Up in smoke!

I was driving through Richmond on Wednesday when my engine cut out, within a few minutes the whole engine was on fire!

All I can say is I'm gutted, I've only recently bought the car back off the insurance company after someone hit me up the rear. I then had it all fixed up at ARR and was running really well.

I'm now beginning to suspect it's an unlucky car....

Turbo awaits

[BIG_MVS]

Sorry to hear that. What a shame when you had it all sorted too!

These old renaults have an alarming regularity for going up in smoke recently, maybe spontaneous combustion is their way of saying they have had enough!

Good luck with the search for a new one!

Are you really gutted or smugly grinning at the chance of another insurance payout!

Alpines have been known for engine fires, but not normally on the Atmos. Do you know what caused it?

Are you going to buy it back again and break it?

different car I know but my 21 turbo has caught light twice, both times through failure of the tubo oil feed pipe. Basically both were fairly new pipes, 1 six months old and the other 13 months old, seem renault re-designed the pipe and there is a big weakness in them, I dont know if you car is a turbo, or wether it has the same pipe. anyway goodluck whatever happens, keep ya chin up, I know how it feels, twice

Its an atmo, and the turbo feeds on the GTA are different to the 21, quite thick steel tubing. The main cause of fire on the GTA is on the turbo models caused by the common leaky or perished fuel pipes in the V

If youre breaking I'm sure we'll all be buying!

The fireman think it was an electrical fault, it was very depressing watching it go up in smoke I can tell you! Also, I was very annoyed they smashed the rear glass to access the engine. Bast**ds!

As for the insurance, it looks like my premiums are going to be sky high in the future. Two claims in 6 months, not bad considering i've never made a claim in my life.

Yes, I'm going to try and buy it back off them, again....De javu

really sorry to hear about you car, that's bad luck.
i don't what to pi$$ Mr.jon off, but i think that every alpine owner should fit a decent fire extinguisher. i alway have had one fitted to my cars from i started driving. also you should be aware that all taxi's should have a fire extinguisher fitted as a legal requirement. handy to know if you come across a car fire on the roads. lots of taxi's around.
one last message to jon, remember that bad things usually come in 3's. so maybe think twice about the car

[phildini]

Sorry to ear about your car, I did see it at the recovery place, its a D reg right? Somebody at work told me there was a dumped Alpine in New Malden so I went down there like a shot! only to find out i recognise the car from one of the alpine meets, very soory mate. When I park my GTA in the garage after a long drive and all the fans come on, when shutting the door i always get a bit concerned. I will fit a fire extinguisher to all my Renaults now, I really should have done this years ago.

[pgoldsmith]

"The main cause of fire on the GTA is on the turbo models caused by the common leaky or perished fuel pipes in the V"

The thought of an engine fire puts the fear of god in me, hence I spent 10 mins or so looking around the engine bay for these fuel pipes in the V.
I can only see metal pipes which interconnect and then feed back to a joint on the rhs of the engine which has a thick rubber hose attached.

Mine is a late 1990 car so is it possible that the later models were modified in any way ?

I have however bought a fire extinguisher for 'piece of mind' !

check in and around the fuel pressure regulator at the front of the engine, should see some rubber hoses here. not to sure about dual regulator cars though.

Yep, the car is in New Malden awaiting the insurance to decide on either repairing it or making it a total loss.

In future I will definitley have a fire extinguisher to hand!

[simontaylor]

Can simonsays74, phildini or pgoldsmith reccomend any particular fire extinguishers. Surfing about, Ive seen a 1.75 L foam one from lifeline and I think I saw a 2L one from VEF, (but now can't refind VEF, maybe i'v enot noted it correctly).
I'd be keen to get something MSA approved, knowing that it will be a good one if it were ever to see any action.

halon is the best, but very hard to get now as MSA banned it

foam is fine. anything from 1 ltr up-wards, fire rating 5a 21b.