Is well
started the mixture can be adjusted
again to the proper proportion.
1t ought not to be necessary to suggest
the wisdom Of carrying along one of the
approved fire extinguishers, but 1t is a
matter Of fact that very many owners
take a chance" The insurance com.
panies make a reduction in the premium
when a fire extinguisher is carried, which
is pretty good indication that they con.
slider it valuable accessory on the car.
IN