A more possable cause of 355 fires.

Ok i have decided to share what i found when i changed the fuel tank on my 355 two months ago. There have been alot of discusion about the possable causes of fire with in the 355 and time and time again, and it usualy concludes that the cause is usualy pin pointed to the alloy fuel line nuts on top of the engine. Yes these may crack of course, but i would like to draw your attention to a more likely cause of fire in the 355 engine bay. And it supprises me that no one has coverd this before. But i suppose there is not much cause to remove a fuel tank from a 355 unless you oped for an engine in belt change.
I am suggesting that the problem is indeed the fuel filler pipe along with the method that its connected to the fuel tank. First of all the fuel filler pipe is just a rubber/plastic tube that runs directly over the L/H manifold and is capable of holding about half a pint of fuel. So if ever you fill your tank right up to the brim, then all this fuel is suspended above the hot manifold. If you were to squese the said pipe on your 355 you will see how flimsy this pipe is and also there is no metal tube inside it to allow the fuel to flow, just the rubber/plastic pipe. Go and try it and you will see what i mean,
Now to the main cause of 355 engine bay fire IMO. Were the fuel tank filler neck stub enters through the bulk head from the rear, there is only about an inch and a half of filler neck stub that sticks through the fire wall into the engine bay. It is on here that the rubber/plastic hose clamps onto using a standard screw clap with a rubber condom like gaskit over the metal fuel tank stub. This is the place of concern!! Its a real crap design.
When i came to undo mine i discoverd that this clamp was not indeed tight but quite loose, and remember that this is just pushed onto the 1/12 inch stub and tightend via a standard clamp. Due to the small tight area you have to work in, when replacing the filler pipe its very hard to get leverage to push the pipe onto the stub, very hard indedeed. After the tank was replaced and every thing back to running order it was then that i realized what a crap design it was I went to mates house who also has a 355 and checked the filler pipe/stub clamp. And guess what?? Not tight
So i am concluding that becourse we hear about alot of 355 fires are usualy after a visit to the petrol station. that fuel is sitting in this filler pipe right above the manifold and if the clamp that holds the pipe onto the fuel tank stub is loose, then raw fuel will be able to spray all over the hot manifold. Also if the fuel tank or filler pipe has been removed for any reason, you realy have to make sure that the filler pipe is fully pushed onto the stub and that the clamp is realy tight and check every now and then that its still tight. Even though its a real pig to get to and check and tighten. I bet no one has checked the tightnes of your pipe to stub conection for years
I hope this helps some one.....or maybe not

 

Oh sorry mate, which paragraph??

 

Oh sorry mate, which paragraph??

 

Well yes mate but no 27 in the top picture and 31 in the bottom. You fill ya car to the brim and ya clamps loose it will leak or even spray out under tank pressure.

 

Also not forgrtting the flimsy plastic filler pipe that sits just above the manifolds with a siht load of fuel in it Think about it, would you feel ok about having a plastic bottle hung above ya fire place inches from the fire in ya home?