David,

I’m always happy to tell you guys about the idiocy my friends and I partake in.

Why learn from your own mistakes when you can learn from mine?

“If it’s not on fire, you’re not a try-er.”

David, I know you take a lot of ribbing around here for your love of barely-functioning off-road vehicles (I know I enjoy invoking your name now and then!), but articles like this? Thank you for them. I don’t do as much work under the hood as I’d like to, and I know I’d likely have made the same mistake your friend…

I’ll rebuild the carb, and she’ll fire right up.

Not to mention diesel controls engine speed via fuel. Unregulated fuel supply + diesel = wide open throttle that won’t stop until it runs out of fuel, or blows up.

“Shit, now the carb is full of ABC powder”

Congrats Mr. Tracy, you one up’d Stef’s article How To Kill A Jeep Using Mostly Two Wheels with a story of how to kill a Jeep that doesn’t run. You continue to be the true Jeep authority on Jalopnik.  

Ah starting fluid, such a cruel mistress! Honestly you should probably have a fire extinguisher in all your cars and a big one in your garage.

Washing machine? What’s the worst he could do.....oh damn....

First off, never spray the stuff into a carburetor while the engine is cranking.

1.) Keep a shop fire extinguisher. On the wall and obvious with no shit hanging on it. While you’re at it, stuff an old ammo can or something with first aid gear in case something like an angle grinder gets away from you.

Basically.

Jesus Christ almighty you and your buddies…

David, there is a silver lining here: Your loss is hopefully the gain of many a Jalop. Starting fluid is no joke. One needs to be especially careful with it on Diesel engines, as the higher compression can get really, dangerously high if too much fluid accumulates in the combustion chamber. I also had to recently…

Tracy: “My Jeep’s engine caught fire last night...”

So don’t pour fire-water into sparky vroom-vroom? Got it.

Might be time to invest in a second fire extinguisher, one for the Willy’s and one for this.

Glad you knew where your fire extinguisher was. (I’ve been on a “keep an extinguisher in your vehicle” kick since a woman in southwestern Ohio was burned alive in her Jeep after being hit by a large truck.)