Devastating loss

[M4rkp]

I was fortunate enough to deal with alternator cable several years ago - I made sure it had a sleeve of Kevlar protecting it as it passed through the chassis leg -

one thing that did alarm me during the recovery of the car - It was still leaking (a lot) fuel 2 hrs after the fire was put out....and my first thought was the alternator cable - after all it had been close to the seat of the fire, I was really surprised the fire brigade did not cut the battery connection.


Anyway...... whats done is done......its just an absolute waste....I don't think shes coming back as the insurance company want just shy of £10K for the salvage.....

[BackintheFold]

Originally Posted by M4rkp

I was fortunate enough to deal with alternator cable several years ago - I made sure it had a sleeve of Kevlar protecting it as it passed through the chassis leg -

one thing that did alarm me during the recovery of the car - It was still leaking (a lot) fuel 2 hrs after the fire was put out....and my first thought was the alternator cable - after all it had been close to the seat of the fire, I was really surprised the fire brigade did not cut the battery connection.


Anyway...... whats done is done......its just an absolute waste....I don't think shes coming back as the insurance company want just shy of £10K for the salvage.....

I expect the fire brigade assumed the battery was in the engine bay and had melted.

£10k for the salvage sounds too much. IMHO Its potentially a viable rebuild with old parts, but i can't see it being worth that much to a breaker.

[steveb]

Originally Posted by jimh

That's terrible news

A prime suspect to me for the ignition source is the main battery to alternator cable (unfused) where it comes out of the chassis leg right underneath the area of the fire.
The grommet perishes and then the cable rubs on the edge of the chassis leg.
I caught mine just in time many years ago now.
I was washing the car when I could hear a faint fizzing sound. Luckily I was curious enough to look for the source of said fizzing. It turned out washing the car must have got the cable / chassis leg wet. The cable had been chaffing on the chassis leg on my car and was cut half though. The fizzing was actually arcing and would have eventually caused a fire I think had I not seen it and repaired the cable / stopped it chaffing.
It's a bad place to have a red hot cable and burning insulation as there's bound to be oil about down there and the fuel distributor etc is right above it.

Everyone with a Urq should check that cable - follow the main cable from the alternator and check where it goes into the chassis rail on that side near the oil cooler.

You need to check where the cable enters the chassis under the throttle pedal the rubber gromit perishes and the cable rubs against the chassis ….

[jogi730]

I'm with everyone else on here and feel truly gutted for you. This has to be the worst nightmare for anyone who loves their car, seeing it go up.
Have a good think what you really want to do. Heart versus head is never an easy choice, but very often the wrong one is made and leaves massive regrets!

[arthurious]

Hi there so sorry to see the car like that I am also in club Audi if you contact 20vcqdriver on this site he mite know where there is a quattro to repair yours

[audicoupeparts]

What a shame.
Don't give up on it.
I've seen worse fixed
I've a dashboard here (it's a coupe gt one) but if you need it it's yours
I may have a wiring loom too but don't know how complete it is.

[moonwatcher]

Originally Posted by theschmallfella

I've always had one in all of my cars since an engine fire in a Fiat Ritmo (Strada) I had back in the early 90's where I was lucky to get away before it went up in a ball of smoke. I'd highly recommend having one in any classic car.

Waste of time, I've had one in the car for twenty years
Never needed it

[SwallownAmazon]

Originally Posted by M4rkp

I don't think shes coming back as the insurance company want just shy of £10K for the salvage.....

Keep at it.

My B3 90 20v was slightly damaged when it was the memsahib's daily driver many years ago and the insurance company insisted an estimate was done at one of their "approved" body repairers. When I went to collect it (it was still eminently driveable), the manager of said body shop said no I couldn't take it as it was no longer mine and was now the property of the insurer. I told the bloke in no uncertain terms that unless he made it availabe to me to drive off immediately, I would inform the Police that it was stolen and now on this charlatan's premises, at which point he very reluctantly returned my keys.
Turned out he had a buyer for my car who wanted it very badly and was prepared to bend rules to get it, so when it was repaired by a different body shop, I got them to fit a sophisticated alarm in case it went walkabout.

Insurance companies - thieves, liars and cheats, the lot of them!

[20vcqdriver]

Originally Posted by jogi730

I'm with everyone else on here and feel truly gutted for you. This has to be the worst nightmare for anyone who loves their car, seeing it go up.
Have a good think what you really want to do. Heart versus head is never an easy choice, but very often the wrong one is made and leaves massive regrets!

Ditto Chris's comments, Always my fear, especially the way my engine bay is crammed, always carry two fire extinguishers with me just in case. Hope you can get it sorted fingers crossed

[theschmallfella]

Originally Posted by moonwatcher

Waste of time, I've had one in the car for twenty years
Never needed it

You’ve clearly never had a Fiat Ritmo!!!!!