You will love this: blown exhaust!

Hi all!

For those who don't know, I have a 1987 Citroen BX16 (carburator, 4 cyl, 1.6 litter).

Last monday, when i was going to start it to drive my children to school, when i first turned the key it made a loud "BANG" and a cloud of dust and smoke raised inside the garage. After a moment of shock, and people came asking what was that, pushed it outside by hand to check it out.
The first exhaust pan had exploded, and was turned inside out exposing the sooty interior.

Started it, and it turned right at first try, and other than the loud exhaust it worked fine.
The previous day i parked it just fine inside the garage, even though i didn't let it heat up to normal...

Had a new pan in, and the guy at the shop said it could happen to any gasoline car, probably some unburnt gas found it way to the exhaust and at the first trial to start it, bang!...
Anyone ever experienced that?
For me is the first, even after starting cars after sitting for a while or by pushing them with weak batteries...
Guess i have been lucky before!
Perhaps i should be thankful for not blowing up in a ball of fire with the car!

Haven't seen a muffler actually explode yet.

This week I was driving behind a colleague in his 1986 Volvo 240 Turbo (converted to LPG). Suddenly his ignition stopped and unburned LPG kept flowing through the engine. A nice BANG, a large flame out of the exhaust and some black smoke scared a lot of drivers.

I agree that it can happen. Probably some fuel went through before the ignition got it running and set it off. I have had similar explosions but just not enough to damage the muffler.

Bob in Lake Havasu

Here in Socal, low riders have a spark plug in the tail pipe for lighting up acetylene welding gas that is injected downstream. It is quite the effect!!!!

alan

Now there is a case of anal retention gone way too far

Quote
Bob in Everett
I agree that it can happen. Probably some fuel went through before the ignition got it running and set it off. I have had similar explosions but just not enough to damage the muffler.

Now the shock is gone, i believe the fuel went there the night before, when i started the car and rolled it into the garage, in less than a minute.
It didn't had time to settle the idle, and perhaps the vaporised gas settled on the first muffler and ignited at the first attempt to start the engine in the morning.
Either that, or I have Gremlins in the garage, which could explain a lot...


I had my share of "Bangs" with this car and other before, but never blew-up the muffler inside out! The metal is hard enough so I cant turn it by hand.