Safety stick,for those of you using brake cleaner to find vaccume leaks

Ok guys want to make this a sticky, this is something that could save your life easy. Found this on another car forum, I had forgotten about this. The issue is using brake cleaner and certain other solvents to clean parts before welding, or in our case to find vaccume leaks on our engines, brake cleaner or carb cleaner, many of these solvents will do the exact same thing. The issue is some of these chemicals break down when burned into Phosgene gas, this stuff will KILL you, if it doesn't it can mess you up for the rest of your life. It may not kill you that second,but in a few hours, or a couple of days you may die a horrible death. THERE IS NO ANTIDOTE FOR PHOSGENE GAS POISONING!! once you get poisoned you just hope you will survive. what produces it when burned are certain chlorinated brake cleaners,carb cleaners, and burning R12 refrigerant. here's a link to someones personal experience, everyone please read this, I want everyone safe. http://www.brewracingframes.com/id75.htm

damn. that's a good wake up call to pay attention to warning labels

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Originally Posted by A18A

damn. that's a good wake up call to pay attention to warning labels

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yes the stuff is deadly even in tiny amounts, it causes such a horrible gruesome death that Hitler even used it to kill people in his death camps. it's also known by it's other name which is mustard gas. exact same thing.

Good advice Tim!

I always use brake cleaner that's chlorine free. I didn't know why until I read that article.

I read this over at GRM. This needs to be posted everywhere as a wakeup call.

Yikes! Good to know. Thanks Lost!

another good point, anyone running R12 still who used some of that cheap replacement stuff for R12 that contains propane,you have a chemical bomb in your car, there have been a number of systems that have exploded from the stuff, If R12 burns it produces this gas, if you might have a added a can of the replacement that contains the propane, it's a time bomb. system need to be pumped out and converted to 134 or straight R12. There have been a lot of firefighters who have been running into problems with this. The r12 replacement was sold widely as an "alternative" to R12, before it was pulled from the shelves, a lot of it is still out there. People selling it to make a fast buck at the expense of peoples safety. It's dangerous enough if the system is full of it, but mix it with R12 and you get the idea. It makes a good refridgerant , and it's used commercially, but the systems on cars are not designed to run it safely. If you have been exposed, even if you feel allright you need to be monitored for 48 hours, it takes a while for symptoms to appear. You see what happened the the person in the article, his kidneys had shut down and he didn't know it.

-runs out and buys brake cleaner and carb cleaner

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Originally Posted by Civic Accord Honda

-runs out and buys brake cleaner and carb cleaner

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this is a serious thread lets not post stupid shit, this is a serious issue, this stuff can kill you it's no joke.

will keep it in mind

Shit, I've been huffin that shit for years, yo. Ain't nothing wrong with me, only spent $8000 on a $500 '84 Accord...

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Originally Posted by 2ndGenGuy

Shit, I've been huffin that shit for years, yo. Ain't nothing wrong with me, only spent $8000 on a $500 '84 Accord...

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it's when it gets hot is when it decomposes into phosgene gas, the phosgene gas doesn't burn,but the chemicals in the brake cleaner decompose in heat and form the gas. if you had been huffing phosgene gas you would be six feet under. the brake cleaner in it's normal state isn't whats dangerous.

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Originally Posted by 2ndGenGuy

Shit, I've been huffin that shit for years, yo. Ain't nothing wrong with me, only spent $8000 on a $500 '84 Accord...

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perfectly normal thar! :thumbup: