Gutted - what do I do now?

[Oh.go.on.then]

I've spent months and thousands replacing my engine with a new one from Laurie Pettitt, blasted and painted the engine bay and painted or replaced every part. You wouldn't believe it now but it looked better than new. I'd also spent months redoing the outside of the van, changed the sliding door, bumpers blasted and painted, interior re trimmed.

It had its maiden voyage yesterday to have new wheels on, all went well.

Started it this morning and it all went up in flames - three fire extinguishers later and I put the fire out. It looks like a fuel hose popped off.

What do I do now? Can I claim on the insurance? Is it worth it? I haven't got the heart or the funds to start again.

Anything plastic has started to melt, the wiring is shot and the bay is full of powder. I guess the engine in theory should be ok but the rest is a mess. It is contained to the engine bay mainly and I suppose the black would polish off the outside paint work.

I don't know what the insurance would do or say though.

It was supposed to be going down to O'Conners roofs in two weeks for a new pop top which I've paid a deposit on - better break the news to Pete tomorrow.

This what it looks like now.

 

[lobie]

if its any consulation mate it doesn't look too bad same thing happened to me but mine ended up looking like this i'd only had the bus 2 weeks

12 months later i won best in show at vdub drive in buxton

 

[Oh.go.on.then]

Actually that does make me feel a bit better, cheers.

What did you do, claim through insurance? Did they fix it or did you?

Cheers

 

[lhu128l]

Speak to Laurie ref the engine ,it it was running when you sprayed the fire extinguisher then it will probably need striping and rebuilding . If you claim on the insurance then the will either write it off or it will be a cat c . It it was me I would remove engine ,clean the lot and replace all the melted items .... Pain I know

 

[lobie]

claimed on insurance then got got it fixed ie bought engine had it fitted got paint done etc then i had to fit a new interior as the other one was water damaged after fire brigade had finished with it

so i did some work myself and some was done by friends in the trade


frome this

to this

and this

to this and firetec fitted

 

[StuF]

Mate - know it looks rough now, but get the engine out, airline off all the powder extinguisher remenants and have a good look.

Have personally seen much worse engine fires - your dizzy cap isnt even melted, awesome that you had the extinguishers to hand.

Might be ok and probably looks MUCH worse than it could have been.

Good luck

 

[Lee C]

Stick the bus on the naughty step for a few days & pop doon the pub for the afternoon!!??












Then, make plans what to do next!!??

 

[dazza1975]

What a shitter mate , really glad you got the fire under control!

Note to self :- Put a big ass fire extinguisher in porch :!:

I know its bad but it could have been a hell of a lot worse, count your blessings you weren't driving it at the time.

Good look mate and chin up!

 

[Oh.go.on.then]

After a few cups of tea I've been and had another look and it isn't really too bad. All the wiring has melted but it can all be replaced. Luckily I was outside my garage when it went up and the three extinguishers were on the wall.

I think the worst damage is actually to my knee when I fell over running - muppet!

It will never be like it was before but I may as well book a week off work and get the engine out.

 

[68_early_bay]

Dude I'm gutted for ya but it doesn't look too bad and glad u got it out before it did some serious damage , best thing I've invested in is a firetec, peace of mind 8)

First thing I'd do though is get all the extinguisher powder off as soon as possible, as I'm sure I've seen somewhere on here it's corrosive to aluminium crank cases and other engine parts???


And chin up, get stuck in, and it'll be all up and running in no time 8)

 

[lhu128l]

lobbie isn't your CAT C recorded damage tho ? Forget the insurance ,strip the lot ,wash the powder off , as I said earlier if engine was running when you deployed powder extinguisher it will have ingested it and will need stripping to clean it out ..... It probably looks worse than it is ...

 

[lobie]

yep but that doesn t matter to me as i have no intention of selling it anytime soon

 

[BARKING MARK]

I am amazed its not worse than it is with a fuel hose comming off :evil: . I think your quick reaction saved the bus. If it was me id read lobies story a couple of times, a happy ending will help lift the spirit. THEN......go for phoneix rising from the ashes. Keep us all posted on your progress.

 

[T2 Brinky]

gutted for you, but as others have said your'e quick reactions made all the diffrence

 

[junkyardjim]

Really feel for you mate!

If I was local id come & give you a hand, as the others have said it really doesn't look that bad
the powder makes things look worse than they actually are.

I'd give laurie a call/mail with pic's and see what he suggests regarding strip down.

don't loose to much sleep over it its all fixable - nobody got badly hurt thats the main thing!

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[Bay-low71]

This really puts me moaning about how s#*t my engine rebuild going into perspective.
Wouldn't wish it on anyone, gutted for you. But as mentioned take advice from Laurie, then get cracking. As they say its all sent to test us!!!! I bloody hate tests though.... You've made it to an incredible standard no reason why you can't do it a second time....Ben

 

[Oh.go.on.then]

Thanks for the kind words guys

Luckily I stopped the engine when it made a funny noise so none of the powder went in it so I'm pretty confident it will be ok, I'll just change all the sundries.

I've blown a lot of the powder out with the air line and it appears that I did get it just in time. The new paint in the bay has blistered and the wiring is toast but other than that it isn't too bad.

Here's a lesson though. I nearly bought a firetec a month ago but thought no that's money I can spend on the kids........

Here's another thought, it took 2 1kg and 1 500g fire extinguisher to put the fire out. What size is the fire extinguisher in your van because I can tell the one inside mine wouldn't have been big enough to put the fire out.

Give me a few weeks and I'll post some pics of it done......again!

Cheers guys

Mike

 

[waltz19]

Head down engine out and take stock.

Keep going and it will be ready for the spring 8)

Good luck and keep going ( i will be a great to drive )

Alan

If you were close i would have helped no probs.

 

[Guest]

when the fuel line pops off and the engines is hot you have a bad combination. I had just imported a original paint bus, you would not believe the condition, everything was original. I went through everything for the MOT not that it needed much. I was running in a new oil change after just finishing adjusting the valves when i went round the back and there was an inch of petrol lying around the tinware. You have no idea how lucky i was as the engine was hot and i had just filled her up the day before. The copper pipe had worked itself loose from the carb and was squirting petrol into the engine bay. The "cloth was touching" i tell ya :shock: .

I really think you got off lightly so count your blessings as you were on the ball. Find out what it was and why, you wont do it again

Sounds like its going to be an awesome bus again.

 

[KevH]

Here's a lesson though. I nearly bought a firetec a month ago but thought no that's money I can spend on the kids........

Here's another thought, it took 2 1kg and 1 500g fire extinguisher to put the fire out. What size is the fire extinguisher in your van because I can tell the one inside mine wouldn't have been big enough to put the fire out.

Feel for you mate, but your quick thinking saved the day, as did having THREE extinguishers to hand.

From what you say, it looks like those of us with Firetec systems or the equivalents might still be under-prepared. Food for thought that.