SNIP
> ....if you overprime and either get excess fuel in the airbox, or have it
> run out to the outside of the engine and it catches fire, continue to
> attempt to start the engine. turning the engine over should suck the fire
> from the airbox into the engine, or if the engine starts, it should blow out
> the fire on the outside of the engine.
>
> so here I am, with flames shooting out of the intake, calmly trying to start
> my plane engine.......
>
> insert your own punchline here....
>
> (yes, in theory and in practice it does work, but man does it look wierd on > paper)
Not only does it work, but this phenomenon is actually pretty common. The real problem is that most pilots never realize they've had an intake fire because you really can't see anything from the cockpit. I can't tell you how many toasted airfilters I found on both Lycoming and Continental caburetted engines. The pilots never knew.
Moe