What fueled the fire?

I never had the privilege of meeting them but their passing is devastating to the community at large. That simple fact tells me they were great
people.I'm deeply saddened by their loss and that I never got to meet them.

I very much like the idea of the inertial switch for the ignition and fuel pumps. Does anyone have a link to one?

--
Justin Brady
http://www.thegmcrv.com/
1976 Palm Beach 455
 
> I never had the privilege of meeting them but their passing is devastating to the community at large. That simple fact tells me they were great
> people.I'm deeply saddened by their loss and that I never got to meet them.
>
> I very much like the idea of the inertial switch for the ignition and fuel pumps. Does anyone have a link to one?

There are a number on ebay

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2057872.m570.l1312.R1.TR11.TRC2.A0.H0.Xinit.TRS1&_nkw=initertia+switch&_sacat=0

--
Tom Lins
St Augustine, FL
77 GM Rear Twin, Dry Bath, 455, FI-Tech EFI
Manuals on DVD
http://www.bdub.net/tomlins/
 
> I never had the privilege of meeting them but their passing is devastating to the community at large. That simple fact tells me they were great
> people.I'm deeply saddened by their loss and that I never got to meet them.
>
> I very much like the idea of the inertial switch for the ignition and fuel pumps. Does anyone have a link to one?

Or if you want brand new (pasted from another thread)

My old Ford F350 has both an inertia switch AND and oil pressure switch. So the inertia switch has to be untripped AND there must be oil pressure for
the fuel pump relay to operate.

Here is a brand-spanking-new universal inertia switch from Standard Motor Parts (Part #FV7):

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/smp-fv7

Here is Standard's installation PDF:

https://eaccess.smpcorp.com/eCatalogs/Downloads/EMD/GF10900B.pdf

It appears a wiring pigtail is included; so that is nice.

Tom Newell
San Pedro, California

--
Tom Lins
St Augustine, FL
77 GM Rear Twin, Dry Bath, 455, FI-Tech EFI
Manuals on DVD
http://www.bdub.net/tomlins/
 
We could all be driving Armored tanks and still be involved in fiery
accidents. The fault of this one is not anything that our friends did or
did not do to their coach. Or for that matter, that we could do to ours.
No, the cause lies squarely on the shoulders of ONE INATTENTIVE IDIOT
driving in an unsafe manner, and a cascade of failures within seconds of
each other that led to the unnecessary loss of our friends. That is what
needed to be fixed here. And will still remain a threat after all of us
have changed our coaches. Bad drivers, poorly designed turn lanes will
remain, lurking, until fate aligns the combination of factors and the next
one happens. If you can detect a bit of cynicism in this, it was
intentional and I hope that I did not offend any of you. We all lost some
great friends. Keep your eyes on the road and drive like others out there
are trying to involve you in their stupid behaviors. (Rant off)
Jim Hupy, President, GMC CASCADERS
Salem, Or (still in the hospital, but hope to get out today)

On Fri, Apr 5, 2019, 8:04 AM Tom Lins via Gmclist
wrote:

> > I never had the privilege of meeting them but their passing is
> devastating to the community at large. That simple fact tells me they were
> great
> > people.I'm deeply saddened by their loss and that I never got to meet
> them.
> >
> > I very much like the idea of the inertial switch for the ignition and
> fuel pumps. Does anyone have a link to one?
>
> There are a number on ebay
>
>
> https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2057872.m570.l1312.R1.TR11.TRC2.A0.H0.Xinit.TRS1&_nkw=initertia+switch&_sacat=0
>
>
> --
> Tom Lins
> St Augustine, FL
> 77 GM Rear Twin, Dry Bath, 455, FI-Tech EFI
> Manuals on DVD
> http://www.bdub.net/tomlins/
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
 
I've also been to the Colaws RV salvage lot. Found it interesting were fire=
s started in many. The State Farm adjuster in our case. Said that fires see=
m to be the MO in how to get out of financial issues with RV's. The fire wa=
ll in our house, for the garage is double sheets of 5/8" sheetrock. Our GM=
C's have either 1" or 3/4" Marian plywood. Depending on the year. That make=
s for a good firewall. I saw how well that the floor in our GMC served as a=
firewall. Our fire burned for 35 minutes. And there was no fire penetratio=
n of that floor. I've seen 4 GMC's that were in hard head-on collisions. N=
one burned. Seen 3 that burned because of rubber gas lines between a fuel =
pump, and the carb. I've never seen a GM built anything. That had a rubber =
hose to a carb. As to the mobile home propane. These, and most stick built =
home tend to have the furnace near the center. And the gas line coming in n=
ear that point. Not at the back end away from the kitchen. I don't want to=
see this happen to any of us. And I think we need to think about the chang=
es that we make to our GMC's. I've always gone by. I have met the enemy. An=
d HE is ME. If we've messed with our gas/propane fixtures, or lines. Go bac=
k and test for leaks. Tight doesn't mean that it doesn't leak. Our own GMC=
has very little rubber gas lines now. I used steel every place that I coul=
d. I avoided rubber/ braded lines near the engines EFI TB. Avoid drilling=
holes in your fire wall up front. If you have to. Make the hole as small a=
s possible. Then seal it. DO NOT put fresh air vents anywhere up front. EV=
ER, NEVER. Buy Wind Wings from Jim K. I'm not crazy about these fuel tan=
ks up front for EFI fuel pumps. To me. It's like putting a gas filled bom=
b in the crash zone. Did Fred have one up there for his EFI? Anyone know? A=
s to these tanks. Not my monkeys. Not my circus. I just know for me. I'll n=
ever put one in. Some may say. This isn't the time to talk about these thin=
gs. Then when is the best time? Fred, and Diane were terrific people. Much =
liked, and loved. Maybe they may have lived if there hadn't been a fire. Ne=
ver know. We can't help them. But we just might give ourselves better odds=
of survival in a frontal crash. Bob Dunahugh
 
I have spent this past week reading about the many losses in our GMC community, none of whom I knew or will now have the opportunity to meet.
I agree with Jim H, that the real problem with this fire was the idiot behind the other wheel! You can't prevent that. All you can do is drive like
everyone else is checking their email and keep your hands on the wheel and your head on a swivel! And even then you cannot prevent or anticipate
everything.

One thing that has come out of this devastation for me, as a relative newbie, is all of the discussion of fire prevention options - fuel and oil
pressure cut-offs, fire suppression equipment, things to check for after modifications - like an auxiliary fuel tank for EFI system (I have no idea if
there is one in my coach). Things worth knowing, if you are like me and still learning.

I feel for all of the families and friends who have lost so much this week.
--
Deb McWade
Logan Lake, BC, CAN
"Li'l Sister"
'77 Kingsley, 403, EBL EFI;
TZE167V101404
It's Bigger on the Inside!
 
Jim,

You're absolutely right about the accident.

What I must have missed is why YOU've been in the hospital and how you're
coming along.

Ken H.

On Fri, Apr 5, 2019 at 11:58 AM James Hupy via Gmclist <

> We could all be driving Armored tanks and still be involved in fiery
> accidents. The fault of this one is not anything that our friends did or
> did not do to their coach. Or for that matter, that we could do to ours.
> No, the cause lies squarely on the shoulders of ONE INATTENTIVE IDIOT
> driving in an unsafe manner, and a cascade of failures within seconds of
> each other that led to the unnecessary loss of our friends. That is what
> needed to be fixed here. And will still remain a threat after all of us
> have changed our coaches. Bad drivers, poorly designed turn lanes will
> remain, lurking, until fate aligns the combination of factors and the next
> one happens. If you can detect a bit of cynicism in this, it was
> intentional and I hope that I did not offend any of you. We all lost some
> great friends. Keep your eyes on the road and drive like others out there
> are trying to involve you in their stupid behaviors. (Rant off)
> Jim Hupy, President, GMC CASCADERS
> Salem, Or (still in the hospital, but hope to get out today)
>
 
I looked at those switches on ebay and the cost. I said to my self that this switch would have done nothing in the case of my fire. I was not moving
so no impact.

I view these as a very cheap add on for "just in case". I would consider these just like a fire extinguisher. You put it in "just in case" and hope
it is never used.

Those ones for around $17.00 on ebay look like they would do the trick. I would wire it inline with the +12 going direct to the pump, not the ground
side. 16 or 18 gauge wire would work. My Carter draws slightly less that 1.5 amps and I have a 3 amp fuse protecting it. So wiring should not be an
issue.

The question is where to mount it. I think some place out of the way, clean environment(not outside or under the hood), and easily accessible in case
you ever have to reset it. Right now I'm thinking mounting it on the inside under the dash bolted to the fire wall. I think a printed label should
be attached somewhere telling others that it is there.

Any other ideas?
--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
 
> I never had the privilege of meeting them but their passing is devastating to the community at large. That simple fact tells me they were great
> people.I'm deeply saddened by their loss and that I never got to meet them.
>
> I very much like the idea of the inertial switch for the ignition and fuel pumps. Does anyone have a link to one?
>
you can probably find them on any ford product built sense the early 1980"s

--
Gary W. Mills
Livonia, MI
. ___________
./_][__][] []| 1974 GMC M/H
.*O-------OO-* Painted Desert
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
GMCMI Spring 2026 Rally
Applied GMC

Share this page

Share this page
Top Bottom
Back