Date:         Fri, 1 Apr 2005 09:00:24 -0700
Reply-To:     jimt <camper@TACTICAL-BUS.INFO>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         jimt <camper@TACTICAL-BUS.INFO>
Subject:      Re: Another Vanagon Burns Up
In-Reply-To:  <698D2FE331FC794BB994CD03DFB28589DD908A@gmgexdc02.iogmg.ioroot.tld>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"

On 4/1/05 8:22, "Aaron Pearson" <Aaron.Pearson@GXT.COM> wrote:

> so apart from the preventive maintainenece, what's the best way to handle a
> fire?  i hope i'll be able to smell smoke/fuel, or maybe some other driver
> will wave to me.  what happens after i pull over?  i can't imagine that i'll
> be able to calmly open the hatch and engine lid and spray my extinguisher
> around...  everything will be a mass of heat, smoke, and confusion, right?  I
> have this nice new extinguisher in the back of my van, but i haven't the
> slightest idea how to handle a fire.  any advice from someone who has handled
> this before?
> 
> aaron
> '87 syncro gl
> 

Big note...I believe that almost all engine fires have had warnings that
were not heeded.


Use the proper type of extinguisher and normally the single little one
pounder is not going to be enough.  Spray from below into the flame area as
best you can without opening the top deck lid. (except on the air cooled
where the fire will probably be between the tin and the lid) Opening the top
lid can lead to explosive flames being directed right at you.  Also sends
the heat and flames straight up into the very flammable and easily ignited
lining of the top of the van.  Engine fires if caught before heavy rubber
has gone to full burn are usually put out quite quickly.  Once rubber starts
to get to full burn it becomes very difficult and then the temps will rise
to the ignition (flash over point) for almost everything in the compartment
that isnt already burning.  At that point it is probably a loss even if the
fire dept is right there.  Metal that was extremely hot will now go very
soft with drooping and warping and even melt in some cases.  Certain
aluminum alloys (though very rare) can ignite.

note on my near explosive fire incident.

When my vehicle still had the Air cooled engine I noted a strange gas vapor
smell.  Two days later when pulling up to my driveway I again got the heavy
smell and realized it was when I had hit the heat fan.  Fan off not gas
smell, fan on gas smell.  I immediately shut down when on the driveway
realizing the only place that smell could come from on the aircooled vehicle
was the engine compartment.  I had new hoses everywhere.  Waited a while for
cooling and then opened lid. Found no sign of leak.  Started engine and
engine had immediate gas odor very strong.  Shut down and looked again.  In
the morning examined area still not finding leak.  I then activated just the
fuel pump to pressurize and saw a really fine fog rolling across the engine.
I had a pinhole leak in the metal line where it had been rubbing against the
intake.  When I pulled that section of line it took something like 25 psi to
actually leak at that rub mark.  That rolling mist would have been explosive
if spark had hit it and would have had a pressurized feed of fuel for
several seconds even after engine shut down as the system pressure bleed
down.  Very similar to other fuel/engine fires I have been looking at.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
jimt
Planned insanity is best.
Remember that sanity is optional.
http://www.tactical-bus.info (tech info)
http://www.westydriver.com