Most fuel related engine fire have a long period of
sepage before something gives to the point of causing
a fire.   A good habit to develop if you own a vanagon
is to give the van the sniff test after you shut it
down.   This is perhaps most important on long drives
when you are far away from home.   Sniff for three
things: fuel, coolant and excess heat.   A whiff of
any of these three things should not be left
unexplained.
One side of the van is a better choice, near the vents
which have been perfectly placed nose high.
    regards Gary
Date:    Tue, 3 Aug 2004 23:36:57 +1200
From:    Andrew Grebneff
<andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Idea for engine-fire warning/control system

Someone on the Vanagon.com list asked whether a
temperature sensor in
the engine compartment would be a good idea. I think
so...

Install a thermal sensor in the engine bay, somewhere
near the top
andf off to one side (out of the way of direct
flames... don't want
it to be killed immediately by a fire!). To it wire a
fuel-shutoff
valve at the tank end of the fuel line. Rig it to kill
the fuelpump.
Rig a siren and strobing superbright LED in the
dash... LED aligned
to hit the driver in the eye.

  If the sensor detects excessive heat it will sound
the alarm, flash
the LED and shut the fuel flow off at the tank and
pump (no harm in
redundancy). It could also be set-up to activate a
built-in
extinguisher system.

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