Something's burning, and I think it's ...

[Ingo Rautenberg]

Kent,

So sorry to hear :-(   Had a few cars do something similar, but not  
to the extent of going up in smoke. My guess is fuel.  I've had oil  
fires put out successfully (on my old 2002 and on my first urq) --  
both engine fires with minimal damage.  In both instances I was saved  
by a quick-thinking lad with a fire extinguisher nearby. Fuel fires  
are the nastiest and most dangerous.  Glad you're alright, though.

Ingo


On Dec 9, 2007, at 8:02 AM, quattro-request at audifans.com wrote:
> From: Kent McLean <kentmclean at comcast.net>
> Date: December 8, 2007 3:17:01 PM GMT-05:00
> To: quattro <quattro at audifans.com>
> Subject: Something's burning, and I think it's ...
> Reply-To: kentmclean at comcast.net
>
>
> ... my '91 200 20V Avant, the Mica Blue one. :( Sorry Peter.
>
> I was headed north on I-93 in NH. I had just passed through the  
> Hooksett
> toll when I notices wafts of smoke out the rear of the car.  Then I
> noticed it up front. "Coolant leak" I thought.  I made my way over to
> the right lane. The smoke got heavier. As I pulled into the State  
> Liquor
> Store parking lot, smoke was in the cabin. As I parked and exited the
> car, flames were shooting out from under the hood.
>
> A nice guy followed me in. [1] He is a V8 owner in a minivan with his
> family, and had noticed my "nice car" when I passed him at the  
> tolls. He
> also noticed the flames pouring out from under it as I headed off the
> highway.
>
> 911 was called. Fire was put out. But not before the flames had burned
> the front end, the front tires (Pop!), and the e-code headlights.  
> Sigh.
> The carcass was hauled another 5 miles north to Force 5. (Hi Chris!)
>
> Time to get TQA #1 back on the road. Or maybe time to get something
> newer and less prone to, ah, "issues".
>
> [1] Tom G or B. He gave me his card, but I can't find it right now.
>
> -- 
> Kent McLean
> '91 200 TQA #1, not for sale
> '94 100 S Avant, "Moody"
> '91 200 TQA #2, "Smokin'", up in smoke 2
> '89 200 TQ, "Bad Puppy", up in smoke
>