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Date:         Sun, 16 Dec 2012 18:56:37 -0500
Reply-To:     forum email <nij.forum@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         forum email <nij.forum@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Fire!
Comments: To: Dick Wong <sailingfc@dslextreme.com>
In-Reply-To:  <!&!AAAAAAAAAAAYAAAAAAAAAOt/xdRkfLlAqIF53JVUnbzCgAAAEAAAAClXw/VYOJJLjlau8VUQZJcBAAAAAA==@dslextreme.com>
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Without seeing it cant say but often it might be a write off from an insurance prospective but, may well be salvagable. Unless the whole thing is a burnt empty shell. Buy it back from the ins co. Even if you dont want to save it SOMEONE will. On Dec 16, 2012 6:51 PM, "Dick Wong" <sailingfc@dslextreme.com> wrote:

> 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 >


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