[AT] OT: Firey End to My Car

[Spencer Yost]

Had a tractor try to do that once.  I saw the smoke though and could
disconnect the battery.

A short to ground in a starter often allows so much juice to flow the
selenoid contacts melt or fuse together, in essence keeping the starter
circuit on even after you let go of the key.  The juice flows at an
impressive rate until the battery drains.  A selenoid whose copper tipped
or plated contacts have eroded to the underlying steel will do this too(the
steel may then welds itself together - The tractor did this).  I doubt the
selenoid though because I have to believe your VW uses a start relay
instead.  Fire is a common outcome unless you stick around to see smoke and
can disconnect the battery. 

Glad you are OK and hope nothing of tremendous sentimental value was in the
car

Spencer Yost
Owner, ATIS
Plow the Net!
http://www.atis.net

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 11/2/2004 at 12:02 AM Rob Gray wrote:

>I'm curious if anyone has ever had happen to them what I had happen 
>today. I could not get my car started this morning (99.5 VW Jetta diesel 
>with 230K miles). It would not turn over barely at all.I could smell 
>some hot electric smell and since I knew that my starter was going bad I 
>took my truck in to work instead. I pulled up the driveway tonight and 
>instead of the nice green car I left this morning I saw a pile of ashes 
>and metal, No tires or windows or interior left. It had been a very 
>reliable car that got me 50 MPG and never left me stranded on the road 
>once for almost a quarter million miles, but what an end!
>
>Rob
>NE PA
>
>
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