Started up the Maverick the other day, drove it around front all of a sudden I see a bunch of smoke coming out, turn the car off open the hood and see there's a fire in the middle of the engine compartment. Ran for the hose and got the fire out, luckily it didn't damage to much. A/C line, distributor lead, tach wire, couple other things. Took it to the mechanic and had them fix what got damaged by the fire. Only thing we and them can figure, some fuel must have leaked out of the hose leading to the fuel filter/carb then got on the intake and that must have started the fire. Got it back today, drive it for alittle bit and now it's running like crap it's idleing so bad it stalls if you don't put your foot on the gas. Maybe something in the distributor got messed up? I guess it will be heading back to the mechanic next week, if it's the points, I'm not going to have them fix that, I'll switch over to Petronix. It has not been a good week for me.
Morgan, That hurts just thinking about it. The first day I brought the white Cougar conv home, it caught fire like that. I did not have a fire extinguisher. I grabbed sand and put it out. It melted all the wiring on the engine and even melted the air cleaner. Luckily, no sand got into the engine. However, I am still cleaning sand out of the engine bay 6 years later. Overactive fuel pump. Replaced it and no other problems. I now carry a fire extinguisher in the trunk. Was the filter a glass one? If so, they have a tendency to leak and crack. Numerous fires has been started as a result of theses filters. By the way, I was having a problem with the way the white conv was running and switched to Petronix and an Ignitor coil. No more problems. Jim
morgan, that brings back to many bad memories! we can't let another fla car go up in flames. I'm glad you got it out without too much damage. It didn't damage your hood paint did it? I would not go back with points either. the pertronics work well and are affordable. I am running braided fuel lines from the pump to the carb just so I don't have a similar leak happen. When I put the filters on I put it on the outging side of the fuel pump but right down there next to it. that way if anything leaks it goes down and not poof.
Real sorry to hear that but it should be easily fixable. I had a accident once in the Sprint many years ago, where the trunk floor seal that goes around the filler neck, caught fire. I cannot figure out how this part caught fire, but it did. I had nothing to put it out with so I beat it out with my bare hands. Got some pretty good burns, but I saved my car. Ever since then I carry a fire extinguisher in all my cars. Pretty cheap insurance.
