Fire

[JimNolan]

Guys,
   I was at a car show in Rochester today and a guy walked up looking at the car and told me his 56 Victoria he just got through restoring burnt up yesterday. He was driving the car and the engine quit and when he pulled over he noticed the smoke coming from underneath the hood. The car burnt up before the fire dept. got there. He has no idea what happened other than one of the fire dept. guys said it looked like it was an electrical fire instead of a gas fire.
   That story reminded me of something that happened to me about 5 yrs. ago. I was at the hanger working on my 57 when I started smelling something like a burnt transformer. The car wasn't running and hadn't been started that day. After a few moments I noticed smoke coming from the brake sender on the master cylinder. I pulled the push-on wires off the sender burning my fingers as I did so. The brake light sender had shorted out inside the unit and was melting the positive wire going to the sender. If you just stop and think about it the brake lights will work without a key in the ignition. So that means the one wire is hot all the time. As hot as that wire was getting I'm sure the thing would have caught the harness on fire before long. Luckily I was there when it happened. What if I had been in bed and the car was in the garage at home when it happened.
    Tomorrow morning I'm going to install an inline fuse on the positive wire going to the brake sender. I figure about a 10 amp fuse will protect the 14 guage wire from getting too hot while still allowing brake and turn signal function without blowing the fuse.
   I remember when it happened to me that I thought I'd better figure a way for this not to happen again but apparently I forgot about it. I know these brake sender units will short out. Now, I'm going to fix it. Jim

[RICH MUISE]

That would ruin your day.I would think a kill switch and a fire extinguisher would be good additions too. Reminds me of the story of the guy who spent years building his '57...finally got the engine and automatic tranny installed and wired and was anxious to turn it over. I don't remember all the details, but if I remember correctly his brakes weren't hooked up and he had some problems with the neutral switch not being wired correctly. When he started it it was in gear, the engine raced out of control and slammed into a stone wall so hard it buckled the roof. Ever since I read that I've kept it in my head when I first start mine, the rear wheels will be jacked up off the ground.
Rich

[wv 57s forever]

i have a battery terminal disconnect i always screw off on my cars , lost a 1978 mustang 2 cobra to the pretty red flame.

[Ford Blue blood]

One of the things we give no thought to is the fused link.  These were installed in cars as their wiring and systems became more sophistcated.  They should be put in all the cars we build from the ground up to prevent such things from happening.  Can't begine to tell you how many cars I've helped people with that had "extras" added but no fuse.  Put the alternator in but not the fuse link.  All are easy to do and will save your car should feacle matter occur!

[suede57ford]

I have a fire extinguisher mounted under the drivers seat.   It is the type of propellent that will not stain the paint if I have to ever use it.

I think teapots that need rebuilt are often susceptable to catching on  fire.   Keep fresh carb kits on your e-code cars, and that can help prevent leaks and backfires.

[outcruisen]

Me too.. I disconect the positive on the battery every time I park up for longer than the day.. Cheap insurance I guess.

Cheers

[ptwood]

when I read this thread it made me think that I have a potential problem too on my 2 dr victoria HT (292 fordomatic with disc brake upgrade... I have seen small sparks near my brake master cylinder when I used some steeel wool to clean it up must have dusted past the live wire - can anyone tell me more about installing a fuse..where to buy
2nd question is about the neutral switch - seems my car either doesn't have it or it is not connected.. I know because I can start the car in gear-- not good...
any details on where it is located (a friend said on the steering column) and the proper connections to make it work will make my car safer
some of the comments here on what has happened to others are scary to think about and I want to avoid them at all costs.
Thank you
Peter

[bossguy]

This is pretty much what Fords recall 08S01 addresses 50 years later! The switch that disconnects the cruise control when you step on the brake screws into the bottom of the master cyl. Brake fluid deteriorates the diaphram in the switch and shorts out the always hot wires leading to a fire. After a year of being instructed to discoonect the wires, ford supplied a inline fuse wire, 8W7Z 14A411 C for 12.41. The ends would have to be changed to work on a 57.
On my 69 Boss I use a Moroso master disconnect to isolate the battery when parked.

[57AGIN]

Hi everyone:

Just a word of caution for you 57 owners having a LoJack theft deterrent System installed on your classics.  If you disconnect your battery your LoJack System will be running on its internal battery supply and you will never know when your LoJack isn't working anymore.  I'm not sure how to recommend you go about continuing to power your LoJack with your car battery disconnected.  I'm sure a simple work around could be set up.  Just a thought to consider while on this subject.

Bob
57 AGIN
    &
4.6 SHLB

[JimNolan]

Guys,
   I know if you disconnect your battery the possibility of fire caused by electrical connections will be elliminated. Also if you don't use your vehicle very often disconnecting the battery wouldn't be a headache. But, if you use your car almost every day or take very many trips with it I think you'd get tired of connecting and disconnecting the battery every place you stopped. Besides that, the fire I mentioned in the 56 happened while he was driving it. The switch I had go bad would have went bad with me diriving it also. As far as a fire extinguisher goes, I want the problem fixed, I don't want to knowingly carry a fire extinguisher for a problem I know about. The fusable link that one guy mentioned would be a cure that wouldn't make you have to reset your clock each time you decided to go somewhere. Better yet would be a brake pedal switch. Jim  ( I carry a fire extinguisher too)
   

[Ford_Crazy]

Teapots, Toilet Bowls, Flame Throwers....different words for the same thing.  Threw them all in the garbage years ago, but I guess we didn't get them all.   Seriously, if you don't have a battery disconnect switch on your 57 you are asking for trouble.  You never know what demons are lurking under your dash.   

[JimNolan]

Guys,
   I broke down and put the fuse inline with the hot wire going to the brake light switch on my 57 today. I checked the circuit and it pulled three amps with the brake lights on, so I used a 5 amp fuse. I looked for a fuseable wire link but all I could find was a 14 guage link. It's my understanding that a fuseable link should be the next wire size smaller than the circuit you're installing it on.
    My 57 got to enjoy it's first drive in the snow for this year. Wasn't much, but I noticed I didn't meet any other classics on the road today.

[Ford Blue blood]

A 4" 16 gauge wire in the line from the starter solinoid to the switch and one in the line from the alternator output to the solinoid will provide all the protection you will need to prevent a fire.  If you want get the big fuses and sockets from a parts store and wire them in.  A correctly wired car should be able to sit for monthe with no worry of draining the battery or having a fire start.  Even the "keep alive" for the computers won't suck it down.

Now having said that, there are several cut out switches out there that mount right on the battery.  It is a simple knife switch.  They come in both side mount and post styles.  Ron Francis and the rest of the after market wireing supplies have them if you can't find them locally.  They also have a provision for the keep alive for computers, clocks and the radio.