Date: Mon, 3 Mar 2003 17:47:09 -0500
Reply-To: Stephen Steele <steeles@HORIZONVIEW.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stephen Steele <steeles@HORIZONVIEW.NET>
Subject: Re: Has anyone saved a burnt engine?
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Robert:
> I'm grateful for any comments on your experience or scientific
> observations.
As a professional fireMan... who has seen many vehicle fires...
> The fire was quickly extinguished, both rear quarter windows were smashed
> out and the also the rear hatch window.
Typical approach for the FD to make... Surround and drown the flames to keep
them from spreading forward... they may not have even known the engine was
in the rear. Put the wet stuff on the red stuff.... sort out the details
after the fire is out.
> The rear hatch was locked, so the lock and consequently the hatch was
> damaged in order to open the hatch.
FD response... Pop open the hatch with a Haligan tool (think big claw hammer
on the end of a pry bar). On "normal" vehicles, I try to teach the younger
guys to poke out the turn signal lens with a pike pole and see if you can
insert a nozzle into the engine compartment through that opening... it saves
a lot of large surface body work if you happen to extinguish the fire in
time.
> It looks like a fire department save, because a Vanagon mechanic would know
> that smashing out the side windows would avail nothing)
Ibid.
However, if I were to approach a VW van on fire, I would hope I could open
the license plate door and foam/fog it there... to try to minimize interior
damage..
> Anyway, I have removed the engine and the burnt components. It looks like
> the flames never touched the top engine surface. The head gaskets did'nt
> burn. The engine was full of coolant.
I would check the top surfaces of the head gaskets very carefully, but they
more than likely are OK given the rest of your story. The fact that the fire
didn't breach the engine lid is significant in indicating the minimal extent
of the fire.
> No fire burnt under the engine, which is shiny new. It has a yellow engine
> sticker that tells it was remanufactured at Cummins Canada. The sticker
> did'nt burn.
> The case scrubbed up to a new shiny metal. It was only smoked.
> A lot melted plastic covered the top of the case.
> I don't know at what temperature these plastics melt at, but I would guess
> below 500 degrees, and the plastic would create an insulating barrier from
> the heat above.
> Also, at the base of a fire is a layer of air.
I would think contact (conduction) heat with the burning plastic on the
block could hold the heat to the surface and not allow the heat to dissipate
as quickly. The top of the block will be the most susceptible surface to any
damage. But each incident yields varied results.
> Since the engine case itself never ignited, but the components above it did,
> the rubber intake boot for example, then this air layer would be even
> greater, much like the air space below a fireplace grate.
While you may be correct, again, I think the top surface will be the most
likely to be hurt. BUT,and a very important but, heat rises and the block
and internal workings are more than likely OK. I would think the upper most
surfaces of the head gaskets will offer the most potential for serious
damage in a controlled fire as you have described.
The burning off of fuel injectors and the adjacent fuel lines might allow
ash and combustible materials to enter into the heads. Were the fuel and air
intakes intact at the block?
HTH
--
Stephen
Chillicothe OH
| 
