Can someone explain how "Flamethrowers" work?

Black&Tan97Tnewportbeach · 31 October 2003

Hi Guys an Gals,

Can somebody explain how Flamethrowers work? I saw them in GREASE when I was a kid, then more recently in 2F2F, but I always thought it was Hollywood-Only Hoopla. Then last night I saw that horsepowerfreaks.com sells a kit for $160, for a single exhaust.

Not that I am REALLY considering it, I was mostly wondering where the fuel comes from. If they made one that the cops couldnt see the flames but everyone else could, I probably would hook it up though! Yes, I am THAT BEAVIS!!

Happy Halloween!

MiamieNeSeX · 31 October 2003

The ones I have seen up close have a LP or propane line run to the exhaust, along with an igniter.

Armando

PorknBeanz · 31 October 2003

I think you should have a propane line around the entire circumference of the car, with a hole pointing outward every 6" or so. Connect the solenoid valve and the igniter to the security system, so that when the alarm is triggered, the flamethrower system is activated.

In order to keep lawyers (representing charred would-be car thieves) from suing, you'd probably also need an audio warning. Every 15 seconds the car should say "Warning! This car may spontaneously combust." This would also be a good deterrent for people who might park to close to you.

Jett · 1 November 2003

Flamethrowers

The original '50s-style flamethrowers used unburned gasoline in the exhaust stream as fuel. Modern cars w/ fuel injection, catalytic converters, smog controls, etc probably don't produce all the spewage the old carbuerated engines did. Someone (my dad?) once told me that the shadetree mechanic way to do this back in the day was to cut a hole of proper size in the tailpipe and screw in a spark plug, then run a wire from one terminal on the distributor to that spark plug. Presto! Constant fuel from exhaust and constant spark from distributor = tailpipe flamethrower! I have seen one or two cars set up like this in the '90s at "cruise night" in places like smalltown Michigan. They must have had a more "sophisticated" setup, with some sort of switch in place, because they could turn the flames on and off.

chriswtx · 1 November 2003

There are a few kits on the market that have a seaperate coil and sparkplug for both tips and a control box. You rev the engine hit a button on the dash and the control box cuts the spark to the engine for a secont and raw fuel dumps into the exhaust and is lit by the spark plugs in the exhaust. Presto instant flame thrower. PS i saw this product on the TV show TRUCKS. you can probaly get more info at their web site. hope this helps...

Black&Tan97Tnewportbeach · 1 November 2003

Wow kool you guys, thanks for all the info, it sounds fun but it also REALLY sounds like 'bad idea list' material!

Brian2by2 · 27 November 2003

There are lot of RX-7s around here that can spit decent flames w/o anything!!! lol

And my friend Elliott has a supra that spits some decent sized flames when it backfires out the exhaust (probably a quick blue flame maybe 4 feet long out his exhaust pipe!!!

)

prova4re · 27 November 2003

Chris from SOS was spiting flames at Nsxpo.
I think it might be a new mod he is working on.

jadkar · 29 November 2003

Alex's red GruppeM NSX shot flames at Expo as well, I know that his wasn't from any add on component in the exhaust. I think it was just a lack of cat. and the additional high flow muffler & headers.

Can someone explain how "Flamethrowers" work?

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