Dave, being a chemist and a hazardous materials specialist, provides the following information about gasoline (petrol) -
Gasoline has a flashpoint (FP) of 45 degrees F BELOW ZERO! This means that if you were to take a gasoline container to Alaska in the middle of the winter (-45F), then open the container and provide an ignition source, you would get a flash. There is sufficient molecular movement even at this very low temperature to kick enough gasoline into the vapor space above the liquid to reach the lower flammability limit.
Gasoline has a vapor pressure (VP) of 525 mm of mercury at 25C. Since atmospheric pressure is 760mmHg@25C, this fact tells us that gasoline is extremely volatile (the closer the VP is to atmospheric pressure, the more volatile the substance is).
Bottom line -- Gasoline is extremely volatile and extremely flammable. It is most certainly one of the most hazardous substances we commonly deal with. BE CAREFUL!
Of course, gasoline isn't the only hazardous material we use as we work on our precious little Bugs. See Automotive Chemicals and Lubricants for a listing of some of the others. To work with these materials safely, it is imperative that you understand the nature and degree of any hazards that may be associated with them. For instance, the nature of gasoline is that it is flammable and volatile; the degree of these hazards is VERY in both cases.
All chemicals sold in the United States have associated with them a written Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) that tells all about the chemical. It is a wise precaution to read and understand the MSDSs for the automotive chemicals you will be working with BEFORE you start to work with them.
Someone posted to the RAMVA Newsgroup -
I know something that seems unimportant but causes most engine fires is the o ring that the fuel line goes through in the sheet metal in the front of the engine by the 3rd cylinder. You said that the rubber seal around rear sheet metal was gone probably from heat and became brittle. Well, this o-ring will be the same and the metal fuel line will rub the sheet metal and eventually break. Then all the fuel runs down onto the hottest exhaust manifold of the engine and a fire can result. Also make sure the tube going into the carb is secure. They can pull out spilling gas there also.
Dave wrote to Rob in this regard -
I got a rubber grommet and slid it forward on the fuel line and stuffed it into the hole in the firewall it bothered me having bare metal rubbing on the fuel line.
Disclaimer stuff: Rob and Dave have prepared this information from their own experiences. We have not assumed any specialised mechanical knowledge, but we DO assume that anyone using this information has at least some basic mechanical ability.
We hope you find this information useful, but we don't take any responsibility for anything which happens to you, other people, your VW or any other property or goods resulting from your use of this material.
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Last revised 6 May 2004.
