Hey all,

I'm new to this website so I thought I'd post something to get some opinions and start feeling comfortable in how you guys work on here.

I Have just turned 21 been driving VWs for the last 3 years since I got my first square when I had just turned 18. Beautiful car that I should have kept. (I'll try and post a photo)

My experiences with VWs are quite limited compared to some I have been reading about on here.

But I have had the one experience I wouldn't wish on any VW driver.
The old engine fire earlier this year on my beautiful original notchback. This car was amazing, completely original inside and out. The car had every receipt of every service carried out on it from new. Which I luckily salvaged from the car along with the jack, original tool kit and a pair of socks I had in the glovebox.
At least I have a lovely momento of this as it was displayed in SA's Advertiser as a half page spread and story. Had it serviced couple of weeks before the fire. I guess it's just one of those things.(I'll try and post photo)

So if you saw some crazy people on the side of the road at the Bay to Birdwood Classic Car run in September this year "Shouting check your fuel lines" at any VW that passed That would be me and my family.
I do apologise.

So I'm now looking for another type 3 wagon hopefully in SA, I have something posted in the buying/swapping cars section any help would be appreciated.

Hope to get more involved in this website over the coming months and read a whole lot more about VWs and especially Type 3s.

Cheers

Bryce

What a shame mate. Looked like a nice notch. I love the squareback. Very clean. Welcome to the forum

the important one is dont have those cruddy plastic fuel filters anywhere near the engine
if you insist on running them put it in the hose under the fuel tank

the metal ones do a much better job and dont leak when they get old and brittle

Mine has a filter under the air cleaner, but i keep looking at it and thinking about moving it... Seeing as the engine is coming out soon, might be changing lines and moving filter then!

Sucks about the fire too! Nice looking square though

NOT GOOD!!! That is a real shame about your Notch mate, sorry to hear about it. I will definitely be checking filter placement and fuel line quality when rebuilding my Notch. Thanks for the warning!!

Good luck with the square search, hope you manage to track one down soon.

By the way....we seem to have a good following of Type 3s here in Adelaide, we might have to organise a get together for all us nuts

All the best for Christmas mate

Scarab (aka: Paul)

Quote:

Originally posted by Scarab By the way....we seem to have a good following of Type 3s here in Adelaide, we might have to organise a get together for all us nuts All the best for Christmas mate Scarab (aka: Paul)

Bad luck Bryce

and that is the first type 3 fire I have ever heard of...

No fuel filters in the engine bay at all...
replace the fuel hose every 2 year minimum..

many people in the USA wire their fuel hose clamps to the carby or fuel pump etc.. so they cannot come off, and MORE importantly the metal pieces in the carby or pump cannot come out either...
others are drilling and tapping the carby and screwing in a hose fitting...

cheers

LEE

Thanks for all the replies so far guys

Sounds like Bad luck indeed,

That was my mechanics diagnosis too cheers for the second opinion there Lee.

Was going to get a fire extinguisher for it very shortly too. Always had one in the squareback.

If I do get another squareback or notchie a nice volksy cruise will definitely be in the books through the hills or something.

Bryce

sheeez, hard way to loose one!

Oh you poor bugger...I'm sorry for your loss!!

I've never timed it, but I heard those small extinguishers go for more like 3 or 4 seconds non stop. The big ones you see in shops etc go for 15 seconds only!

I wonder if a fire blanket would also be worth carrying...it might slow the burn at least until you can return with a bucket? How about some plastic hose clamps for the fuel line too?

I once had a fire in my notch when it was original too...noticed a drop in power and pulled over to check the engine. There was a small fire around one of the lines to the pump. It melted the plastic before i could pull off my tshirt and smother it.

Had a fire in a kombi once...went for the extinguisher and it didn't work! So check yours everyone!!

At the end of the day it pays to inspect your own lines and not just assume that the machanic did.

Wel I hope this post is accomplishing what I set it out to do, make sure no classic volksys are lost this summer.

As Joel Said I reckon there was nothing a small extinguisher could have done for my fire anyway.
Didn't notice a drop in power at all. Smelt fuel for a few seconds though it was the truck with the smoky exhaust in front, heard a bang and then saw smoke out the vents.

I'll post a photo of where the extinguisher in the squareback was mounted Doctor. Looked alright there.

Good talking point whenever I had a new passenger in the car too.

Bryce

fire extinguisher in the squareback.
Note the seats. Comfiest seats ever had a nice wolfsburg logo at the top too.

Hi

Bad luck, a VW owners worst nightmare.

The brass fuel line fitting in Type 3 carbs are renowned for falling out, drilling and tapping in a new fitting will fix this.

Type 3s usually don't trap as much leaking fuel as Type 1 motor.

Steve

I had a couple of fuel leaks on my bug but none that caught fire, fortunately. I'm paranoid about my golf - whenever I smell the faintest whiff of petrol I get worried as even the golf's are prone too. I always check to see if the clamps are tight and there are no drips. I'm gonna replace the fuel lines again in my golf this summer, even though I only did it last year.

welcome to here
RIP little loved notch

Sorry about the car mate. I had one of those experiences a couple of months ago. Stopped the car and could just hear this "tssss, tsssss" noise from the motor. I had forgotten to tighten a fuel line clamp when I changed all the lines. VERY VERY lucky was I. I am really looking forward to a get together some time

Hate to see anything like that, but especially an aircooled veedub. It's my worst nightmare!!

bugger about the notch lost a bay to fire , did have a small fire in a wagon fuel line on pump split and squirted straight on the dizzy, luckily caught it in time ...smoke pouring out the rear vents.

Hey guys,

Thought I would just tack onto to my original post.

I found a great type 3 wagon earlier this year in a dry part of SA! Can not find a speck of structural rust on it.
I shall put up some photos soon of her. A nice before and after polishing and accessorising (including a new fire extinguisher adding to the 70's brass extinguisher that was in there. Some great new venetians and some funky curtains for sleeping).

Hope you guys enjoy when I finally post

Bryce

Oh man! car fires are the worst.

Hi

that's why i don't like the cotton covered fuel line...
as You cannot see any cracks in the hose...

I prefer the good branded fuel line and its cheap enough to replace every year or two...

at least with the black hose You can see any cracks before they leak, if you have them that long...lol

A Pair of vyce grips on the fuel line under the fuel tank will stop any further fuel coming thru the hose....

or if You have an older beetle
turn the fuel tap to halfway between On & reserve...
which is at a 45 degree angle... OFF...

an electric cut off switch under the fuel tank would have saved ,most of the burnt out VWs....

Just remember... the original Minis had a similar problem...
when the fuel lines were ruptured in an accident...
and it didn't take much to wreck a mini.. lol

in the boot [rear] was a battery, an electric fuel pump and the fuel tank-s ...
so the pump just kept pumping fuel out.....

LEE

About to get the rims powdercoated.

Seeing how the material for the curtains would look. Before the rims got powdercoated as well.

I have a plastic RYCO fuel filter under My Fuel tank which I replace every 12 months...
along with the hose...

LEE

And After!!

Murder scene red interior.

Original interior.