Date: Wed, 8 Dec 2010 13:04:52 -0600
Reply-To: Mike South <msouth@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mike South <msouth@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Vanagon engine fire or mishap in Roanoke, Va
In-Reply-To: <4cfd2025.9a5bdf0a.1fd5.ffffa199@mx.google.com>
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On Mon, Dec 6, 2010 at 11:40 AM, David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net> wrote:
> At 12:26 PM 12/6/2010, Mike South wrote:
>
>> Your engine might have spark leaks right now, in other words, that you
>> don't know about. So could anyone's. So I would think that paranoia-level
>> attention to fuel lines is warranted in spite of the fact that you can spray
>> gasoline on an exhaust pipe without ignition--in a spark-free environment.
>>
>> Right?
>>
>
> Dear Mike,
>
> I completely agree, and I think it's a darn shame those lines aren't metal.
> That being said, my point remains that while we *know* about the fuel lines
> and their weaknesses, the connection between them and actual fires is to the
> best of my knowledge a matter of conjecture. I have never seen forensics on
> *any* car fire except the case of arson that Alistair mentioned. I would
> dearly love to. If it should turn out for example that oil is also a
> significant danger to our beloved beasts, that would be important to know.
> Therefore I encourage a more open mind toward the cause of actual specific
> fires than has usually been shown here.
>
OK, I understand your point better now.
So, just for fun, let's try to sketch out the oil-causes-vanagon-fire
scenario.
What would the owner observe leading up to the event? Like, in a "normal"
situation in a vanagon, is there a route for oil to suddenly start dripping
onto the exhaust? And once it ignites, will it keep burning at the rate
that a spraying gasoline line would? Well, I guess the rate doesn't have to
be the same, but is it sustainable.
I would guess that a gradually-worsening problem with oil that included the
oil hitting exhaust might cause quite a bit of smoke before it flamed up?
Gradually worsening gasoline leak may (by comparison) dissipate
unnoticeably [or could you depend on a significant drop in gas mileage by
the time you had a leak capable of starting a fire?] until you get "lucky"
and it hits the spark.
It would be nice to have real data even if it weren't forensic. Like a
survey of each fire-sufferer to determine gas line age, or (even more
ambitious and harder to come by) a randomized longitudinal study where gas
line and spark plug wire maintenance was tracked and you could see whether
the combination of un-maintained gas lines plus un-maintained spark plug
wires showed a steep increase in fire incidence vs un-maintained gas lines
with recently replaced wires.
Also, I would like a pony, a Winnebago, and liberty and justice for all. Oh
wait--I guess I don't need the Winnebago, I have a vanagon...well...parts of
one. Parts of more than one, actually.
mike
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