WATER ON A MAGNESIUM ENGINE FIRE
68AutoBug - September 25th, 2011 at 01:04 AM
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
Paulc1964au - September 25th, 2011 at 01:29 AM
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?
68AutoBug - September 25th, 2011 at 01:39 AM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by Paulc1964au
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
esevwbits - September 25th, 2011 at 08:14 AM
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 - September 25th, 2011 at 11:08 AM
I have a collection of old cases gearbox housings etc that I use for camping trip bonfires.....
bus914 - September 25th, 2011 at 11:41 AM
matberry - September 25th, 2011 at 01:09 PM
Fires most often caused IMO by incorrect and perrished fuel hoses.
68AutoBug - September 25th, 2011 at 03:13 PM
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
vwjon - September 25th, 2011 at 03:46 PM
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.
vwjon - September 25th, 2011 at 03:52 PM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by 68AutoBug
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?
JVLRacing - September 25th, 2011 at 10:23 PM
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 - September 25th, 2011 at 10:35 PM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by JVLRacing
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.
68AutoBug - September 25th, 2011 at 11:41 PM
| Quote: |
Originally
posted by vwjon
| Quote: | Originally
posted by 68AutoBug
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