Date: Mon, 9 May 2005 08:55:15 -0600
Reply-To: jimt <camper@TACTICAL-BUS.INFO>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: jimt <camper@TACTICAL-BUS.INFO>
Subject: Re: Engine Compartment Fire - Brake Lights Not Working
In-Reply-To: <11dcddf805050907106508414e@mail.gmail.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"
On 5/9/05 8:10 AM, "Christopher Gronski" <gronski@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> When I looked in my rear view mirror, I could see something coming up
> the rear window. I was not sure if it was smoke or steam (I had a
> coolant pipe break once and it looked similar) but grabbed my 5lb
> Halon extinguisher as I exited the van.
>
> When I got to the back I could actually see flames licking out of the
> bottom holes of the bottom of the vehicle. I popped open the licence
> plate and shot the extinguisher inside, the fire went out immediately.
> Then I pulled off the rear cushion and opened the engine compartment.
>
> It appears as though the main wired leading to the distributor cap
> broke off. With the wire loose, and likely sparking, it ignited
> something flammable in the engine compartment. I'm still not sure what
> actually started it, as I am sure it needed an accelerate. The only
> thing that I know burned was the foam from the back of the licence
> plate.
>
> Beyond that the damage was minimal, I really feel like I got off easy.
> The wiring between the tail lamps was slightly damaged and the coolant
> overflow tank was a bit melted. I brought it to Alpine Motors near
> King and John Streets and they replaced the carp wire and rotors, the
> coolant tank, and did some taping of the wiring.
>
> Before leaving the shop I checked my signals, running lights, and
> hazards but NOT my break lights (hard to do yourself, and with all the
> other stuff working I kind of just assumed they were OK).
Carefully cut that melted harness section open with a razor or very sharp
snips and then separate the wires. The heat and the shorting going on may
have melted a couple together.
Also from recent testing I did with materials from old vanagons in the back
yard, that foam is extremely flammable all by itself. It only took sparks
to get a smolder started and then if fanned with a good flow of air would
flame in about 2 minutes. Once a good solid smoldering was started it was
difficult to put out as well. If it didnąt get a good air flow would drop
back to smoldering but even 10 minutes later if fanned would flame up again.
I did some of these kind of tests after seeing a thing about a canadian air
service craft that caught fire and wasnąt supposed to. The problem is that
some materials that are fire proof or resistant loose that quality with age.
Many of the materials in our 20 year old vans are beyond their age limits
and need to be replaced with newer materials.
jimt
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