So my RX-8 Caught on fire today
05-03-2009, 11:04 PM
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So my RX-8 Caught on fire today
So today I was with some buddies at a mall and I drove my car over a median not paying attention. The car was stuck on the median and could not pull it self over it. We tried pushing it off the median for about 15 minutes with no luck. The car wasn't able to get itself over the median by itself as only the back left wheel was touching the ground and the rest of the car was resting on the median. After about 15 minutes we saw smoke coming from somewhere so I immediately turned it off. We assumed it was just smoke from the tires. My friends went inside the mall to go get help to push the car off the median while I stayed by the car.
Well the smoke kept coming and I noticed it was now coming from under the hood. I lifted to the hood to investigate and saw the smoke was coming from somewhere in the back of the engine bay. About 5 seconds after that the entire engine bay went up in flames followed by an explosion from somewhere in the engine. 10 minutes after that my precious RX-8 was engulfed in flames while I watched hopelessly with about 80 people watching and taking pictures.
I can not think of anything that would have started a fire in the engine. We were definitely giving the clutch a work out while we were trying to get it unstuck but I've never heard of a clutch starting a fire. Only thing I can think of is the Cat caught on fire but I think I would have noticed that earlier than I did.
Either way sad day for RX-8 owners everywhere.
GREAT pics/Videos will follow if people are at all interested
EDIT: Ill have the pics up tomorrow.
Well the smoke kept coming and I noticed it was now coming from under the hood. I lifted to the hood to investigate and saw the smoke was coming from somewhere in the back of the engine bay. About 5 seconds after that the entire engine bay went up in flames followed by an explosion from somewhere in the engine. 10 minutes after that my precious RX-8 was engulfed in flames while I watched hopelessly with about 80 people watching and taking pictures.
I can not think of anything that would have started a fire in the engine. We were definitely giving the clutch a work out while we were trying to get it unstuck but I've never heard of a clutch starting a fire. Only thing I can think of is the Cat caught on fire but I think I would have noticed that earlier than I did.
Either way sad day for RX-8 owners everywhere.
GREAT pics/Videos will follow if people are at all interested
EDIT: Ill have the pics up tomorrow.
Last edited by Jeff Dickinson; 05-03-2009 at 11:51 PM.
05-03-2009, 11:09 PM
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05-03-2009, 11:54 PM
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05-04-2009, 12:08 AM
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Bummer. Sorry about the car dude!
I don't think trying to get the car off the median had anything to do with the fire. Something likely happened when the car rolled on the median.
Whatever the cause, you should be ok insurance-wise as long as you have full coverage. Good luck!
I don't think trying to get the car off the median had anything to do with the fire. Something likely happened when the car rolled on the median.
Whatever the cause, you should be ok insurance-wise as long as you have full coverage. Good luck!
05-04-2009, 12:17 AM
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If the frame or cross brace was resting on a concrete or asphalt part of the road or curb it is also possible that the thin cross brace was pushed up and grounded into the hot wire of the starter, although this is less likely than the exhaust starting the fire on some dry grass or brush.
Did the fire start on the passenger side or the driver side?
Did the fire start on the passenger side or the driver side?
05-04-2009, 12:18 AM
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05-04-2009, 01:25 AM
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let me get this right.
You high centered your car and left it running?
just wow.
I'm glad no one was hurt, but Darwin catches the slow ones.
You high centered your car and left it running?
After about 15 minutes we saw smoke coming from somewhere so I immediately turned it off.
I'm glad no one was hurt, but Darwin catches the slow ones.
