Date: Sun, 16 Dec 2012 17:56:21 -0700
Reply-To: courtney hook <courtneyhook@SHAW.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: courtney hook <courtneyhook@SHAW.CA>
Subject: Re: Fire!
In-Reply-To: <!&!AAAAAAAAAAAYAAAAAAAAAOt/xdRkfLlAqIF53JVUnbzCgAAAEAAAAClXw/VYOJJLjlau8VUQZJcBAAAAAA==@dslextreme.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Dick, don't get discouraged. If the fire wasn't too bad, then you can always replace what melted on the vw and engine. It will just take a bit of time. Synchros are very sought after, and things will look better tomorrow after you've had time to get the adrenalin and anxiety out of your system. There are many on the list here that will be very helpful. Sit down, have a glass of good red, and think about how lucky you are that you just walked away from what could have been a lot worse.
I once watched my brand new car go rolling down the car lot at the dealership when they were doing it's first oil change and checking it over. Nobody had set the parking brake, and the gentle roll out of the service bay was all it needed. It ended up down at the bottom of the car lot out in 4 lanes of traffic after careening off 3-4 new cars sitting on the lot. At the time it was just horrible, but the next day, I said big deal, nobody got hurt, just "stuff".
regards,
Courtney
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dick Wong" <sailingfc@DSLEXTREME.COM>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Sent: Sunday, December 16, 2012 3:36:35 PM
Subject: Fire!
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
