[DML] DMC Fire

[Marc A Levy <malevy@xxxx>]

msullivan wrote:
> 
> Hello Marc,
> 
> I would be interested in more details about the "little fire scared
> the c**p out of me",
> 
> Regards
> Mike Sullivan
> #03570


Looks like a few people are interested in my fire story...

I was driving home, during rush hour and had to merge in to traffic. I
was "driving aggressively" in order to not get killed, and had the car
under boost for about 15 seconds. I think I was in 3rd gear or so. 

As I was getting up to speed, I checked the rear view mirror to see how
close the following car was, but I could not see in the huge cloud of
black smoke.

Having this happen to me before (see previous post) where under heavy
boost, oil is sometimes sucked in to the intake due to small blow-by
problem I have- I figured "Oh, This again" and pulled over.

I got my flashlight (it gets dark early now!) and opened up the engine
cover. As soon as I looked down, I saw FLAMES around the driver side
turbo/exhaust manifold.

I dropped the flashlight, and went to grab the fire extinguisher. It
got caught on the cargo net, I pulled so hard on it that I bent one of
the "S" hooks that holds the net at the bottom (I am surprised I did not
rip the net). With a few quick blasts of the extinguisher, the fire was
out.

When the smoke cleared and I had time to inspect, I realized that the
blow-by was so bad that the pushed the black oil filler cap (for lack of
a better description) out of the valve cover, and shot oil all over the
place. The oil was even on the louver, and rear quarter.

I let the car cool, put the oil filler back in place, and drove home.

Saturday, I cleaned up the mess. It seems as long as I dont keep it
under boost for too long, I have no problem.

Much of my time this weekend was spent considering what to do. I have
been driving with this problem for some time now and even suspect it may
have been a problem when I purchased the car (I always had sucky gas
mileage). 

Even with the turbos, the performance is not what I would like- which is
why I am considering a transplant instead of just rebuilding my engine. 
Even if I decide to just keep driving it (like I have for 2 years now) I
want to be prepared for the day this engine does quit.


So, that's my story.