Video 355 Fire during test drive

Tragic. ALWAYS always always carry a fire extinguisher! (If time to save luggage, there was time to save the car

 

Jesus

 

What a shame.

 

Very very sad

 

That seemed like a fast-moving fire. Questionable if a typical small in-car fire extinguisher would have put it out. Perhaps if it were noticed and snuffed out immediately. It was a better idea to pull over and abandon ship in this case. Tragic...

 

yeah Im not sure a small size firex extinguisher as we usually see in sports cars can really make a difference. It gives you like 2-3 seconds of action. Unless the fire is really located on a single, accessible point of the car, I think it wont be enough.

 

From what I've read, 2.5 pounds of dry powder extinguisher is considered enough for most fires.

 

Terrible shame.

 

Here's an interesting video. I've used a fire extinguisher on an engine fire once. What a mess! Powder everywhere. For ten plus times the price of a powder extinguisher there are these kinds of extinguishers that leave no residue. Fires don't start huge. If you pull over and use an extinguisher you have a good chance to nip the fire in the bud.

 

Regular extinguisher wouldn't help. I worked for a exotic car tour company and we had a customer that hydroplaned (under the speed limit) a 2011 Lp-560, spun its rear into a barrier and cut a fuel line. The car was immediately engulfed and he had to jump out of flames. If he was unconscious then lights out.


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This is scary.

What is a good fire extinguisher that can be mounted inside the 458? Are there any mounting brackets available?


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Very tragic…important thing is that you 2 are ok…

 

As I posted above, the H3R is a replacment for halon which apparently is now banned. The beauty of these extinguishers is they don't leave a horrible powdery mess and they work. They're not cheap but neither would be correcting the harm caused by the powder. I used a powder extinguisher in an engine bay. Put out the fire well but what a powdery mess. Powder went every where inside the engine bay.

 

IIRC there was a factory recall on 355s a few years back. They have a fuel line susceptible to damage. Maybe the 355 guys can clarify.

Or they were just old...

 

The recall was on the fuel line block area in front of the Power steering fluid resevoir. The real problem is simply one of time and location. There is a fuel line that runs from the front of the engine area to the fuel filter that sits on the left side (driver's side) whereby the fuel line is very close to the exceedingly hot exhaust manifolds. It is wrapped in stainless steel which conceals the condition of the underlying rubber. When the underlying rubber cracks it will leak and that leak is right by the manifold. This makes a fire all but certain. I would recommend changing that fuel line every decade. I had a custom line made by Earl's rather than buy the OEM line from Ferrari as this was much more cost effective for same quality.

 

It's usually the incorrect installation of clamps on coolant hoses which abrades the fuel lines.

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/posts/148755951/

The recall installed a higher fuel block so there was no contact... although some installations rubbed on the engine lid hinges after that.

 

A fire like that in the engine compartment next to the gas tank? Screw the fire extinguisher and run like hell.

 

Pretty much all mid-engine Ferraris that I know of have the gas tank in the back. At least on the F355 the tank is in front of the engine whereas in other Ferraris the tanks are actually closer to the exhaust manifolds. I won't be running as though my car was going to explode as in the movies. Instead, I'll be grabbing my fire extinguisher.
Better yet, I replace my fuel lines, particularly the ones running alongside the manifolds, with every second engine out service.

 

Just ask Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer!

 

As for Aerosmith drummer, totally different scenario. He was not driving the car and there is zero mention of any effort to try and put out the fire. Instead, there was fuel on the ground and the gas station and the car and pumps were alit. "and somehow the fuel spilled on the ground and set the car on fire and the gas station on fire.'' Handrahan said that when firefighters arrived, ``the pumps were involved and the car was fully involved.'' Kramer, who was on his way to meet his wife, April, for dinner, told her later that he was looking down and when he looked up he suddenly found himself engulfed in flames."

Personal choice, but I carry a fire extinguisher.

Cool part of the story though is Aerosmith drummer drove an F355! Sadly, one less Titanium 355 exists today.