oh gawd.
again, apples and oranges.
welding, be it electric arc or fuel/oxy is way the hell hotter than an open
flame.
Let me assist Your thought process: try welding metal with a cigarette
lighter.

Sure diesel burns, no sh*t.
how else would it provide motive force for a semi?

bait and switch?
Oh, sorry, trying to make things fair instead of skewing the data.

Semi goes 100k+ miles a year, westy goes 5-15k a year?  Ten times as many
miles for diesel powered truck to burn.
you can say "well hey there's 10 gas vehicles for every 1 diesel...blah blah
blah"
whatever.  The fact remains the same, and always will:  Gasoline is more
volatile than diesel.  period.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
> Of Terry Kay
> Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2001 12:16 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: [Fwd: Re: Metal engine lids - what year?]
>
>
> Pat,
>
> Well let me assist your thought process here----try and weld a diesel
> fuel tank without filling it with carbon monoxide, or totally flushing
> it out with muriatic and water--- diesel fumes won't ignite with an open
> flame huh?
>
> Well the truck fuel tank I was welding on about 2 month's ago, is now
> rearranged, to a new form because the diesel fumes won't ignite------
>
> This theory that diesel is not explosive, is an old wives tale-----
>
> And I also knew a friend of mine who blew himself up by gas welding an
> empty gas tank tears ago------Yea, gas fumes do blow--but so do diesel
>
> And we were talking about units on the road---not miles on them.
>
> No baiting and switching here-----
>
> Later,
>
> Terry
>
>
> E-mail message From Pat Dooley
>
> ahh, you obviously have not witnessed a gas-vapor fire up close and
> personal.
> diesel vapors won't burn in the presence of an open flame. you have a
> much better chance of getting out unscathed.
> apples to oranges. I will take the diesel any day.
> any bet you want make if your being fair and comparing total miles
> traveled per vehicle and taking the ratio of fires per vehicle on the
> road. most 2-3 year old diesel rigs have more miles on them than any
> vanagon on the list.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
> Of Terry Kay
> Sent: Monday, November 19, 2001 12:56 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: [Fwd: Re: Metal engine lids - what year?]
> Patrick---
> It's not to what, or when, or why, it's the "what if" that counts !!
> Once is enough to really screw your day, month, or year up.
> Who care's what kind of a fire it is, it's a fire, and diesel does
> burn------
> In an electrical fire, what is the difference what is powereing the
> vehicle---it's all going anyway !!!
> And I'll double the wager---only because there are one hell of allot
> more trucks on the road than Vanagon's-----
> Name the bet--I'm in.
> E-mail message From Pat Dooley
> jeeze, the slant on these threads is amazing. which vehicle would you
> rather be in if an electrical fire broke out? gas or diesel? no brainer.
> How many semi's burn compared to gas powered vehicles? my money is on
> the gassers.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
> Of Terry Kay
> Sent: Monday, November 19, 2001 12:27 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: [Fwd: Re: Metal engine lids - what year?]
> So, MIke what your saying is a diesel isn't prone to electrical fire's?
> Hmm---just saw a Mack burn last week.
> Musta been a gas Mack-----
> The fiberglass hood looked like it was a refugee from Nagasaki-----
> Later,
> Terry
> E-mail message From Michael Snow
> Even with my diesels, I noticed no increase in the noise level when I
> switched to the plastic engine lid. The compelling advantage to me is
> the weight of the lid. This is especially noticeable with the ridiculous
> design of the bottom edge of the Westfalia rear cabinet. Hefting the
> metal lid into position is not a job for those with weak backs (like the
> wife). The steel lids are prone to bending (especially when dropped from
> slippery hands) and the insulation is invariably sagging and damaged.
> I'll concede that the steel lid may give marginally better protection to
> the van interior during an engine fire. Since I only drive diesels,
> that's not one of my concerns.
> Mike Snow
> andrewbell wrote:
> Man, oh man. I wasn't misunderstanding. I, too, have poked around lots
> and lots of Vans and other busses, but have never encountered the
> plastic lid. Isn't it noisy? Is it strong enough to ensure a load? What
> happens in the event of an engine fire? Torched passengers? Doesn't
> sound safe. Why would you want to have a plastic engine compartment lid?
> Weight savings? Manufacturing cost? Sounds like a dumb idea. I say buy a
> metal one from Chris...
> AB
>