[blown07]

Originally Posted by gzim335

theres no way any ww fluid will catch fire,my car caught fire due to the old caps it opened while sliding/drifting but i had 100% methanol n slightly overfilled.

Well you would be surprised what I found out when testing the flamability of my meth mix a couple months ago. I put my typical 60% meth 40 % water in a spoon and lit it easily with a lighter. I then tried the -45C washer fluid that I use as a base to mix extra meth with and it lit just as easily...right out of the store bought container !!! In both cases it was an invisible flame but I could feel the heat and see the fluid disappearing.

To the original OP the only thing that comes to mind other than the WW fluid is the rubber skirt/shield on the motor mount. I had to remove mine when I did the DP's on my XI as they were touching it.

I have made a WW clip for both of cars using a spring type wire. I can post a pick later.

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

Originally Posted by blown07

Well you would be surprised what I found out when testing the flamability of my meth mix a couple months ago. I put my typical 60% meth 40 % water in a spoon and lit it easily with a lighter. I then tried the -45C washer fluid that I use as a base to mix extra meth with and it lit just as easily...right out of the store bought container !!! In both cases it was an invisible flame but I could feel the heat and see the fluid disappearing.

To the original OP the only thing that comes to mind other than the WW fluid is the rubber skirt/shield on the motor mount. I had to remove mine when I did the DP's on my XI as they were touching it.

I have made a WW clip for both of cars using a spring type wire. I can post a pick later.

[Eat.Sleep.Race]

Sounds like some kind of leak!! Just get it checked out at a shop or put it on a lift and look for any damages.

[SM335i]

Like I mentioned no games damages!

@blown07 can you show some pics please??

[332ijunkie]

Oil leaking onto downpipes= fire.

[tomwh85]

Originally Posted by SM335i

Can oil catch fire like that?

NO, oil has to burn

[332ijunkie]

Oil can and will catch fire like that, auto ignition point of 750-850F which the downpipes can easily reach when drifting in a parking lot with no airflow

[Team503]

he only thing that looked odd was residue on the downpipes near the gaskets following the downpipes and also same residue on the rest of the downpipes. Looked like fire corrosion residue or something. Gaskets are toast, but they were already done prior.. Saw oil residue around the turbos, but looked same from last time I checked. Nothing leaking either..

This is your clue. You have turbos leaking oil out the downpipes through the failed gasket.

Initial fix? Probably replace those downpipe gaskets so the oil doesn't get OUTSIDE the pipe and catch on fire.

REAL fix? You shouldn't have oil residue ANYWHERE. Where is the oil coming from? Turbo seals and bearings should be checked, among other things.

[EMC]

Originally Posted by Socket

You were super lucky dude ... go buy a lottery ticket

...and then go buy a fire extinguisher!

[SM335i]

Originally Posted by 332ijunkie

Oil can and will catch fire like that, auto ignition point of 750-850F which the downpipes can easily reach when drifting in a parking lot with no airflow

I don't think it was oil.

Originally Posted by Team503

This is your clue. You have turbos leaking oil out the downpipes through the failed gasket.

Initial fix? Probably replace those downpipe gaskets so the oil doesn't get OUTSIDE the pipe and catch on fire.

REAL fix? You shouldn't have oil residue ANYWHERE. Where is the oil coming from? Turbo seals and bearings should be checked, among other things.

Realized I have a cracked valve cover gasket and oil is seeping from there. But that was not what caused the fire.

The residue that I saw was road salt that kinda cooked to the pipes, have not had time to wash the underneath of the car. We are slammed with winter storms.

It was the windshield washer fluid, when I got under the car, it was all over the place, I even got some in my mouth a little from it dripping. Now I cant figure out if it came out because of open cap or because there is a leak.

Checked the bottle, it has meth in it, for extreme cold conditions and it says "highly flammable" on the bottle.

Originally Posted by EMC

...and then go buy a fire extinguisher!

Amen.

[froop]

Lol you got some meth in your mouth?

That shit ain't healthy for you haha.


To find out the leak I'd suggest just filling it all the way up and see where it's leaking from. You have a few different possible sources. First could be from the cap, second could be from the neck tube cracking and lastly it could be from the reservoir itself. Only one way to find out. Just don't open your mouth this time when under there checking this time.

[Socket]

[SM335i]

Originally Posted by froop

Lol you got some meth in your mouth?

That shit ain't healthy for you haha.


To find out the leak I'd suggest just filling it all the way up and see where it's leaking from. You have a few different possible sources. First could be from the cap, second could be from the neck tube cracking and lastly it could be from the reservoir itself. Only one way to find out. Just don't open your mouth this time when under there checking this time.

Yeah. It was disgusting The bottle said it can cause blindness if swallowed

Yeah maybe ill just refill with water mixed with a bit of alcohol and soap this time lol..

The windshield washer fluid is diluted methanol 2:1

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

Originally Posted by SM335i

I don't think it was oil.



Realized I have a cracked valve cover gasket and oil is seeping from there. But that was not what caused the fire.

The residue that I saw was road salt that kinda cooked to the pipes, have not had time to wash the underneath of the car. We are slammed with winter storms.

It was the windshield washer fluid, when I got under the car, it was all over the place, I even got some in my mouth a little from it dripping. Now I cant figure out if it came out because of open cap or because there is a leak.

Checked the bottle, it has meth in it, for extreme cold conditions and it says "highly flammable" on the bottle.



Amen.

It's leaking 1 of 2 ways typically, either coming out the cap or leaking by the seals on the bottom where the pumps are.

Considering you were drifting and likely sloshing around the fluid it likely created a vapor block and popped open the cap but there is a possiblity that the seals can still be leaking at the pumps. The problem with the seals at the pump is they are inconsistent and only leak depending on certain conditions.

I suggest you dilute your mixture as much as you can. I would say 20% or less methanol but there really is no safe bet with any meth. I'd so go 100% water but it would freeze so there needs to be a little bit of alcohol/meth.

Lastly, get yourself the latest Windshield Washer fluid cap and keep your fluid less then 50% full in the windshield washer tank. The whole WW fluid debacle is really serious and people take it a little too lightly sometimes on this platform. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I know plenty of cars that caught fire and they were bone stock vehicles, mature owners with stock fluid. The cause was the WW leaking in some fashion.

[NightStalker]

Originally Posted by Jeff@TopGearSolutions

BMW did redesign the cap and it now has a fire symbol on it. You could probably pick a new one up at the dealer and I highly recommend everyone does, at a minimum.

Honestly, I never used my WW fluid as I clean my car once a week, I'd sooner tell you all to leave it empty if it wasn't for the low fluid level light.

My suggestion would to be to put 99% water with a dash of alcohol or methanol so it doesn't freeze. BMW should recall the entire WW reservoir as it's a fire hazard.

As far as the OP, I'm thinking unburnt fuel or oil leaked out of the downpipes and caught fire, that's my only guess.

Can you link us a pic of the new cap? Can't seem to find it online..

[MiniXP]

Originally Posted by Jeff@TopGearSolutions

It's leaking 1 of 2 ways typically, either coming out the cap or leaking by the seals on the bottom where the pumps are.

Considering you were drifting and likely sloshing around the fluid it likely created a vapor block and popped open the cap but there is a possiblity that the seals can still be leaking at the pumps. The problem with the seals at the pump is they are inconsistent and only leak depending on certain conditions.

I suggest you dilute your mixture as much as you can. I would say 20% or less methanol but there really is no safe bet with any meth. I'd so go 100% water but it would freeze so there needs to be a little bit of alcohol/meth.

Lastly, get yourself the latest Windshield Washer fluid cap and keep your fluid less then 50% full in the windshield washer tank. The whole WW fluid debacle is really serious and people take it a little too lightly sometimes on this platform. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I know plenty of cars that caught fire and they were bone stock vehicles, mature owners with stock fluid. The cause was the WW leaking in some fashion.

My e46 used to like to dump all its washer fluid at random times. I think from the seals around the pumps. Glad to see another issue bmw hasn't fixed through the generations of 3-series...

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

Originally Posted by RVS 8

Can you link us a pic of the new cap? Can't seem to find it online..

I don't have a specific link but I can show you a picture of what the new ones look like.

To be honest, I dont know how special it is if any. I just know it has the fire symbol on it.

The real point is just to have people get a new cap because as these cars age the cap becomes weak and prone to popping off. Like I advised earlier, I would tell everyone to reduce there mixtures to less then 20% methanol and only keep the reservoir half full. It doesn't guarantee anything but it aleast minimizes the potential of a problem.

Originally Posted by MiniXP

My e46 used to like to dump all its washer fluid at random times. I think from the seals around the pumps. Glad to see another issue bmw hasn't fixed through the generations of 3-series...

I know, I know... They should really recall this kind of thing. They are going to end up with a big law suit as soon as people start getting hurt.

[NightStalker]

Ok got it. Now I see what you mean with the fire symbol. In any case I will replace this asap

[blown07]

Pics of the WW tank clip up made out of spring steel and then painted. I also never fill the WW tank past the heat shield.

[SM335i]

Originally Posted by blown07

Pics of the WW tank clip up made out of spring steel and then painted. I also never fill the WW tank past the heat shield.

Thats a great idea, I will be doing something like this.

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

Originally Posted by blown07

Pics of the WW tank clip up made out of spring steel and then painted. I also never fill the WW tank past the heat shield.

It's sad that has to come to that but great idea and clean too.