Date:         Sun, 16 Dec 2012 15:36:35 -0800
Reply-To:     Dick Wong <sailingfc@DSLEXTREME.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dick Wong <sailingfc@DSLEXTREME.COM>
Subject:      Fire!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

I'm okay.

Early November I bought my first Vanagon.  1987 GL Syncro with a Audi/VW
2.5L I5 conversion.

Today I had an engine fire.

Coming to a stop on a freeway off ramp the clutch pedal goes to the floor
without disengaging.  Step on it again and same results.  Van is lurching
forward because the clutch won't release.  Hitting the brake slowed it but I
can feel the engine pushing forward. I shut off the ignition to bring it to
a stop.  I look in my mirrors and see smoke coming from the rear air
intakes.  I hop out in the middle of the road and run to the back hoping it
might only be steam.  No luck, it's stinky smoke and starting to turn black.
I get my cell phone and dial 911.  I stand there and watch flames starting
to come from the bottom of the engine.  More black smoke.  I think to
myself, I am going to watch my "new" Syncro burn to the ground.  All of a
sudden there is a loud hiss and the smoke turns to white steam and water is
streaming from the engine.  The coolant tank melted and sprayed coolant on
to the fire and put it out.  Shortly after an highway patrol pull up.  A few
minutes later the fire truck arrives.

Not a nice day.

My theory is:  Clutch hose or the slave had a catastrophic failure and when
I stepped on the clutch, the brake fluid sprayed out on to the exhaust
piping (exhaust runs forward on the driver side).  The fluid flashed and
started burning.

It's sitting in my driveway now.  I'll start looking at the damages another
day.  I'm too depressed to do anything now.  Fireman said that it might be a
total loss.

-Dick Wong-
78 Scirocco
Original Owner
87 Syncro 2.5
Third Owner
12 Golf TDI
Original Co-Owner