[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by mdm

Without researching it any more, I'd theorize the following scenario.

During Several unsuccessful attempts at push-start the air-fuel mixture flows through the engine and fuel is collected in cold cat. When the engine ultimately starts, the cat heats up, and suddenly you have a significant amount of fuel in the presence of very hot catalysts, and things get nasty.

One thing that my brilliant theory does not explain, is why things would be any different if a few unsuccessful starts using the starter are followed by successful start.

Nope No fires in the exhaust of a running car. Just as I thought there is just not enough oxygen to burn the fuel. Now if you don't evaporate it all and shut it down allowing the oxygen to enter the system...