TheSamba.com :: View topic - Up in smoke... Bus fires... don't let it happen to you!

Tue Apr 08, 2008 1:49 pm

I recognise that burnout - and the wrecker it sits at....the drivers side (RH in OZ) window winder is now in my bus....pretty sure the remains of the shell were cut up for scrap metal.

With regards to the thread topic, I use high quality EFI fuel hose on my EFI and non EFI volksies. This stuff is not strictly original, but is far better quality than the OG stuff & have had no problems.

Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:56 pm

Has anyone seen this video yet? Very sad. The song playing the background is very appropre.

http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=1688997

Sat Apr 12, 2008 3:53 pm

kombicol wrote: With regards to the thread topic, I use high quality EFI fuel hose on my EFI and non EFI volksies. This stuff is not strictly original, but is far better quality than the OG stuff & have had no problems.

Agreed. I just had a recent scare with a bus that I just bought (read more here.) I am in the process of dropping the engine so I can replace all the fuel line, vent lines, and a few other items. The line I am going with is Mercedes Benz EFI hose. A bit more expensive but far better than that VW alternative. I did have to use the stock VW 10mm though for the length between the fuel filter and pump.

Check your hoses volks.

Fri Apr 25, 2008 10:46 am

On the fire extinguisher issue, I think its a good call to have two onboard. Right now, I only have one, and it's a halon in the back under the sink (probably not enough time to get to it in an emergency anyhow). I'm planning on picking up a decent one at WalMart or Home Depot and mounting it right behind the driver's seat by the door.

Halon, if you can still find it, works really well on gas fires in enclosed spaces (ie the bus engine room). The key would be to not open the engine lid, and instead spray the halon in through one of the vents. Blocking off the opposite vent would be ideal. I'm assuming most fires would be on the top of the engine anyway, and this would almost certainly extinguish it.

Sat Apr 26, 2008 6:16 am

"Real" Halon is almost impossible to buy since it's a CFC and can't be legally manufactured in most first world countries. However "Halotron" is an ozone friendly alternative that's supposedly just as good.

If you have a real Halon fire extinguisher please recycle it properly. You might be able to get money for it, the Halon can be removed and reused for certain applications that require it (Aircraft etc). The price for Halon is incredible... to refill an aircraft fire bottle can cost $5000.

Sat Apr 26, 2008 12:56 pm

Just wondering... Why no one is using an automatic fire extinguishing system?
somthing like:
http://www.firetrex.fr/index.htm
http://www.ompracing.it/detail.html?productcode=CA/369

there are many systems out there - some expensive, some just "not cheap", but is there a price for a burnt bus?

Asaf.
:roll:

Wed Apr 30, 2008 10:12 am

Take a look in your engine compartment, up by the oil bath air filter (if it's still there, or where it used to be) There should be a buckle where a small extinguisher can be mounted, and a small hole leading to the front, for a cable to run through. Now, just find the right way to activate it with a cable....It took me a while to get the right extinguisher...

Fri May 30, 2008 11:01 am

I have been smelling fuel for some months now and finally dove in and took the carbs off the engine and got in behind the tank firewall. All the vapor lines were in great shape except for the rubber connector that attaches on the tank and leads to the vent by the filler neck. I don't see that listed on any of the schematics. It has a part number of 211 201 157a. I found that a pvc hose for an older chrysler works great as a replacement.

Sat May 31, 2008 10:16 pm

asafk wrote: Just wondering... Why no one is using an automatic fire extinguishing system?
somthing like:
http://www.firetrex.fr/index.htm
http://www.ompracing.it/detail.html?productcode=CA/369

there are many systems out there - some expensive, some just "not cheap", but is there a price for a burnt bus?

Asaf.
:roll:

Lets hope that it doesnt have like 5 reverse valves like 5 reverse gears and 1 foward on a french car! :shock: HINT* These are french... However those europeans seem to have the fire stuff squared away.

Mon Jun 02, 2008 2:03 pm

72Bay&SB'vert-n-KS wrote: Has anyone seen this video yet? Very sad. The song playing the background is very appropre.

http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=1688997

Wow. Not only is the song appropriate but The End is a long song and the lyrics playing as they're driving by are creepily in tune with what the owner must have been thinking. Sad day.

Sun Jun 22, 2008 2:48 am

well i always had a idea for the fire extinguisher system. Its probably stupid but hear me out. take 2 fire extinguishers and mount them on the hatch or some place were there both facing the engines hot spots for fires. and take out the pins on the handle and put like some paper or something to replace them. and have then handle "the part that u squeeze to spray" spring loaded so if there was ever a fire in the engine room the fire will burn the paper holding back the extinguishers making them go off on the engine and hopefully setting the fire out with out any problems.sounds stupid i no but if u can think of a better way more power to u :D

Tue Jul 08, 2008 12:33 pm

borrowed from the girls with bays sticky, looks like a good location for a fire extinguisher...

Tue Jul 08, 2008 11:31 pm

Poor sad '69, burnt badly.

Seen here: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=624126

Wed Jul 09, 2008 9:51 am

Westy Driver wrote: borrowed from the girls with bays sticky, looks like a good location for a fire extinguisher...

Does anyone else think that this wouldn't work? I'd rather have it in my hand than trying to get at that extinguisher with hot flames shooting out the back. You’d have to practically keep your face in the engine bay while shooting…

The extinguisher itself would be hot as hell and that little plastic tube (for sure) wouldn't last long if it was actually in the fire.

fail imho

Wed Jul 16, 2008 10:42 am

Nice van above, which, IMHO I would definitely “NOT” locate the fire extinguisher on the bumper outside of the engine compartment. It would be OK if the fire was in a headlight, but where do the majority of fires occur?

Scenario: You’re driving along enjoying the scenery and notice the fire in the back. By the time you get out and open the engine door, it will be so dam hot you won’t be able to get within 10 feet of it, let alone operate the extinguisher. Have you noticed the pics of engine fires? The metal is melted. Magnesium based metals burn at a much higher temperature.

Our company, at least once a year, mandates every employee to take fire extinguisher training. They teach us about the characteristics of fire, the types of extinguishers and allow us to physically operate a real extinguisher in a controlled environment.

How many of you have had that type of training or even operated one?

Fact: Did you know that a 2 pound ABC extinguisher will blow out powder for “2 Seconds”? A 5 pound for 5 seconds and so and so on. Get the picture?

Fact: After putting out a fire, always back away from the scene. Never turn your back on the extinguished fire. It may flare up again.

Try to imagine using a 2 pound extinguisher on your pride and joy in the “heat” of the moment and getting two seconds of powder. (No pun intended)

They may not be the prettiest thing to have in your ride, but in this case, BIGGER is better.

If I appear to be blunt, please accept my apologies. I love my VW so much I tend to get paranoid about things like this and knowledge is power.

p.s. Do you have one in home? Food for thought!

Wed Jul 16, 2008 11:47 am

I wonder what percentage of bus fires could have been put out with a 2# extinguisher, or even a 5# extinguisher. As 64Bug says, by the time you notice the smoke or flames things are going to be pretty hot. Once the fuel lines burn through and you are getting gravity feed from the tank its all over. Maybe the best thing to have would be a high temperature warning alarm. If the engine compartment temps get up above say 250°F then you get an alarm and can kill the engine and thereby stop or lessen the fuel flow so your extinguisher has a chance.

Wed Jul 16, 2008 5:17 pm

Check this out it looks like the right thing to have on any VW. Mount it on the roof of the engine bay. I think I'll have get one. http://gulffishing.com/np06seafire.html

Sat Aug 02, 2008 5:29 pm

If anyone wants any info on the automatic fire extinguishing systems, I install these, and can answer some of your questions...

No, they are not cheap, but what cost is a new bus, and the hard work you put into it...

http://www.firetrace.co.uk/whatis.html

Sat Aug 02, 2008 6:19 pm

Tilly, the thing I have to check is how hot the engine compartment gets, I see the extinguishers I posted a link to go off at 190o

At what Temp. will The FryerTrace system go off at?

Jack

Sun Aug 03, 2008 12:28 am

The tube will rupture at 120 centigrade....

You would need to run the bus up to temp, and put in a temperature probe in the engine bay to find out what the maximum temperature achieved is...

120c is pretty much ok for most applications. I have a system on my Eunos, which has never got anywhere near that temp.

You also have to consider the extinguishant medium. For a fuel fire, I'd recommend AFFF Foam. Dry powder leaves a crusty mess, and FM200 might put out the flames temporarily, but you need to smother the fuel, incase it ignites again on the hot engine.

You can also run off a pressure switch to activate any fuel cut offs, or provide a warning on the dash...

The detection tubing is P clipped onto the top of the engine bay.