>First of all, the 'plastic' lid are NOT plastic.

Mine sure looks/feels like polyethene. plastics reinforced by
glass/carbon fibers are still plastics, whether they be polyester,
epoxy or other eg ABS.

>Secondly, they don't
>have a tendency 'to instantly melt and collapse into the engine bay'.

Polyester wouldn't melt but it certainly would burn!

>Prevent fires to prevent loss of your van. Also carry a good sized
>gasoline fire rated extinguisher.

That means bigger than a beercan! Most automotive extinguishers would
only be good for small electrical fires, NOT fuel.

>Most of the burned up from engine fire VW vans I have seen had metal
>lids. I would theorize that is because older vans often have older fuel
>lines, etc.

Best replace the fuel lines every couple of years. But even NEW lines can fail!

A steel lid won't STOP a runaway fire but it will slow it down
considerably. A vehicle with burned engine-compartment is certainly
repairable (been there, done that). A totally-burned-out vehicle is
still perfectly repairable (the heat nicely relieves stresses in the
structure!) but...
--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin, New Zealand
64 (3) 473-8863
<andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
Fossil preparator
Seashell, Macintosh & VW/Toyota van nut
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A: Because it reverses the logical flow of conversation.
Q: Why is top posting frowned upon?