Haven't seen this thread in awhile, so I'll finally add something. Last spring, I was driving to work and saw a whisp of smoke drift out of my hood scoop while stopped at a light. It was a chilly morning, so I assume it is just little vapor condensing due to the hot engine bay (not that unusual). I catch some green lights and am cruising happily for about 10 minutes. Here and there I catch a whiff of something burning. "I bet it's that beat up Pontiac in front of me", I think. I slow down for some traffic and smell it a lot stronger. I had done some work to the engine that weekend, so I figure I am just burning off some stray WD-40. I cruise another 10 minutes and have to stop at a light right near my office. Within seconds, smoke is billowing out of my scoop, all around the hood, and the fenders. I keep staring straight ahead as the cars start to stack up left, right, and behind me. I am just praying for the light to turn green, so I can get out of there. It doesn't and I sit there. Every second, the smoke spreads further. As the cloud envelopes the adjacent cars, I change my strategy to avoid the open mouth stares of fellow commuters. I go with Plan B: slip through a gap in the lane next to me, into the open right turn lane, and pull into a grocery store parking lot. Still thinking that embarassment is the worst thing I will face today, I casually pop the hood without shutting the engine off. I quickly notice that my turbo and manifold is engulfed in flames. I jump through the window and shut the engine off. Not realizing what I am up against, I start slapping and blowing on the fire. That does nothing, so I run to the hatch and pull out a 1/2 gallon jug of water/antifreeze. I start splashing it on the flames, sparingly at first, to keep from cracking my manifold. Every flame I put out, comes right back. I just dump the water and cringe at the sound of creaking metal. I have just enough water to put the fire out. I sheepishly call my boss to pick me up. While waiting, I figure out that my turbo oil inlet was loose and soaked the miles of fiberglass header wrap (top mounted turbo on long tube manifold). My manifold was hotter than the flash point of the oil. It just kept re-igniting as I put it out. As my boss arrives, I tighten up the fitting and we head to the office. That night, at a gas station, two different people stop me to inform me of the smoke drifting out of my hood scoop. I casually explain that that is just leftover oil from the fire this morning. Neither knew quite how to respond.

Corbin
'95 ESI-T

Now with more power and fewer leaks



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