An evening to forget!!

Paul Downes

Member
Messages
959
Location
Westphalia, Michigan
I don't usually air my dirty laundry in public but I found this stupidity of mine just a little humorous.

An RC cola saved my truck tonight.

I took off this evening with my 3 yr. old daughter to go get a soil sample for some friends. A few miles down the road in my S-10 pickup the check engine soon light came on. This has been a real reliable 2001 commuter truck with 175,000 miles, and this is the first time the light has come on.

I was a little alarmed even though I know that often it's just an O-2 sensor. So I pulled over into a small park and checked the fluids. The oil was down a half quart so I figured to top it off and carry on until I could pull the codes.

BAD IDEA. The engine was hot and I spilled oil on the exhaust manifold. Instant fireball. I first tried blowing on it. (I know, silly) Then I ran around and yanked the girl out of the truck and pulled the cell out to call for the fire department. Then I remembered the RC cola on the seat and yanked it out and doused the fire. It looks worse than it is. The hood insulation was a bit burned and a few hoses are scorched. The wiring harness cover was burnt off but the wires seem ok. The only real damage is to my pride and to one spark wire. :(

It could have been a lot worse.
 
That's good quick thinking Paul, child first, then the truck. ;)

My daughters car burnt up this past winter. Someone topped the oil off for her, about a gallon too much. Oil squirted out the dipstick right onto the catalytic converter.
 
Quick thinking and a good save. :thumb:

I once pulled over to help a guy who'd gotten a stuck accelerator, and by the time he realized he could just turn off the car, both of his front wheels were on fire from brake heat. We had no liquid, but I did have an empty Big Gulp cup in my Jeep. We used that to throw sand on the wheels and put the fire out. I bought a fire extinguisher on my way home that afternoon. ;)
 
Way to go Paul!!:thumb::thumb: Quick reactions, good survival thoughts on saving the next generation of Downe's! (ya didn't sit her in the middle of the road now didja?):rofl::rofl:
Years ago our farm truck was giving us fits, it caught on fire while cutting wood in a pine woods, dad popped the hood, flames everywhere, he starts throwing handfulls of pine needles on the engine saying something like, "burn baby, burn!":eek::huh: Yep, another guy cutting saw the fire, grabs his two extinguishers :huh: and puts it out! Dad is like, dang gone, now I got to put new wires on it and get it running! :doh::rolleyes::rofl::rofl: yep, true story!
 
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