mark drillock wrote:
> damage and the Syncro is history. Kid yourself all you want about
> metal or insulation to limit the damage done to the interior, the
> only way to save your Vanagon from fire is to PREVENT the fire in the
> first place.

Mark, you are right, but I just want to add to the conversation and mention
the obvious, that that prevention is the best thing, but it is not 100%, so
just as with preventing fires in the home is the most important step, early
detection with fire detectors is also highly recommended, as even new hoses
can split, clamps can cut into them, and all the other murphy things will
conspire against the best of our efforts.

A metal deck is surely better than a plastic one, but I would submit that if
the fire is going well enough to melt the plastic deck, its time to call the
insurance company, as that fire is gonna take the van with it unless you can
drive it into the lake, or you have a fire engine right there with all its
extinguishers aimed right at it. I would not think that one or two portable
ones are not gonna do much good, unless you get a very good head start on
it. That is why I was asking about detection devices.

Again as  you said, prevention is first and foremost, but as with most
things, if we can get an early warning, there is a much better chance of
salvaging our favorite vehicles. Don't know if such detectors are practical,
but it seems a logical progression, after all prevention efforts are in
place.

Is there anyone on the list with first hand experience with a fire who
managed to get it out with minimal damage? The stories I hear are pretty
much total losses.......

Scary subject.

As an aside:

Before I awoke my van from its winter nap this afternoon, I opened the lid,
motivated by this thread, and looked at the lines, and was reminded that my
fuel lines are metal all the way around the engine compartment. There is one
small piece of  hose I replaced a few years ago, joining the two pieces, and
another about that size on the right side, where the line dips down and
heads up towards the pump, (I need to replace that, so thanks to all for the
constant banter which keeps us thinking) so there is only about two inches
of rubber line that can fail. Is this the way all vanagons are, or do some
of them have a lot more rubber lines than that? Mine is an 81.

John