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Re: Is brake fluid flammable (or: why did my car burn?)

To: MG List <mgs@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: Is brake fluid flammable (or: why did my car burn?)
From: Max Heim <mvheim@attbi.com>
Date: Fri, 17 May 2002 09:40:38 -0700
The junction block for the brake lines is on the right inner fender, just
back of the coil. On early cars there is a brake pressure warning switch in
this box, but I don't know about 79-80. But this sprung to mind as a
possible culprit.

Man, what a mess.

on 5/17/02 4:35 AM, Barney Gaylord at barneymg@ntsource.com wrote:

> Getting back to your mention of the suddenly flat brake pedal before the
> fire was noticeable, I would concur with your first speculation that it was
> a burst brake line that started some of the brake fluid on fire.  Someone
> please tell me the physical location of the connection of the RF brake hose
> to the steel line, if this in inside or outside of the inner fender, or
> maybe below the bottom edge of the inner fender (I don't have an MGB handy
> for inspection).  Otherwise it may also be possible that the steel brake
> line to the RF wheel broke somewhere inside of the inner fender.  Brake
> fluid under high pressure spraying around the engine bay from the right
> side could reach across the engine bay to hit the exhaust system to get the
> fire started.  I figure it had to hit the exhaust system as it takes a
> pretty hot heat source to cause spontaneous combustion of brake
> fluid.  After that the bulk of the fire would go to the location of the
> bulk of the fuel, which may have been a continuing slow leakage of brake
> fluid from a broken line near the RF inner fender.  So how's that for an
> educated guess?

--

Max Heim
'66 MGB GHN3L76149
If you're near Mountain View, CA,
it's the primer red one with chrome wires

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