Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2006 17:22:08 -0800
Reply-To: Doug F <vanagon@ASTOUND.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Doug F <vanagon@ASTOUND.NET>
Subject: Re: Burnt Vanagon of the Week
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Ahhh, without looking it up, I think the power for the pump either comes
from the ignition switch or comes from the ECU.
In either case not sure you can "cross" any circuits in the engine
compartment with a fire that will keep the pump running.
If that is the case I would like to know which wires exactly are you
referencing.
The reason the fire is so difficult to fight is that fuel line leaks will
spray the entire engine and engine compartment with fuel before the fire
even starts and then any and everything in the engine compartment is ablaze
including the fiberglass engine lid.
Once the fire breaks through the engine cover its no problem to set the
ENTIRE interior of the van on fire.
Thats why an early vanagon metal engine cover can save the van all by
itself.
If I had a place to do it and a parted out vanagon to test I would love to
test out various barriers in the back like a thin piece of sheet metal over
the engine lid or nomex fabric blanket or both and see if the fire could
intrude into the interior.
Doug
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Tuovinen" <mst@AK.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, March 03, 2006 4:54 PM
Subject: Re: Burnt Vanagon of the Week
> The fire melts the sheathing around the wire allowing current to cross
over and reactivate the fuel pump and you have no control at this point.
What they are talking about is a way to ground out the pump in case this
happens. What I would like to know is what will work for Syncro's as the
fuel tank is above the transmission and I'd rather not have our van looking
like the "Burnt Vanagon of the Week".
>
> Mark in AK
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Michael Diehr <md03@XOCHI.COM>
> Date: Friday, March 3, 2006 3:17 pm
> Subject: Re: Burnt Vanagon of the Week
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>
> > What exactly happens when the engine catches fire, and why is it so
> > hard to fight? Can't you just kill the ignition, which should kill
> > the fuel pump, then put it out with an extinguisher? Or is there
> > residual fuel pressure which keeps on spraying even after the power's
> > off?
> >
> >
> > On Mar 3, 2006, at 12:52 PM, John Brush wrote:
> >
> > > Still waiting for the more highly motivated and skilled among us to
> > > come up
> > > with a detector that would mount in the engine compartment, or on
> > > underside
> > > of the rear deck lid, that would monitor for flames, or an unusual
> > > increase
> > > in heat output.
> > >
> > > Obviously, the fuel needs to be cut off, and the occupants
> > > notified as soon
> > > as possible. By the time one sees the flames through the deck, or
> > > out the
> > > bottom, its probably too late.
> > >
> > > I know it could be done. Exactly how, is up for debate :-)
> > >
> > > John
> >
| 
