TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sat Sep 10, 2005 8:35 pm

Adding to the fire thread. I have a gas heater in my 73 bug. I live in Victoria B.C. We don't usually get cold winters. When we do I have been using my stock gas heater. The one under the hood. After reading certain articles, I would have to conclude this is also a fire hazard . I moved my gas filter to under the fuel tank, and replaced all the fuel lines. Hope its not cold this winter, nervous using the gas heater now. Anyone have any info as to whether these things are a fire hazard.?? :?:

Tue Sep 13, 2005 9:28 am

If 5MM hose is used, what size should the fuel filter ends be--1/4 inch?

Tue Sep 13, 2005 9:47 am

jgaudiello wrote: If 5MM hose is used, what size should the fuel filter ends be--1/4 inch?

Yes... that's the cloest you can get.

Thu Sep 15, 2005 10:11 am

Here's a simple idea.

Sun Sep 25, 2005 9:08 pm

WaterboysSuper71 wrote: How susceptible is a Beetle to catching on fire. Every once in awhile I run across a story in the forum that ones Beetle caught fire. Is this a common problem? What can be done to help prevent a fire from occuring :?:

Another, less obvious area for fire potential exists where the metal fuel line penetrates the firewall tin. The area is down under the left side (drivers side) of the engine right above the #3 exhaust header... take note of the location of the fuel line and its close proximity to the exhaust header right off #3 cylinder. The hole in the firewall tin the fuel line goes through has a rubber grommet, factory installed, to prevent metal to metal contact. Over time, the rubber grommet dries out and falls away. Without the grommet, the metal fuel line (which is relatively maleable, soft metal) can vibrate against the edges of the hole; this action will wear through the fuel line creating a leak right above the red hot exhaust header off #3 cylinder. Pooof..... and gravity works.... so whatever fuel is in the tank will continue to leak out and feed the fire.... marshmellows?

Frequently check the integrity of the rubber grommet and the hardline (for wear) where it goes through the firewall tin. To check it, you have to jack the car up to get under it.... which why it often gets missed. Or you can fashion a fixed fierwall mount for the fuel line by using some threaded lamp tubing. The fuel line is slipped through the threaded lamp tubing and RTV'd into place. Insert the hard line through the firewall tin and use a couple of nuts on either side of the tin to lock it in place. This little trick was via Bob Hoover from his "Sermons" CD. I did this on my engine when I rebuilt it.... thanks Bob.

mike

Wed Oct 05, 2005 7:48 pm

You know the positive cable runs from the battery to the starter through the floor pan. My rear seat caught fire because the grommet that holds the positive cable where it passes through the pan rotted out. Vibration of driving caused the cables insulation to be cut through by the sheet metal and caused enough sparks to cause the rear seat horsehair to start burning.

After tossing the seat cushion out of the car I was able to wiggle the negative cable off of the battery with my bare hands which opened the electrical circuit and stopped the sparking.

I did not replace the grommet. I wrapped the new positive cable with about 5 inches of automotive heater hose (you know from those cars that are water cooled) and electrical tape. I check it at every oil change. I also have the metal fuel line where it passes through the tinwork wrapped the same way with a length of neoprene fuel hose secure by a hose clamp.

Wed Oct 05, 2005 8:29 pm

Remember the pass-through trick for the fuel line? Well, scale that up for the starter cable.

http://66.225.214.60/ghia/MVC-218F.JPG

Max

Wed Oct 12, 2005 10:12 pm

Ok? So why the woven hose? What makes it better and less susceptible to fire? Sorry this is probably a dumb question, but I'm needing to replace all my hoses and I wanna know.

Tue Nov 01, 2005 9:03 am

Is replacing the fuel filter to a filter with but ends sufficient or should this be done along with moving the filter out of the engine compartment? Obviously moving it would be optimal but I am curious if just changing the filter is okay.

Tue Nov 01, 2005 10:14 am

I'm a believer that a good quality filter with German hose and clamps are all that's needed.

Read this: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=136647

Tue Nov 01, 2005 11:57 am

I am picking up the rubber grommet for the fire wall on the way home and will get a better filter as well. Thanks.

Fri Nov 04, 2005 2:09 am

73speedbug wrote: So check out under your rear seats and cover that battery.

when i bought my bug a few months ago, i found a small plastic table looking thing. it looked like one of those things to keep the pizza boxes from crushing the pizzas. then i was reading a cheltons manual, and relized it was for the postive battery termanal, so im going to check it out toamrow and if theres not one on there im going to put one on. this seems like its a good thing to check.

Tue Nov 15, 2005 7:10 pm

73speedbug wrote: not only do you need to worry about gas fires, but under back seat fires. I was in need of a new battery on my 1st bug so being young and not doing my own work at thetime, I took it to sears for a new one. on the way back home with the wife and two kids strapped in the back seat, we heard a bunch of cars honking and my wife noticed smoke in the car. I pulled over and literally yanked my screaming kids out of the car and pulled my back seat out to find under the seat was on fire. i used my daughters jacket to put out the fire. Foud out they did not put the plastic caps over the battery and when I was going over bumps the kids bouncing was making the back seat springs hit the positive post on the battery. Sparking and igniting the burlap stuffing under the seat. Ruined all the wiring and heating my kids butts up real hot. Needless to say I chewed some sears ass and got a new battery and wiring. So check out under your rear seats and cover that battery.
Good man i would have been PISSED OFF.GOod thing you made them do all that stuff!

Thu Nov 17, 2005 1:33 pm

Glenn wrote:

Glenn, what kind of coil is that you're running? Never seen anything like it before

Sun Nov 20, 2005 10:41 am

Click on his link "74 Beetle" right below his name and goto Appendix "A" I think, it will state all the specs.

Sun Nov 20, 2005 10:44 am

It's part of the Berg "Ignitor" CDI system... the box on the upper left firewall is the control box.

Sun Nov 27, 2005 6:31 am

a lot of great tips in here. Fram G2 was it glenn? cool. more important than anything is having a fire extinguisher on board at all times. you can prevent all you want and that is the obvious but you never know what will happen on the road. make sure the extinguisher is GOOD. i have one in every vehicle i drive.

Sun Nov 27, 2005 12:49 pm

I would recommend using a metal case fuel filter (i.e. no plastic) in the engine compartment if you are going to have one in there. In the off chance that a fire does occur, those plastic fuel filters are one of the first things to melt and they dump their volume of raw fuel on the undesided fire and it flares real big real quick. I believe this to be one of the reasons that when a bug has an engine fire that it becomes catastrophic so much of the time. Once the filter melts away the fuel tank gravity feeds the fire fresh gas till you are left with a smoldering shell. :(

Mon Nov 28, 2005 3:27 pm

Glenn wrote: Here's a simple idea.

That's Brilliant, seriously. I had a Ghia burn due to this. New fuel lines all the way back, clamps everywhere and it still burned. This would have prevented that.

Mon Nov 28, 2005 9:37 pm

check spark plugs and wires i once had a small eng fire because a stripped plug hole and the spark plug fell out....