Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2004 07:44:41 -0400
Reply-To: vw4x4@FYI.NET
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Eric Zeno <vw4x4@FYI.NET>
Subject: Re: Vanagon burned to the ground
In-Reply-To: <BAY15-F41N33HFnwpGR00026a7d@hotmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed
THings like this are really bad news, and I'm very sorry to here this...
BUT
""I probably missed one of those clamps, and it popped off.
Check those fuel lines, and DOUBLE-check your clamps.
They say it's also a good idea to carry a fire extinguisher, just in
case. ""
This is exactly why I say it is a waste of good money and time,
to replace the fuel line at all!
You probably caused more harm than good. Sorry to say, that unless
you are an adsolute perfectionist, most people will make some
misstake here.
But a fire
extinguisher wouldn't have helped me even if I had one. I didn't realize
the
engine was on fire until it died at a stop sign, and I got out and saw
flames coming up from under the rear hatch. I couldn't have opened it
without
burning myself severely. It was out of control before I knew it.
You could be more wrong here. A fire extinguisher will easily put out
big balls of gas fires. Done this several time. (don't ask)
What you had to do is use the license plate door
to hose down the fire. Early on, the fire was gas only.
(if this was the cause. I've been in several fires like this. These
look bad but go out quickly. Once it starts to burn the harder the
burn items, now you would not have enough extinguisher to put it out.
I HIGHLY recomend a fire extinguisher
Sorry about you van
Eric
mark seifert wrote:
> My Vanagon had an engine fire earlier this week, and there was nothing I
> could do
> but watch it burn away. It was a pretty surreal experience and I think
> I'm
> still in shock. It's kind of a relief I guess. All those hours and money
> that went into it...now I don't have to worry about it anymore. My
> headache
> is gone. It was a pretty nice van though, and I just rebuilt the
> engine down
> to the crankshaft a few months ago. And as some of you know, I had been
> spending
> many hours trying to work out the running problems since then.
>
> Although the firefighters showed up quickly, there was nothing they
> could do
> to save it. The interior was melted all the way to the front seats,
> the rear
> tires melted, the tail lights pretty much turned to liquid, and just
> about
> all the
> plastic on the rear of the van was gone. The steering wheel and the
> windshield were
> charred. The instrument cluster was blackened so badly you couldn't
> read the
> speedometer.
>
> I went to the impound yard today to get everything that was salvageable
> before I signed the van over to them. There wasn't much. All my spare
> parts
> under the rear seat were burned, including a spare ECU, fuel pump, air
> flow
> meter, coil, water pump, and some other things. My cd changer under the
> front seat was soaked with water, and all my maps (a huge collection)
> in the
> glove
> box were also soaked.
>
> It's been stated before how important it is to not only replace old fuel
> lines, but make sure all the clamps are tight. I'm pretty sure that's how
> this fire started. I probably missed one of those clamps, and it
> popped off.
> Check those fuel lines, and DOUBLE-check your clamps.
> They say it's also a good idea to carry a fire extinguisher, just in
> case.
> But a fire
> extinguisher wouldn't have helped me even if I had one. I didn't
> realize the
> engine was on fire until it died at a stop sign, and I got out and saw
> flames
> coming up from under the rear hatch. I couldn't have opened it without
> burning myself severely. It was out of control before I knew it.
>
> This just goes to show how meaningless our posessions really are. They
> can
> self-destruct at anytime, burn away right before our eyes, but we still
> remain the same.
> We move on with our lives. I have to ride my bike to work now for a
> while,
> since the Vanagon was my only vehicle. Of course I didn't have
> insurance, so
> I guess I'll just have to start saving up to buy another one.
>
> Good luck to all of you, and thanks for all the help you've given me!
>
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