WATER ON A MAGNESIUM ENGINE FIRE

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 25 Sep 2011, 1:04 am

#863771

I remember many years ago, reading that NSW fire trucks were being fitted with a Fire Extinguisher that could be used on VW Engines for Magnesium fires...

I can't remember anymore than that???

apart from NEVER use water....

looks like these firefighters didn't know that...

first pic :
Kombi engine Fire

second pic :
VW Magnesium fire without Water being sprayed on it

third pic :
VW Magnesium fire with water being sprayed on it..

Once the magnesium engine catches fire You can throw Your fire extinguishers away...

BUT - AS soon as the engine catches fire...
YOU Can put the flames out with Your fire extinguisher...

Just make sure Your fuel filter is NOT in the engine compartment ... under the Beetle at the front or over the rear axle.. Kombis .. NOT in the engine compartment...

LEE

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- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

Paulc1964au Custom Title Time!

1,627 posts · joined Mar 2010 · 25 Sep 2011, 1:29 am

#863773

correct me if i am wrong but not all engine fires are due to the fuel filter, if the oil cooks you get the same result?

/url]Streetwise Aircooled Volkswagens
My 69 Bug

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 25 Sep 2011, 1:39 am

#863775

Paulc1964au wrote:correct me if i am wrong but not all engine fires are due to the fuel filter, if the oil cooks you get the same result?

Hi Paul,
All the fires I have seen have been fed by fuel...

the oil cooks... the engine doesn't get on fire... not unless somehow the hot oil is sprayed onto a very hot exhaust and happens to burst into flames... NOT LIKELY.. IMHO..

either the metal hose fitting coming out of the carburetor - or
the metal hose fitting coming out of the fuel pump.. -
or
the fuel filter coming off the hose...

allowing fuel onto a hot exhaust...

all those methods should be able to be contained with a fire extinguisher or two...

The fire needs to Be stopped before the magnesium catches on fire which will result in the car being burnt out....

LEE

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

esevwbits Custom Title Time!

1,027 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 25 Sep 2011, 8:14 am

#863791

Or not using rubber grommets for wiring through tinware etc.. Seen alot of cars put together with wires rubbing through insulation... results in a pretty light show.

LIFE IN THE LOW LANE All people have the right to stupidity but some abuse the pr

2,534 posts · joined Mar 2007 · 25 Sep 2011, 11:08 am

#863820

I have a collection of old cases gearbox housings etc that I use for camping trip bonfires.....

ACCEPT THAT SOME DAYS YOU ARE THE PIDGEON AND SOME DAYS YOU ARE THE STATUE

Alder Outlaws VW Racing - check it out on fb!!

bus914 Custom Title Time!

1,230 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 25 Sep 2011, 11:41 am

#863824

[img]https://i4.ytimg.com/vi/KOKlJpsfCyk/default.jpg[/img] Click the thumbnail for video👍

matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 · 25 Sep 2011, 1:09 pm

#863833

Fires most often caused IMO by incorrect and perrished fuel hoses.

Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 25 Sep 2011, 3:13 pm

#863853

Hi Mat
Yes, forgot about that one...
many VW owners forget that fuel hoses don't last forever

I hate the cotton covered VW fuel hoses [vacuum too] as You cannot see the cracks..
also use hose clamps..

unless the cotton covered fuel hoses are NEW ..
like You have fitted them yourself.. renew them... ASAP.
at least with rubber hoses You can see the cracks long before they leak...

A Fuel filter in the engine bay is VERY Dangerous....

VW didn't put them there...

a fire starter waiting to happen...

LEE

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

vwjon Fahrvergnugen

914 posts · joined Jul 2006 · 25 Sep 2011, 3:46 pm

#863857

my mate had a weeping rocker cover,It was nothing really, a drip or two when he stopped. i was following him on the motorway (in the uk) the oil leak got worse to the point of very tiny droplets on my windscreen, i figured we'd top up at the next servo and get new gaskets at the show we were going to. the oil leaked onto the heat exchanger, by the time it had started to smoke, it was alight. he was going down the road about 60mph engine ablaze on the right hand side, he had no idea what all the fuss was about.
by the time he stopped, he managed to get his young daughter out of the back of his bug, she was in a child seat, the flames were inside the car licking the roof above him. they were very lucky. we saved the spare and camping gear from the front of the car, but the was all.

I'll tell you NOT ALL ENGINE FIRE ARE CAUSED BY FUEL LINES.

3 1959 cadillacs
1 musso
2 early notchbacks
2 split kombis
2 split panels
1 split ute
1 low light panel
1 ex-pmg bay
1 country buggy
1 beetle ute
1 14" syncro caravelle
1 16" syncro doka
1 golf cabrio
1 vw camper trailer
2 3meter bombs

vwjon Fahrvergnugen

914 posts · joined Jul 2006 · 25 Sep 2011, 3:52 pm

#863858

68AutoBug wrote:A Fuel filter in the engine bay is VERY Dangerous....

VW didn't put them there...

LEE

VW, never fitted after market fuel filters in the engine bay (thats why they are "after market")
however VW DID fit a fuel filter in the engine bay (and still do.)
fuel pumps have a built in filter, the early ones were servicable. all diesels also have the filter mounted in the engine bay. you live n learn uh?

3 1959 cadillacs
1 musso
2 early notchbacks
2 split kombis
2 split panels
1 split ute
1 low light panel
1 ex-pmg bay
1 country buggy
1 beetle ute
1 14" syncro caravelle
1 16" syncro doka
1 golf cabrio
1 vw camper trailer
2 3meter bombs

JVLRacing Custom Title Time!

1,100 posts · joined Mar 2007 · 25 Sep 2011, 10:23 pm

#863914

rrr that fire looks very familiar......hmmmm thats wat my kombi looked like goin up in flames.....
How long ago was this taken? it was over 10year ago

65standard Officially Full-On Dubber

373 posts · joined Apr 2009 · 25 Sep 2011, 10:35 pm

#863916

JVLRacing wrote:rrr that fire looks very familiar......hmmmm thats wat my kombi looked like goin up in flames.....
How long ago was this taken? it was over 10year ago

That photo was last Wednesday night at Mascot, Sydney.

If it ain't broke, fix it till it is!

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 25 Sep 2011, 11:41 pm

#863929

vwjon wrote:
68AutoBug wrote:A Fuel filter in the engine bay is VERY Dangerous....

VW didn't put them there...

LEE
VW, never fitted after market fuel filters in the engine bay (thats why they are "after market")
however VW DID fit a fuel filter in the engine bay (and still do.)
fuel pumps have a built in filter, the early ones were servicable. all diesels also have the filter mounted in the engine bay. you live n learn uh?

Yes

I know the early fuel pumps had a serviceable fuel filter
but I was talking about rear engined air cooled VW engines..

and in particular the common plastic fuel filter that is in so many Beetles..

interesting about the tappet cover leaking and the fire...

I'm presuming the oil hit the HOT exhaust manifold

cheers

LEE

One of My tappet cover gaskets let go a few weeks ago..
never seen it happen before.. Only reason I saw it because it dropped about 300 mils of oil on MY garage floor..The gasket had compressed over the past year and let go...
it was a rubberised ?? type of gasket not just cork as I used to replace the cork ones at every 2nd oil change when I did the tappets..

LEE

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---