[B_and_D]

kempert, thanks for the info about the fire extinguishers.

The information you gave about fire extinguishers needing to be agitated is really good to know. I just went out and checked ours (the one in the garage), it's got to be at least 10 years old and we've never done that. The one in the TM probably needs to be replaced too.

I had a car catch on fire about 25 years ago on Hwy 680 in San Jose. I was in the fast lane and suddenly the engine died. I didn't know it was on fire. I had to make it across 4 lanes of traffic to the shoulder. When I pulled over, I looked out over the hood, and the paint was kind of starting to bubble in one spot and turning black (at this point I couldn't figure out why). And then the smoke started curling up from under the hood. Luckily, someone with a fire extinguisher came along (I was waving my arms and shouting for someone to call the fire department, as if they could hear me). We couldn't get the hood open because the cable had expanded from the heat, so he kicked in the front grill (which somehow opened the hood) and put out the fire with his extinguisher. When we looked into the engine compartment the master brake fluid cylinder (which was plastic) was flaming like a tiny Olympic torch. I'll never forget that sight. I later found out that a fitting had worked loose from the carburetor and gas was spilling over the engine and the spark plugs...

That was my beloved 1971 Capri...I had the engine rebuilt and and put over 250K on that car.

Yep, we need new fire extinguishers.