Audi engine fire....

[Lankytim]

The Audi has been running shite for the past week or so, the gas consumption is up and it hates starting in the morning- usually it goes first time no matter how cold it is. I had a bit of a mooch under the bonnet this afternoon on my lunch break. A couple of spark plugs looked a bit ill, with one appearing pretty burnt and discoloured on the ceramic part. A quick clean up had them looking nice and shiny so back in they went. Running the engine showed the situation had improved, but I noticed alot of arcing on top of the coil. This is an ongoing problem and a long term solution is probably a new coil but a quick wipe over eliminated the misfire and suddenly the engine was running better than ever. Yes!

 

On the way home from work, and after collecting my daughter from nursery the Audi cut out at a set of lights. Flicking over to petrol had the engine running again but things didn't seem well at all, the power was down and the engine felt rough. Driving the last couple of miles home things improved but as I pulled onto the drive the engine cut out and smoke started to billow from under the bonnet. Shit!! I grabbed my £4.99 fire extinguisher from the glove box and opened the bonnet (wrong thing to do I know) The air filter and carb was well ablaze with melted plastic all over the place but the powder extinguisher made short work of it, although the damn thing didn't want to go out at first. I know that perhaps I should have got my daughter out before seeing to the fire and I was poised ready to grab her and retreat to a safe distance incase things didn't go to plan, I know from experience that car fires need to be tackled sooner rather than later. In the minute or two it would have taken to get her out and to safety before returning to the car to tackle the fire the blaze could have well been too big for the Home Bargains extinguisher to handle.

 

Anyway, the fire is definitely out, the battery is disconnected and there's dry powder all over my drive. No real harm done.

 

I haven't analysed the damage in detail yet but the air filter is a mess of melted plastic, wires and air filter element and things look a bit black. Ill have a proper look when I get time, although fires tend to cause alot of damage in a short time. I'm hopeful its repairable though.

 

My money is on a backfire caused by a weak spark setting LPG in the air filter alite.

 

Anyway.... time for a drink!

[Albert Ross]

Kinell. Glad you're ok. I suggest a bottle of brandy. It won't fix the car, but you'll feel a bit better.

[worldofceri]

Strewth! Well done on getting the fire out quickly. I've never seen a small car fire if you know what I mean.

 

Hope it can be fixed without too much expense.

[Louise2cv]

Shite, bad times. Glad nobody was hurt, hope you sort it out easily.

[warren t claim]

Nasty! I had a Golf Gti catch fire once. To say I panicked was an understatement.

[red5]

Glad you're both ok. Any engine fire is nasty, LPG ones are very unpleasant to say the least.

[Dead_E23]

Be extremely cautious about touching anything that was close to the fire. Some of the rubber components may have become contaminated with Hydrofluoric Acid, which I understand to be horrendously dangerous stuff.

 

If you have a Haynes manual handy, read the warning about it at the front of the book listed under 'special hazards' - it says: 'Once formed, the acid remains dangerous for years. If it gets on to the skin, it may be necessary to amputate the limb concerned' I was once told that this is because it starts dissolving it's way along the myelin sheaths around nerves - not sure if that's true; wikipedia has it down as a systemic poison. Either way, I've no intentions of taking any chances with the stuff.

[scaryoldcortina]

Kinell. Glad you're ok. I suggest a bottle of brandy. It won't fix the car, but you'll feel a bit better.

 

Don't smoke while drinking the brandy, just in case...

 

I hate car fires!

[theorganist]

Glad you and your daughter are okay, that is the main thing.

 

Hope you get it sorted easily.

[Pillock]

Bloody hell! Car fires always strike fear into me, it's the speed that they take hold. Once hears smashing glass outside, in the 30 seconds it took me to go to the front door and look out the neighbours Favourit was well ablaze and 5 minutes later was just a shell.

 

(seems he was a drug dealer, not a very good one at that, and got his finances wrong.....)

[Cavcraft]

Sorry to hear about that Tim but the main thing is you and your little one are o.k.

[Timewaster]

(seems he was a drug dealer, not a very good one at that)

 

Not if he was driving a Favorit! Should have a P38 Range Rover at the very least!

[Lankytim]

Well, iv'e ventured outside and had a proper look. Not all bad news. The air filter housing is toast and the carb looks partially burnt with much of the wiring wiped out. After unbolting/chiseling it all off the engine and removing the LPG mixer and pipework I reconnected the battery and tried to start the engine. Amazingly it ran, although initially it was very lumpy, as if it was clearing some debris from the system- the air filter element was burnt to a crisp with all the paper filter part missing, it would have all gone down the carb and been eaten by the engine before I parked up, yum yum!

 

So, a bit of wiring, a new fuel cut off valve for the carb and a damn good clean up should see it back in service, although i'm BANNED from using it tomorrow by the wife.

 

LPG wise I need a new mixer, a dedicated one designed to fit directly to the carb should help prevent a repeat performance, although I don't know the exact type of carb used- what I do know is it was from a G reg Audi 80 sport....

 

Onwards and upwards!

[Lankytim]

Identify this carb!

 

 

I know its a Keihin, but which type? I need to get an LPG mixer to fit it.

[dieselnutjob]

Be extremely cautious about touching anything that was close to the fire. Some of the rubber components may have become contaminated with Hydrofluoric Acid, which I understand to be horrendously dangerous stuff.

 

If you have a Haynes manual handy, read the warning about it at the front of the book listed under 'special hazards' - it says: 'Once formed, the acid remains dangerous for years. If it gets on to the skin, it may be necessary to amputate the limb concerned' I was once told that this is because it starts dissolving it's way along the myelin sheaths around nerves - not sure if that's true; wikipedia has it down as a systemic poison. Either way, I've no intentions of taking any chances with the stuff.

 

This is absolutely true. Read it again please. I think it can apply to wiring as well. Plastics in general I don't know.

[dieselnutjob]

Are the Blos LPG systems more immune to backfiring?

[HillmanImp]

That bad news mate. At least it did not take hold and you and child are okay.

 

Set fire to the Rocco slightly the other year. Had just bought it and the oil filter was stuck on so i though i would hammer a screwdriver through it and twist it off. Hammered too hard and went straight through the filter and straight through a live wire. Cue flames and high pitched girly screams from me. Thankfully i have a fire extinguisher i robbed from my old house in the garage and got it straight out.