Recently purchased a 1948 3800 and I believe it has a fire extinguisher mounted in the cab? The only issue is that when I opened it, the clearish liquid inside smelled of brake cleaner, gasoline, or something highly flammable.....Please dont mind the holes in the floor lol
Older fire extinguishers used carbon tetrachloride. Highly hazardous stuff. Link Please don't be sniffing it.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
Yep, that's a brass canister extinguisher, filled with Carbon Tet. It'd carcinogenic, but it also makes some if the best thread tapping lubricant that's ever been invented. Drain the canister and store the liquid in a tightly capped mason jar. Just have plenty of ventilation if you use it as a thread tapping lube. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
Jerry is right about it being the best tapping fluid for steel and stainless steel! But not on aluminum, it will gum up the tap and you will break the tap. Don't ask me how I know.
Don
1967 GMC 9500 Fire Ladder Truck "The Flag Pole" In the Stovebolt Gallery 1946 2-Ton grain truck 1946 3/4-ton pickup, 1953 1-ton pickup 1957 1-ton flatbed dually, 1954 Pontiac Straight Eight Of all the things I've lost in my life, I miss my mind the most!
Carbon Tet was commonly used in the dry cleaning industry pre 1960ish. Scientists noticed a correlation between dry cleaners and higher death rates and began a study. The stuff was outlawed soon afterwards. There was a story floating around at the time of a man who picked up his suit from the cleaners and put it on the next day for work. Walked in the door of his business and dropped dead. Ambulance personnel noticed a strong odor of Carbon Tet on the body. As I said it was a story at the time, who knows if true or not.
Martin '62 Chevy C-10 Stepside Shortbed (Restomod in progress) '47 Chevy 3100 5 Window (long term project) ‘65 Chevy Biscayne (Emily) ‘39 Dodge Business Coupe (Clarence) “I fought the law and the law won" now I are a retired one! Support those brave men/women who stand the "Thin Blue Line"! Hug a cop! USAF 1965-1969 Weather Observation Tech (I got paid to look at the clouds)
Can those old extinguishers be refilled with modern stuff to be re-used?
1950 Chevrolet 3100 (Ol' Roy)
1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe |1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1969 Pontiac GTO (The Dishpit) I 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)
I don't know of a fire suppression liquid other than carbon tet that's stable enough to stay liquid without being pressurized in a sealed container. Halon comes to mind, but I believe it had to be contained in a pressure vessel. It's also almost impossible to find due to some sort of so-called health hazards . Jerry
Last edited by Rusty Rod; 03/14/20238:39 PM.
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
Probably will just empty it out and clean it up and either leave it empty or find something else to put in to keep it operational but not be used as a fire extinguisher.....maybe Bourbon? LOL
But officer, I’m not drinking! it’s a fire extinguisher
Officer: OK, prove it. Put out that fire.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
