OK, so my cabriolet caugh fire........

[VWnut]

My cabriolet caught fire at the weekend. Luckily  i had just pulled into a petrol station and noticed smoke coming from the engine bay. One of the breather pipes above the intake manifold had split and oil had dripped onto the manifold. From there it built up and dripped through the hole in the casting to the exhaust manifold and caught fire. This in turn burnt the rest of my pipes.......ahhhhhhhh!!! It never rains but it pours!

[marcus123]

sh!tting hell!

[golfvr6]

the oil caught fire?  

[10:27]

DAMM!!

[VWnut]

Yeah, bit of a shock. The thing is, for the oil to catch fire it must have been bloody hot which meant it had been like that for some time!!

[golfvr6]

Was there like a flame or just smoke?
Cos engine oil is subjected to temps of 1000 degrees C inside the engine.

[VWnut]

Definately a flame. Thats what i thought about oil mate, but it was definatley buring. The oil in the engine is pressurised, doesn't this rise the combustion temp??
It may have been something else that was buring but the only thing on the manifold was oil from the breather. Either way i was sh!t scared...

[golfvr6]

Is it a total wreck?
if not i would check for a fuel leak as well.
Oil will not burst into flames, otherwise it would not be able to be used in an engine.

[VWnut]

Its not a wreck at all mate, just a few damaged breathers and vacuum pipes which i have replaced. Could be a fuel leak too as the oil was popping as it burnt, which it would do if it was mixed with a liquid. I hope it isn't a fuel leak as the missus has got the car tonight...ooops!!

[golfvr6]

it is possible that you could be leaking fuel past the piston rings, and it is being drawn up the crankcase ventilation hoses.
you need to get the car checked out mate.