Date:         Fri, 1 Apr 2005 08:06:28 -0700
Reply-To:     jimt <camper@TACTICAL-BUS.INFO>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         jimt <camper@TACTICAL-BUS.INFO>
Subject:      Re: Another Vanagon Burns Up
In-Reply-To:  <000b01c536c1$c69b4620$b9ea5e44@noner4688xfd1h>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"

Donšt forget to check out your "other" vehicles.  There was another vehicle
fire out on the road yesterday.  I knew the tow operator and he let me look
at the engine compartment before he hauled it off.  The officer let him hold
for a minute after he told him that I have been doing some private research
into engine fires. (nothing to publish that hasnšt been said in here and
other lists).  I was able to easily follow a funnel shaped spray/fire
pattern back to a hole in the high pressure side of the fuel injection
system.  This particular vehicle was a 96 jeep 4L that had the same system
as my daughters.  Examined hers and found what action/cause the leak could
have come from.  Be very careful when doing maintenance around your metal
fuel lines.  Especially where they bend. (Again this is on any vehicle)  I
havent seen but a single burnt bug/bus/vanagon in the last year here locally
but have examined close to 30 vehicles burnt out in the last year.  That 96
and a 2004 (under litigation) were the only vehicles made after 94 that I
had examined.  Anything with a fuel system made before MTBE and alcohol
needs to be rigorously inspected at all rubber fittings and hoses.  Make
sure metal lines are not within 1/4 inch of any metal surface unless held
out away from it in a way that they cannot make contact under vibrations.

Let us please keep the BBQ in the BBQ.

jimt


On 4/1/05 6:50, "Stan Wilder" <wilden1-1@SBCGLOBAL.NET> wrote:

> In an empty van or bus the steel lid will definitely be better...
> even if the paint burns, it won't rapidly touch-off the whole van. -- Andrew
> Grebneff
> --------------- Clip -----------------------
> One of our list members had a fire while his wife was driving his 82 Air
> Cooled Sun Roof Vanagon.
> The magnesium fan shroud caught fire and the local fire dept gave it a few
> shots of pure oxygen with a side of O2.
> I bought the transmission and it was still OK but the engine case had oil
> galleries that were weeping from heat, the oil cooler and mount had about
> melted off. The rear engine yoke had totally liquefied leaving just the
> bolts.
> I couldn't save the heads because some of the fins were welded with other
> trash.
> Lots of luck ever bringing a burned van back from the depths.
> 
> Stan Wilder
> Engine Ceramics
> 214-352-4931
> www.engineceramics.com
> 
>