Date:         Tue, 3 Apr 2001 09:01:30 -0700
Reply-To:     Alistair Bell <albell@UVIC.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Alistair Bell <albell@UVIC.CA>
Subject:      Re: Plastic(Alloy?) Vs Steel Engine Cover in a Diesel Vanagon..
Comments: To: stephen de la salle <sdelasal@peoplepc.com>
In-Reply-To:  <002301c0bbd7$001f7c00$fa12303f@hppav>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

I had an experience where the metal lid actually caused a fire!, well, to be
honest it was parially my fault too..

It was in late August '94, on a trip that took us into the Nemiah Valley
(west of Williams Lake, butting against the eastern slope of the Coast
Mountains. Very beautiful region). On an especially steep and bumpy road the
engine suddenly cut out, the van stopped, and smoke came out of the "body
vents". We all tumbled out of the van, opened the hatch and yanked off the
engine lid. The insulation on the main wire to the alternator was burning. I
actually was able to blow the fire out!

What had happened was that the battery (which is mounted on the rear right
hand side of the engine compartment - the van is an '82 westy that i had
just swapped in a I4 gas engine that spring), had "jumped" high enough due
to the bunpy road, to make contact with the underside of the metal lid,
hitting one of the metal braces rather than the fiber material. The direct
short had caused the minor fire.

Thankfully the van still ran, neither the alternator not the battery was
damaged. We were about 100-120 miles from the hwy (William's Lake to Bella
Coola).

It was partially my fault, the battery was not the right size, just a wee
bit too tall.

I now have both a metal and a plastic lid. The plastic is so much lighter
and doesn't seem to be less effective in supressing engine noise.

I also have a better fitting battery.

Alistair



on 2/4/01 5:42 PM, stephen de la salle at sdelasal@PEOPLEPC.COM wrote:

> I've the option on the lighter weight plastic/alloy? engine cover to replace
> my steel cover that weighs a lot!
>
> The alternative is a lot lighter ..
>
> Has anyone any experience comparing these two lids in terms of how effective
> they both are in
> reducing the diesel clatter.
>
> The alternative lid is attarctive in terms of being lighter ?
>
> steve
>