[Vwdiesel] VW issues

Mon Jan 6 17:09:50 PST 2014

Ironic, as I rescued a wrecked ALH last year that had a small crack into
the block.

It dropped a valve, ate the head, and it still works after a rebuild.

On Mon, Jan 6, 2014 at 8:07 PM, Andrew .Libby <libbybapa at gmail.com> wrote:

> I bought an ALH engine that had a massive engine fire.  The hard parts were
> still good and since I had no intention of using the electronics anyway I
> just had to replace a few plastic bits like timing cover, oil filter cover,
> etc...  Worked out well for me.
>
> A good friend bought a VW Quantum 1.6TD that had a massive engine fire.
>
> My brother had a John Deer skidder that caught on fire and was completely
> destroyed from a diesel fuel leak.
>
> That's three that I've dealt with first hand.
>
>
> On Mon, Jan 6, 2014 at 6:03 PM, Chris Geiser <cfgeiser at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Travis - that's the first diesel vehicle fire that I've heard of... You
> > know it wasn't fuel in those temps, so had to be electrical...
> > Sorry for your troubles - hope things warm up and turn out positively.
> >
> > CG
> > **sent with mobile device
> >
> > On Jan 6, 2014 6:26 PM, "Travis ." <tgott at hotmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > > Well after I order brakes but before I received them even- my car
> started
> > > on fire. Went out to start my car. Turned over slowly. I tried one more
> > > time and figured it wasn't going to spin it fast enough to actually
> > start.
> > > I worked night shift and this was trying to get home. I went inside to
> > call
> > > my wife. After a couple minutes someone said they had jumper cables and
> > we
> > > would try that. Just then my boss came in and said-your car is
> running. I
> > > ran outside and saw smoke coming out from the hood area. I popped the
> > hood
> > > and flames came out. I closed the hood and got a couple fire
> > extinguishers.
> > > Thankfully where I work there is a lot of those per building
> > codes/factory,
> > > etc. Came back out with my boss on my heels and we got the hood back
> open
> > > and took two big extinguishers but it was out. I had to peel the
> > smoldering
> > > hood insulation off for fear it would drop back in and start something
> > up.
> > > It was around -25. Around as cold as it was last Monday. I should have
> > just
> > > had my wife drop me off
> > >  last night and pick me back up since our garage isn't as cold as it is
> > > outside and we can plug it in vs at work were there isn't plug in's.
> > >
> > > So my boss gave me a ride home. Called insurance which gave me a claim
> > > number and I was suppose to call a different number. 3 numbers later I
> > > finally got the right set of number since this was "fire". Since they
> > were
> > > already booked today-they might send someone to look at Tuesday. Glade
> > they
> > > really can speed things up. Found out I don't have the coverage that
> > covers
> > > getting a rental either so that will be getting added in. Love how with
> > > insurance that unless you ask the right things it is hard to figure out
> > > what you do have. They said that the part causing the fire wouldn't be
> > > covered but the surrounding parts would be.
> > >
> > > So I attempted to start my truck-wouldn't turn over. I attempted to
> move
> > > my JD L&G tractors and after an hour of messing around got one started
> to
> > > so I could move it out of the way. Only to find the hydraulics
> > > (hydrostactic, power steering, blower lift) wouldn't work as the oil
> > likely
> > > couldn't get past the filter. So I had to push it out of the way and
> push
> > > it back in. The Geo metro with some extended cranking was the only
> thing
> > > that did fire off. I was getting parts for it to rebuild since there is
> > no
> > > power, it burns oil, etc. I did have the battery on a battery
> maintainer.
> > >
> > > So after driving to work at 35 mph since it doesn't have the power to
> go
> > > faster then that right now I got there to clear my car out. I went to
> > > remove my rear hitch carrier and twisted the lock key in the pin.
> So-that
> > > got left behind. Took pictures of the damage since I now had a camera
> and
> > > it was now daylight. No body damage (paint) and no mechanical engine
> > > damage. But if it is rubber or plastic and in the engine-it doesn't
> look
> > > good. One radiator fan is melted down as is the battery area. Valve
> cover
> > > was starting to melt, radiator melted some. Hoses crispy but not burned
> > > through.
> > >
> > > The crappy part-that was my good vehicle that was meant for my towing
> and
> > > my distance drives. Internet was down most of the day due to cold
> related
> > > issues. I felt like a caged animal today. When it rains-it pours.
> > Hopefully
> > > the insurance stuff gets worked out OK. My deductibles aren't bad but I
> > > worry since it isn't a 100% stock car on what they could put blame to
> on
> > > things. I know it had to be the battery area. I don't know if something
> > > just overheated in the attempted start and then it smoldered and
> started
> > > up. Could have been the live wires on top of the battery as well (don't
> > > know the name for it were it is a power hub basically). I had my cold
> > > weather front on so that helped keep things from burning faster I
> think.
> > It
> > > burned a hole in the intake side of the one cover. My entire plastic
> > intake
> > > parts are also melted.
> > >
> > > Could have been worse I guess. I could have been someplace without fire
> > > extinguishers - or enough of them. My wife could have been driving -
> > with 3
> > > kids strapped in cars seats and a fire up front stranded outside in the
> > > cold. So I am thankful for several things. But I am still at a lose as
> to
> > > how this happened. No recent work that hasn't already started the car
> in
> > > just as cold of weather.
> > >
> > > On top of that we had one frozen water pipe in the house we rent (we
> got
> > > it thawed) and now have found a few areas of ice on the inside of the
> > > house-on outside facing walls. Now my wife will have to drop me off day
> > and
> > > possibly another day or two since I don't trust starting a vehicle
> > sitting
> > > outside. Neighbor will help watch the kids as this is done - which they
> > > just are recovering from the stomach flu.
> > >
> > > Well-I think that venting makes me feel a little better. Couldn't
> barely
> > > sleep but a few hours.
> > > Travis
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Vwdiesel mailing list
> > > Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> > > http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel
> > >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Vwdiesel mailing list
> > Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> > http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel
> >
> _______________________________________________
> Vwdiesel mailing list
> Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel
>