Discussion
Hi all,
Just joined the group so I thought I would say Hi and share my recent experience.
I’ve owned my Mk 1 Tuscan for two months and I’m totally smitten. However yesterday after driving her for a couple of days a wash was in order. Decided to do this at work over lunch,this turned out to be a good idea.
30minutes after walking away from a gleaming and apparently well car I get a phone call “Steve your car is on fire!!!......” When I got there fire extinguishers were doing their job and the on site fire brigade had been called but flames were still jumping out of the bonnet. When all the drama died down I started to investigate: The battery had caught fire, toasted the earthing cables within its compartment and some smoke damage but that’s it. All fuses in tact and no burnt wires etc. It looks like what has happened is this:
The roads have all been salted, and the Anderson plug used to charge/jump start the battery is right where the road spray hits the passenger side sill, so it must have got covered in salt crystals. I wash the car and hose out the wheel arches and those salt crystals become a very good conducting salt solution effectively shorting out the battery! One fire on demand.
I was wondering if this or something like this could be the cause of a number of the ‘engine fires’ that have been reported as if this hadn’t been put out in the short time that it was, the whole engine bay would have gone up.
I’m now going to install an automatic fire suppression system form these guys.
www.firetrace.co.uk/
A couple of friends with kit cars have them. As we can’t get the bonnet off the Tuscan in quick time I consider it good insurance for the future.
Just joined the group so I thought I would say Hi and share my recent experience.
I’ve owned my Mk 1 Tuscan for two months and I’m totally smitten. However yesterday after driving her for a couple of days a wash was in order. Decided to do this at work over lunch,this turned out to be a good idea.
30minutes after walking away from a gleaming and apparently well car I get a phone call “Steve your car is on fire!!!......” When I got there fire extinguishers were doing their job and the on site fire brigade had been called but flames were still jumping out of the bonnet. When all the drama died down I started to investigate: The battery had caught fire, toasted the earthing cables within its compartment and some smoke damage but that’s it. All fuses in tact and no burnt wires etc. It looks like what has happened is this:
The roads have all been salted, and the Anderson plug used to charge/jump start the battery is right where the road spray hits the passenger side sill, so it must have got covered in salt crystals. I wash the car and hose out the wheel arches and those salt crystals become a very good conducting salt solution effectively shorting out the battery! One fire on demand.
I was wondering if this or something like this could be the cause of a number of the ‘engine fires’ that have been reported as if this hadn’t been put out in the short time that it was, the whole engine bay would have gone up.
I’m now going to install an automatic fire suppression system form these guys.
www.firetrace.co.uk/
A couple of friends with kit cars have them. As we can’t get the bonnet off the Tuscan in quick time I consider it good insurance for the future.
Steve - glad you are okay which has to be the main take away from this. See the following for the item Justin mentions;
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=202453&f=5&h=0&hw=FIRE
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=202453&f=5&h=0&hw=FIRE
Catching fire is part of the TVR experience 
My Sagaris had a little fire on Sunday when the power steering fuse/electrics down near the battery decided to go up in smoke. Absolutely everything electrical on the car shut down so I had no engine, power steering, lights, indicators, dash display, etc. Then lots of smoke started pouring into the cabin through the passenger foot well and air vents.
This sort of thing does concentrate the mind somewhat when you’re accelerating flat out down a dual carriageway.
It seems that road dirt had got in and caused it to short out/overheat. Fortunately it went out by itself and didn’t set fire to the rest of the car. TVR Power did a great job getting it fixed and running again so I could pick it up yesterday.
My Sagaris had a little fire on Sunday when the power steering fuse/electrics down near the battery decided to go up in smoke. Absolutely everything electrical on the car shut down so I had no engine, power steering, lights, indicators, dash display, etc. Then lots of smoke started pouring into the cabin through the passenger foot well and air vents.
This sort of thing does concentrate the mind somewhat when you’re accelerating flat out down a dual carriageway.
It seems that road dirt had got in and caused it to short out/overheat. Fortunately it went out by itself and didn’t set fire to the rest of the car. TVR Power did a great job getting it fixed and running again so I could pick it up yesterday.
My Tuscan suffered a problem with the handbrake warning light wire chaffing against the gearbox. It wore through the plastic, heated up like an electric element and burnt right back through the main wiring loom to the fuse (which melted, but didn't blow). The car just filled with smoke in seconds as I was driving back from a TVR meet.
This resulted in the entire wiring loom having to be removed from the car and replaced. TVR did eventually pay for the cost of the loom, but I had to pay for the labour which was not cheap as the car had to be taken to pieces - doors off, battery tray cut out, seats out, carpet up. Shudder - what a complete nightmare job. This wasn't long after an engine rebuild either.
Sounds like you were lucky! I've been lucky with my Sag so far, but haven't been able to put many miles on. Good luck with her!
Gary.
This resulted in the entire wiring loom having to be removed from the car and replaced. TVR did eventually pay for the cost of the loom, but I had to pay for the labour which was not cheap as the car had to be taken to pieces - doors off, battery tray cut out, seats out, carpet up. Shudder - what a complete nightmare job. This wasn't long after an engine rebuild either.
Sounds like you were lucky! I've been lucky with my Sag so far, but haven't been able to put many miles on. Good luck with her!
Gary.
Hi All,
Thanks for the link Baz, had a quick read but I'm not after getting involved in any legal wrangles. Just saying what happened so others will be aware. Hi Lee02, yes the rubber cap/bung should have been in place but no way on knowing if it had fallen out at some point, there was nothing left of it.
All fixed now, new battery and a bit of heavy duty wiring and she’s purring as before.
Thanks for the link Baz, had a quick read but I'm not after getting involved in any legal wrangles. Just saying what happened so others will be aware. Hi Lee02, yes the rubber cap/bung should have been in place but no way on knowing if it had fallen out at some point, there was nothing left of it.
All fixed now, new battery and a bit of heavy duty wiring and she’s purring as before.
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