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Last night got to use my fire extinguisher....unfortunately it was on my 93
EV (which I've owned since new...). I popped out to buy my wife a little
surprise, and was heading home on the highway doing about 70 when the A/C
vents started to blow out thick black smoke. I put the EV in neutral, shut
the engine down and tried to slow down into the breakdown lane...NO BRAKES!
I used the emergency brake to stop. Grabbed the extinguisher popped the
hood a crack and began spraying and then fully opened the hood and put the
rest of the fire out.

It looks like a good part of the hoses and wiring in the engine compartment
are toast! Hopefully the EV can be put back together.


Ric

Ric,

Same thing happened to our 93 EV GL on our way home from a camping trip.
Only our A/C system was ruined, though. The fire was traced to a faulty air
conditioner pump that seized up and caught on fire. Thankfully, I keep a
fire extinguisher strapped to the side of the driver's seat. We had both
kids and the dog in the van when it happened. Talk about a Chineese fire
drill! One thing we learned is that insurance will not pay for damages unless
they are caused by fire, so make sure you tell the insurance company that you
saw flames, or they will say it was a mechanical problem, and they won't pay.
We (and witnesses) saw flames coming out of our engine compartment, so
insurance picked up the $2,500+ in repair costs.

Good luck
Todd Vess
93 EV GL
90 Passat

It looks like a good part of the hoses and wiring in the engine compartment
are toast! Hopefully the EV can be put back together.

Wow, Ric, what a way to start off a Sunday morning! I'm sorry to hear of your experience yesterday. Unfortunately, electricals and harnesses are things you don't want to have problems with (ask me how I know..). Do you suppose the cause was the fuel line, or an electrical nature? I know a few years back you fixed a (potential) leak at a fuel line junction, but a lot of us are sitting/driving around with seven year old EVs, possibly waiting for the same thing that happened to you. I remember my first VW, a Type3 SB that was eight years old when I bought it. It started springing leaks in fuel line after fuel line until I finally wised up and just had them all replaced. I would think that '90s German rubber technology is better than '70's German rubber technology, though..

Let us know how this all comes out in the end. Hopefully a "simple" replacement of the affected hoses and wiring harness(es), and you're on the road again.

Norman

______________________________________________________

In a message dated 9/5/99 6:17:45 AM, rgolen@... wrote:

<<Last night got to use my fire extinguisher....unfortunately it was on my 93
EV (which I've owned since new...). I popped out to buy my wife a little
surprise, and was heading home on the highway doing about 70 when the A/C
vents started to blow out thick black smoke. I put the EV in neutral, shut
the engine down and tried to slow down into the breakdown lane...NO BRAKES!
I used the emergency brake to stop. Grabbed the extinguisher popped the
hood a crack and began spraying and then fully opened the hood and put the
rest of the fire out.

It looks like a good part of the hoses and wiring in the engine compartment
are toast! Hopefully the EV can be put back together.


Ric>>

Ric,
Sorry to hear about your fire.

I posted a few weeks back about the gas leak on my '93. I hope this wasn't
what may have caused your fire.

I replaced the hose clamps and the leak stopped. Yesterday, I noticed gas
smell again. I popped the hood and sure enough, there was a leak. I
couldn't tell which hose was leaking, so I tightened all the clamps and it
seems to have stopped.

It seems to me that the hoses only leak when the engine is cold. Is there
extra pressure in the hoses at that point? Something related to the cold
start valve?

Tomorrow I buy the extinguisher.

Steve Lashley
'66 Westy
'74 Campmobile
'93 EV MV
<A href="></A>
Importing German Side Tents, Carver Propane Heaters and other Accessories for
Bus, Vanagon and EuroVan

Isn't there one under your drivers seat? Mine had one

Geoff

Tomorrow I buy the extinguisher.

Steve Lashley
'66 Westy
'74 Campmobile
'93 EV MV
<A href="></A>
Importing German Side Tents, Carver Propane Heaters and other Accessories for
Bus, Vanagon and EuroVan

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Did your van have ABS?

In a message dated 09/06/1999 9:44:23 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
Sklashley@... writes:

It seems to me that the hoses only leak when the engine is cold. Is there
extra pressure in the hoses at that point? Something related to the cold
start valve?

I have a similar symptom with my lower radiator hose. It leaks when cold,
even when the engine has been off for several weeks, but it does not leak
when the engine is warm. My theory is that when the rubber is warm it is
pliable enough to conform to the shape of the radiator fitting, but when it
is cold it is stiff and allows a gap between mating surfaces.

Bill Armstrong, EVC Speculator
'71 Econoline (home brew camper)