Land Rover Self-immolation

[Foxyboy43]

On one of my increasingly frequent hospital visits the road was blocked by a Fire Engine attending a older model Land Rover engine compartment fire which did a fair amount of external damage to the front end and smoke damage to the interior. A quick chat with one of the firemen revealed that he has come across this on more than one occasion recently but he didn't offer an opinion on the cause other than they were all “spontaneous”. I didn’t want to appear mawkish so didn’t take a quick photo, indeed the rather upset owner was standing looking at the remains and I really felt sorry for him.
Sooo, it was a fairly old model but interested to know if this is this a recognised problem?

 

[Ronin]

Many years ago in a previous life, the company I worked for had a Range Rover v8 (classic model) that decided to spontaneously combust whilst sitting in a village where a road was closed due to a collision

Wasn’t uncommon in that model I believe

 

[User00045]

On one of my increasingly frequent hospital visits the road was blocked by a Fire Engine attending a older model Land Rover engine compartment fire which did a fair amount of external damage to the front end and smoke damage to the interior. A quick chat with one of the firemen revealed that he has come across this on more than one occasion recently but he didn't offer an opinion on the cause other than they were all “spontaneous”. I didn’t want to appear mawkish so didn’t take a quick photo, indeed the rather upset owner was standing looking at the remains and I really felt sorry for him.
Sooo, it was a fairly old model but interested to know if this is this a recognised problem?

Going back to about 2010 we had a Range Rover Sport for about 3 years ..was a great car did what we needed it to great work horse towing wise etc we were offered silly money part exchange so I sold it privately to a really nice guy he was happy I was happy that was that .....about 18 months later he called me one day out of the blue to ask if I had a copy of the receipt id mocked up in my kitchen when we exchanged monies and I did luckily. the insurance company wanted it as it had randomly caught fire in traffic !! I felt awful but it had never missed a beat for us and was fine for him for just under 2 years ... very strange

 

[Ooops]

same with Ford Cortina Mk2s.
The ferule that carried fuel into the carb would come adrift a spray the engine.
As a youngster, one day whilst sitting at traffic lights smoke started coming from under the bonnet.
I popped the lid & put out fuel that IIRC was burning in the well of a manifold.
I was feeling pretty pleased with my self until I realised that the tarmac under the car was also on fire
So hand brake off & pushed it to a safe distance, let it cool down, pushed the ferule back in with as much force as I could manage and drove home

D3 & D4s, (basically a Range Rover Sport in a different dress) can also suffer the same fate when the alternators pack up & short out

 

[User00045]

same with Ford Cortina Mk2s.
The ferule that carried fuel into the carb would come adrift a spray the engine.
As a youngster, one day whilst sitting at traffic lights smoke started coming from under the bonnet.
I popped the lid & put out fuel that IIRC was burning in the well of a manifold.
I was feeling pretty pleased with my self until I realised that the tarmac under the car was also on fire
So hand brake off & pushed it to a safe distance, let it cool down, pushed the ferule back in with as much force as I could manage and drove home

D3 & D4s, (basically a Range Rover Sport in a different dress) can also suffer the same fate when the alternators pack up & short out

Don't tell me that I've got a D4 now lol

 

[Fair Hill]

I'll just park this here....

Owners of Cork shopping centre sue for €30m after car causes fire

Douglas Village Shopping Centre has been closed since the fire of August 31st, 2019

www.irishtimes.com

 

[petlowe]

I contaminated the fuel system on a 17 Macan with bad petrol in 2018 and struggled to get it repaired as the bosh petrol pumps & injectors were pulled and re-design because of a risk of splitting and spraying the engine bay with golden goodness.
I suspect this is on lots of petrol engine vehicles from that period and why I am not an owner of it today, anything made in that window probably has something of equivalence waiting to happen, they weren't recalled as far as I could tell other than in the US.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Don't tell me that I've got a D4 now lol

Oh-oh!

 

[Foxyboy43]

It seems LRs are not alone…….

https://www.consumerreports.org/car-recalls-defects/jeep-wranglers-gladiators-recalled-fire-risk-manual-transmission/

 

[User00045]

seems common amongst a few makes after a quick google

 

[Foxyboy43]

seems common amongst a few makes after a quick google

Ouch!

 

[User00045]

Ouch!

What I’m taking from this is that aslong as I don’t drive the Discovery like a Lambo it won’t catch fire

 

[Foxyboy43]

What I’m taking from this is that aslong as I don’t drive the Discovery like a Lambo it won’t catch fire

I think you are probably safe enough with that approach my friend. Better still one of these , if not perhaps?
Stay safe.

 

[Ooops]

Don't tell me that I've got a D4 now lol

D3 here

She'll be right, just keep an eye on your alts output and when if / when it starts to drop swap it out.
At least that's what I did and sure enough when I checked it was hot & stinky.
I thinks a lot of chaps schedule swapping it out regardless of performance but I'm afraid I can't remember the time frame.

What I’m taking from this is that aslong as I don’t drive the Discovery like a Lambo it won’t catch fire

 

[User00045]

D3 here

She'll be right, just keep an eye on your alts output and when if / when it starts to drop swap it out.
At least that's what I did and sure enough when I checked it was hot & stinky.
I thinks a lot of chaps schedule swapping it out regardless of performance but I'm afraid I can't remember the time frame.

Now I’m aware I’ll be sure to keep an eye on it. We don’t want any flames

 

[Foxyboy43]

D3 here

She'll be right, just keep an eye on your alts output and when if / when it starts to drop swap it out.
At least that's what I did and sure enough when I checked it was hot & stinky.
I thinks a lot of chaps schedule swapping it out regardless of performance but I'm afraid I can't remember the time frame.

Crikey “Ticking” and “bomb” spring to mind…."!

 

[User00045]

Crikey “Ticking” and “bomb” spring to mind…."!

You might be right.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Nothing changes!

K

 

[ejg]

I once had a CJ7 jeep with AMC 360 V8 & Holley carb, driving up a pass in Mexico I noticed something wet on my foot. Foot was outside as we drove without doors. Thought cooling water or petrol...? when I checked the fuel hose had a good crack and fuel was ****ing over the hot exhaust manifold. Thankfully didn't ignite. Fixed it and drove on again. That could have gone well wrong. We only had 200km range with one tank thankfully fuel was around 18 cent a liter of 81 octane.

edi

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Reliant Robins had a fire reputation as well Dell. Hard cured fibreglass resin is a great initiator.