Date:         Fri, 14 May 1999 22:30:44 -0400
Reply-To:     "Horace K. Sawyer" <firestream@MINDSPRING.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Horace K. Sawyer" <firestream@MINDSPRING.COM>
Subject:      Re: how to put out engine fire?
Comments: To: "Pollard, Matthew" <Matthew.Pollard@OREADCA.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <B1F0BC0C450ED211948900A0C96F88B1C5CEE7@toto.oreadca.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Was taught in firefighter training never to put water on a Volkswagen
engine.  [I'm a volunteer in our small town] Some have a magnesium alloy,
is what we were told, and the water will explode on contact.

Don't think this applies to our Vanagons somehow . . .

I have seen what happens when you spray water on a Jetta motor that had an
engine compartment fire.  (I believe it was a Jetta).  White hot balls of
*fire* (if you call it that) when the water made contact!  Scary  . . .

HK








At 01:20 PM 5/14/99 -0700, Pollard, Matthew wrote:
>What steps would I take to put out an engine fire if I noticed that I, or
>someone else had one? I was guessing I would grab my fire extinguisher,
>carefully open the licenses plate door and spray like hell? Would I need to
>kill the fuel pump too (by cutting the wire)?
>
>Thanks in advance.  (I know that PM is the best way to kill an engine
>fire...)
>-Matthew
>84 weekender