Sorry Clive, I have to disagree with you on this one. I can think of two car
engines that are magnesium based. I could be wrong, but I don't think I am.

The engine cases of some early Porsche 911s were magnesium. I also thing
that BMW had some magnesium engines a long time ago (in the '70s?).

Like I said, I could be wrong, but I thing I got it right.

Respectfully,
Bruce

>
> > Two questions
> > 1.  Do Vanagon engines have magnesium in them?
> > 2.  Wouldn't fire depts know this (if true) and avoid putting water on
>these
> > car fires?
>
>1) NO, despite it having been said in this list a few times, the alloys in
>the any auto engine, are not magnesium based, they're alumium based, and
>the
>alloying elements mainly used for casting alloys are silicon and manganese
>(and I can't remember what else).
>
>I may be wrong, but you'll have to go some to prove that anyone would cast
>any significant quantities of mag ally's into an auto engine - for one, all
>the threads would have to have inserts.

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