Down In A Blaze Of Unglory - 914s on FIRE!, It can be pretty common, unfortunately. What causes the 914 to catch fire so easily, how to prevent it from happening and what to do if it does happen Options

[tumamilhem]

Has this ever happened to you?





Video of car on fire: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151125433882341


This is an unfortunate, serious reality and real danger for us 914 owners that tragically happens all too often. But why and how can it be prevented?

I'd like to propose three talking points that could help educate other 914 owners to make necessary precautions to preserve their cars - and their lives:


1. What causes fires in the 914 and why are they so common?

2. What precautions may be done to prevent a 914 from catching fire?

3. If your 914 does catch fire, should you try to put it out or should you stay away in case of an explosion?

[ClayPerrine]

This is from personal experience......

Betty and I were living in Arlington, and we were driving her car from there to my parent's house in Bedford. On the way up Hwy 360, I hear her yell "Were on FIRE!".

The car didn't lose power, so I quickly moved right and got it on the shoulder. We bailed out, and I tried to put the fire out with a handheld extinguisher. I just slowed it down.

The FD arrived, and used a half of the water in the tanker and two big CO2 extinguishers to get the fire put out. By that time the top had collapsed inward, the interior was gone, the gauge lenses had bubbled out, and the windshield collapsed inward.

After it cooled, the fire marshall did a post mortem. His analysis was that the plastic pressure line had split at the firewall where it makes the turn to the right, and sprayed gas all over the hot heat exchangers, starting the fire.

That engine fire almost cost me my marriage, as that is Betty's pride and joy.
It took me a few years to get it back up and running.

To this day, I will never own a 914 that has the plastic lines, and I will gladly install steel lines for free for anyone who is willing to pay the cost of the lines. I don't ever want to see another 914 on fire.