Can your regular Indian car spit flames like Fast&Furious cars?

Well everyone has seen movies and showcars that spit flames through their exhaust system. There are a lot of supercars, like the Lamborghini Aventador that easily spit flames. But is it possible on a normal car?

Why/how do cars emit flames?

The main cause of flames shooting out of the exhaust is unburnt fuel that has made its way into the exhaust and ignites due to the hot temperature of the exhaust while revving really hard. This could also mean that your engine is running very rich, which means that more fuel is being dumped into the combustion chamber than required.

This excess fuel is unused and hence ignites in the exhaust and causes flames. In case of high end sports cars, a small amount of fuel is sprayed in the exhaust to create the crackle and noise, which can also cause the flame.

How to make your car spit flames?

If your car runs rich or has been re-tuned to do so, the easy way to shoot out flames is to change the exhaust system. Since each car has a catalytic converter which cleans the exhaust gas, it is not possible for the fuel to pass it and ignite. Getting a straight pipe which has no mufflers or catalytic converter will help you throw flames if your car has the tendency to run rich.

If not, there are a few kits available that can be installed on every car, as you can see below in the video.

This works in a trick way. What it does is that the kit contains an additional spark plug which is mounted in the exhaust pipe of your vehicle. For this too you will have to change the exhaust system to make it a free flowing one. Additionally, removing the catalytic converter will help since all the unburnt fuel would otherwise be consumed inside it.

The system comprises of a button that is placed inside the vehicle that controls the flames. This switch on the inside is connected to the ignition system and the spark plug that is fitted in the exhaust system. When you click the button, the ignition coil inside the engine is turned off, which means that all the fuel that is present in the engine compartment isn’t getting burnt there. This air-fuel mixture which is ready to ignite is then removed via the exhaust and when it reaches the spark plug in the exhaust, it ignites and causes the flame.

The use?

The only thing this is useful in doing is to make people notice and be amazed by how a car is shooting flames. If you get it installed, make sure to use it in areas where no one else will get hurt.

Is it legal?

Absolutely not. Modifying any part of the exhaust on the car is not legally allowed, since it will affect the performance as well as the emissions and fuel consumption of the car. So, flame throwers are illegal, and if you get one installed in your car, you’ve just been warned of the consequences.

Image courtesy MarcelLech