Well, after months of checking out kombis and reading this forum with great enthusiasm I finally found a decent version 48 hours ago. Being flat out with work I decided to wait until Friday afternoon (my only time free this week) to sort out the change of rego and insurance.
Anyway I took her for a run this morning into Perth city, then on my way home up the freeway it started spluttering then stalled. I pulled over into the emergency lane, got out, and something smelled a bit odd - it was probably the burning engine 馃檪 No fire extinguisher, no bottles of water (damn you air cooled beasts!), nuthin but a couple of fluffy cushions! As soon as I opened the engine hatch the air got to the flames and away she went - took about three minutes to turn the bus to a crispy piece of toast!!!
Sorry about the smaller shots below but all I had time to grab out of the bus was my camera-phone.
Oh well, easy come easy go - I can salvage some of the running gear and the rims/tyres are ok (strangely enough) - anybody got a cheap splitty body they wanna donate to me 馃檪 LOL
pod 路
man that sucks,had a scare like that with my caravelle but not as bad was only a wire under the dash,and like you had not insured or no fire extinguisher but luckily wife noticed smoke quickly and shut her down and investigated ,bloody fan switch melted half on wich in turn started the wiring to melt.Now have the mandatory Volkswagen fire extinguisher and insurance.
Fossil 路
What a shame - nice looking Bay - now for the new plans adn you can :thumb again
Desert Moose 路
:cry :cry
sneak_e 路
Maybe one of you more experienced with kombi motors can tell me what the hell might have happened!!!
I've read stories of busses catching fire but never really found out what causes it. From mine, it initially looked like the distributor had caught fire, or something close to the distributor anyway.
Anyone got any ideas?
tdegens 路
The tubey piece which goes into the fuel pump which carrie the fuel to the pump is brass. The pump is alluminium. Thes two metals corrode whenthey contact each other which makes the brass piece jump away from the pump and spurt petrol everywhere. to solve the prob I replaced the tube with a threaded brass section with a hole through, put a thread inthe fuel pump it and srewed it in with a locktite product and it is fine. Always replace fuel lines. Always check tank, regularly replace fuel filter.
tdegens 路
The tubey piece which goes into the fuel pump which carrie the fuel to the pump is brass. The pump is alluminium. Thes two metals corrode whenthey contact each other which makes the brass piece jump away from the pump and spurt petrol everywhere. to solve the prob I replaced the tube with a threaded brass section with a hole through, put a thread inthe fuel pump it and srewed it in with a locktite product and it is fine. Always replace fuel lines. Always check tank, regularly replace fuel filter.
kara&herkombi 路
Ohhh thats no good!!! sorry to hear!!
i almost had the same thing happen cause the little brass thing that holds the fuel pipe to the carbie came apart and there was petrol everywhere!! It was soo basic to fix yet it could have caused so much damage!! yeah fire extinguishers are a must!!
baybuscamperkid 路
man thats a bummer, such a nice looking bus, amazing as you say that the rear tyres survived!
kombibob 路
replace old hard fuel lines !!!!! and stop driving when oil light comes on.
shame cool looking bus
make a nice rat now...lol
[Edited on 20/5/2005 by kombibob]
Dub-Buggier 路
so unlucky man!!! one sweet ride up in smoke!!
practice makes perfect so the next one will even better!
cheers dub.
silverbullet 路
You have given me inspiration to put a fire extuingisher in my bus. sorry to see, cool ride
winerot 路
sneak-e ive had the brass tube come off too but that is above the starter motor beside back driver wheel, ive had the wireing catch on fire running
through the firewall, their both on the right hand side.
if its around the dist cap which is on the left it could be the vapour hose which has a tee section if over filled pure fuel will run through this & leak
through the tee section but you are saying it spluttered first so im leaning
towards the left hand carbie has blown off the fuel line which would blast
fuel in the direction of the dissy & coil, have a look at the (oh crap its not a
2ltr) anyway dissy & coil are still on the left as well as the carbie.
bajachris88 路
I dont mean to be critical, but this has actually turned me off a bit from vee dubs.
Cause there is also another recent post/thread in avd about a man who died in a burning kombi.
Just imagine if i got a buggy and that lit up, the fibreglass would burn so badly.
hmmm, im a bit worried now.
Beerboy 路
yes thats the main thing that you are alright and no one was hurt. ie the wife or family. sorry about that bus still looks good even after the fire. good luck with it
Canni. 路
bugger 馃檨 yeah fire extinguisher is definately a must.. or to pull over in an area with lots of dirt ..
pod 路
as an extra precaution you can loop some wire from around your hose clamps and tie it so the hose cant pop out,just a little extra insurance against this type of thing happening馃槈
helbus 路
That does not look good at all.
I would think with the Suby conversion that the chance of fire would be less, although with really good maintenance it would be very low risk anyway.
Purple Martin 路
That's really bad news, sorry you lost your kombi!
I've heard about people using wire to hold the fuel line onto the pump and/or carb. Can anyone tell me how it is done?
When I bought my Beetle a week ago I organised fully comp insurance BEFORE I drove it home, and took a fire extinguisher with me. I didn't need them... it's like taking an umbrella with you to make sure it doesn't rain!
phantom 路
Sorry to hear of the loss, thats awful. Whether you had it insured or not, its bad to hear of anyone who has to go through this.
Good luck filling the void in your life. Are you going to look at getting another?
Old Dubber 路
I've heard about people using wire to hold the fuel line onto the pump and/or carb. Can anyone tell me how it is done?
It's an old off road/racers trick. To secure against vibration.
Simple grab some light tie wire and loop it securely round your fuel line and then secure it over/round the carb/pump/etc.
I use stainless steal trace wire.
h 路
:cry:cry:cry
rule # 1 in a VW
always have big fire extinguisher on board and ready to go at a mos notice
painful lesson..
my old GF had her 1st beetle burn down whilst driving it down a country road some sleeps ago..
so it was drummed into me that its the 1st thing to be put into a newly aquired VW or any car really..
nice looking ride too *RIP* rust in peace
ratty 63 路
Always sad to see another one go up in smoke...but its not just limited to VW's - On Thursday I got stuck in a major traffic jamb on the M1 - after half an hour stuck in first gear I discovered the reason - a late model Toyota Camery V6 had suffered an engine fire - burnt everything right back to the back window. I have seen many different models catch on fire - anything from almost new cars (2003 Magna) to some older stuff (VC Commodore - went up right beside me at a set of lights :duh )
Carefull maintenance is the key - check all your fittings are tight (use hoseclamps everywhere!), make sure that all your hoses are in good condition, and if you can smell fuel/hot then don't try to start/re-start the car - instead get out with your fire extinguisher and check that everything is OK.
R 馃檪
Purple Martin 路
Old Dubber wrote:It's an old off road/racers trick. To secure against vibration.
Simple grab some light tie wire and loop it securely round your fuel line and then secure it over/round the carb/pump/etc.
I use stainless steal trace wire.
Thanks! I'm about to replace my carb so I'll replace the fuel lines and wire it all up at the same time.
General_Failure 路
I just accidentally stumbled across this thread. I've had the brass bit dislodge from the pump on the kombi before. Could smell petrol and the car spluttered to a stop. The fire extinguisher was in the beetle unfortunately.
Got out of the car and had a look round back. There was oil everywhere!
Turned out the fuel had sprayed all over the motor and dissolved all the caked oil.
Let it sit for a bit and let the fuel evaporate. Then I rammed the brass bit back in and twisted it until it stayed and drove home. Too lucky.
h 路
Too lucky.
indeedilly doodilly you are not to suffer the same fate
General_Failure 路
h wrote:
Too lucky.
indeedilly doodilly you are not to suffer the same fate
Agreed. My condolences to anyone that had a VW brand bbq. Thankfully mine didn't get started.
sneak_e 路
phantom wrote:Sorry to hear of the loss, thats awful. Whether you had it insured or not, its bad to hear of anyone who has to go through this.
Good luck filling the void in your life. Are you going to look at getting another?
Funnily enough another AVD member has donated me a 68 bus to transfer my old running gear into, and his brother is also agreed to help have a working bee weekend to get the job done...AND, a third VW'er is gonna help with the motor!!!! Their names shall remain unmentioned until either a) they give me the ok to publically praise em all, or b) I can find some way of repaying their kindness.
You VW folks are bloody legends - that's all I can say! Cameraderie with a capital "K" (for Kombi!)
KDFking 路
same thig happended to my sisters 69 beetle over 5 years ago when she was driving me and a mate to the city...ended up having to pull over on ipswich road because of all the smoke(more then usual...)and as soon as i opened the decklid the whole engine compartment just burst into flames.took my shirt straight off and beat the flames out in under 10 seconds.when i turned around my sister and mate were about 20 meters away from the car because they thought it was going to explode馃榾....it was just a leaky fuel line.....never seen my mate shit himsef like that before.
aggri1 路
You know, near the bus section at my local wreckers, there are always a few vehicles which have burnt. Landrovers, ugly jap vans, anything really. So for sure any vehicle can suffer, but it seems the VW's have the reputation hey?
Craig Torrens 路
Dub-Buggier wrote:so unlucky man!!! one sweet ride up in smoke!!
practice makes perfect so the next one will even better!
cheers dub.
hehehehehe.....what the next one will BURN better??!:P
BenettonVW 路
Good luck with it all Brian..
Lesson for all. Carry a fire extinguisher.
Ever since Jesus played fullback for Bethlahem, these things have caught fire.. Always. ALWAYS. Buy the friggen extinguisher. It still happens like twice a year..
You young guys remember your 'magnesium' tests at school, where they light up the flake of metal behind the paper, where the holder of the magnesium has goggles on because it lights up so bright and so quickly??
Thats what your engine is made of. 馃檪
No secret.
Buy the extinguisher.
Signed,
Your Father. 馃槈
sneak_e 路
Well have a new bus now finally - was going to be another replacement Bay but something else came along - a visually sad but mechanically strong 62 split micro. Rang Shannons insurance and had that part sorted before I picked it up and also bought the biggest f*ck-off fire extinguisher I could find :P - lesson learned! Bloody nerve wracking the first couple of days driving though... "what's that noise? is that something burning? did u just hear a clunk?" - took a few days to calm down and enjoy the old girl!
Pics soon!
Happy ending (so far) - Yay!
Brian
Robo 路
I see you got "Letter of the Month" in Australian Classic cars. So what workshop manual did ya choose?
Rob...
sneak_e 路
Hi Rob
They were all out of "101 uses for a melted crankcase" and "how to satay your hippy curtains in 5 easy steps" - bummer :P
Actually I hope they have something Volksey in stock - you're all welcome to borrow it anytime 馃檪
seagull 路
was this the one at marks farm ?? chopers place ?
sneak_e 路
Nah not Marks - got it near Freo (where all kombis seem to congregate!)
Jay_1965vw 路
sneak_e wrote:They were all out of "101 uses for a melted crankcase" and "how to satay your hippy curtains in 5 easy steps" - bummer :P
I'm in hysterics, that is PRICELESS!!!!
amazer 路
Replace old hoses with GOOD hose, no super cheap hose. Get some braided hose from a vw mechanic. Tie the hoses on with wire. wrap the wire around the hose then around the carb. If the fitting comes loose it wont fall out, just leak a little.
Dont let a a relay wire touch your turbo oil line cos it melts through and fries your ignition, lights, horn.. everything. or use a fuse.
Do as I say, not as I do 馃憥
[OOPS there was a second page to this thread, disregard my first para]
nn[ Edited on 4-8-2005 by amazer ]
haugmichael 路
Now time to have a FIRE Sale (haha)
squizy 路
Man that's such a bummer for a nice bus, but a split micro sounds like fate to me.