Engine fire

[kimcote]

I was stuck in an horrendous jam last November on the M4, it took 4 hours to go 4 miles. My Chimaera didnt like it at all and after a couple of hours, started to stall. This became worse, and I had to pull over to the hard shoulder several times. It wasn't overheating, just unable to idle.
Coming off the motorway the engine sounded terrible, and I saw flames coming out the air vents. I stopped and jumped out pretty smartish. Luckily a passing ambulance stopped and the medics put out the fire with an extinguisher.
The damage didn't seem too bad, a blistered bonnet, burn hose, and snapped fan belt.
The insurance company's engineer thought the fan belt had snapped and pulled the electrical loom onto the exhaust manifold where it had caught fire.
The bonnet has been repaired by Charisma body shop. The engine is being repaired by TMS. The new parts needed are an electical loom, fan belt, couple of hoses, 3 cats, and a heat shield.
The cats and heat shields which have been the hardest to get hold of. There is a very long delay from the TVR factory. At one point I was told the TVR had lost the jig for Chimaera cats. I'm still waiting for the heat shield to arrive, 3 months later.
Has any else experienced
- persistent stalling in traffic
- the shock of your cherished car catching fire
- long delays for parts from the factory.

Also does any else think the engineer's report seem likely? I'd be grateful for any feedback, or just some sympathy.

[pzero64]

Frightening!

[GreenV8S]

Trying to visualize a Chimaera engine bay I can't think of any leads anywhere near the fan belt or the exhaust manifolds, except the wires to the lambda sensor and the HT leads both of which are designed to withstand the heat. It's probably impossible to say now the evidence has gone up in smoke, but I wonder whether you may have had an oil or hydraulic fluid fire? Both these fluids will lie around until they reach a flash point, unlike petrol which will evaporate and boil away before it ignites spontaneously. Worth a check for any signs of a leak and also for any fluid pipes within six inches of the exhaust without thermal protection.

[spend]

Bet it was a serpentine belt. But how do you manage to get fire damage to the cats? (manifolds or y-piece)

Dave

[targarama]

Sorry to hear this - scarey. Sounds like you had a lucky escape.

If you want to get the car back on the road, why not get a de-cat manifold from Act. Find a friendly MOT tester and you'll pass just fine.

Have you tried posting a 'Wanted' ad or calling around all the independents?

Dealers have a habit of leaving your car out the back for months and sometime you have to spur them along ... (I find the best thing is to have one of their loan cars ).

Edited to say: not sure what heatshield - by the PAS pump? You can do without that. My Chimaera never had one.



>> Edited by targarama on Sunday 13th March 17:54

[snorky]

that "heatshield " is only made of fibreglass anyway - bin it

[dlewis]

Richard

idle difficulties may have been from fuel vapourisation

Dave