a fear we all (should) have - Page 3

HarryD · 06-14-2003, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dave cardone
Guys,

Thanks for the encouragement. Fogcity, I'm pretty sure the cause of the fire was a grommet deteriorated. It basically kept the harness from rubbing on the cooling tin where it passes through it. The grommet broke down with age, the harness rubbed through to wire on the tin and instant fire. The harness was actually welded to the tin after the fire was put out.

By the way, I used to own a Jeep Grand Wagoneer. It was gorgeous... blue with tan leather and woodgrain panels. I miss that truck. I'd buy another one if I found it to be as clean as mine but they are not easy to find.

Harry, is this going to be a stock top-end rebuild or are we doing some fun headwork too?

Later,

David

Hi Dave,

the top end will be return to stock conditions. My budget does not allow for more work at this time. If I had the $$$, I would go to a RS Spec type of upgrade but that requires Ps & Cs, new cams, replacement of CIS with Carb etc etc etc (insert many dollars with wings here). I figure the top end will extend the life of my girl 2-5 years and then I can decide what to do since we will both have "grown up"

TTFN

Ove · 06-24-2003, 02:54 PM

To carry a fire extinguisher in the car is good advise.
I found this picture somewhere:

Neilk · 06-24-2003, 05:49 PM

Damn!! What do you do in a situation like that?

Keep on rolling hoping that the all the fuel will burn off and not destroy the car or stop immediately and definitely loose the car. Well at a race track you could look for the corner workers and hope they are ready.

TENACE0621 · TENACE0621's Garage

While you are at it with the safety check:
Check the wiring at the fuse box........you know the one right there by the fuel tank and the vent hoses and stuff. I tracked down a seemingly innocent short ( my left tail light and left parking light were intermittant) to a completly melted 6inch long peice of wire BEHIND the fuse box. A bare peice of hot wire touching the metal behind the box less than a foot from all that rubber and fuel! Old cars are fun but we must treat them responsibly

Dan
76 Targa 3.0

david c. · 06-24-2003, 06:25 PM

My car was towed home today. The insurance company has issued a check to cover the damages and repairs. I told them I wanted to do the work myself. It was not a problem with them. So, now the 912 sits in the driveway with a bunch of work ahead of me. The engine will come out some evening this week and then I'll start cleaning out the engine bay. Part of my plan is to clean and paint the engine bay.

Part of me wants to go the 911 engine route and the rest of me says "fix it better than it was before..."

Whichever way I go, I'm just glad it wasn't totaled!

Zeke · 06-24-2003, 06:42 PM

I missed this thread when it was new. Dave, sorry about the fire. Excellent reminder about having workable extinguishers in car and at home. I think you should keep it as a 912E (or C for carbs). They are hard to find. If you were closer to me and I could talk you out of the car, that's what I would do.

It's a little late now, but if I were the moderator, I would have thrown sleeping_beast off the board for his BS.

HarryD · 06-24-2003, 06:53 PM

Dave,

Glad to hear things seem to have been worked out. Hope you are on the road soon.

Thomas Owen · 06-24-2003, 07:02 PM

Dave - that is good news that you got the check and the car home. Though it may take a while, at least you will be involved 100% in the repair and know it has been done right.

Now, if someone out there has a line on the harness that you need...Good luck!

mwbaum · mwbaum's Garage

Two things....I carry a 10lb Halon in the car...and I have my car insured for agreed value with an appraisal.....that should eliminate all problems....I hope.

david c. · 06-25-2003, 07:02 AM

Thanks guys. I will now (always) have an extinguisher in my cars. In the past it has been sporadic-but not anymore.

The harness itself is evidently NLA from Porsche. It would be great to find a used one somewhere. I'm wondering if I can piece together something from a 914. It really isn't all that complicated since I have carbs now. The bigger challenge will be the cleaning and replacing the hardware that suffered from the corrosive dry-chemical extinguisher dust.

sleeping_beast · 06-25-2003, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Zeke
It's a little late now, but if I were the moderator, I would have thrown sleeping_beast off the board for his BS.

Zeke,

I agree with you. I think that really was bad judgement on my side.

Alain