me wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:
On Sat, 17 Apr 2010 09:55:00 -1000, dsi1
> >>
>>
>>What was the problem? Is there a reason why you are not saying what it
>>is? I'd sure want to know. Thanks.
>
> The problem was three fold: First, the air intake ducts under the cowl
> were on the bottom, not rear (firewall) or ducted from above as they
> are on better designed cars. That allows (and almost begs for) foreign
> matter such as pine needles to be pulled into the duct system. Second,
> the fan then chops that material and sends it along to the third
> problem: the heating fan resistors were exposed wound wire type that
> literally glowed cherry red when used to keep the fan on lower speeds
> (unlike properly designed systems in other vehicles where they are
> encased in an aluminum cover/heatsink).
>
> The result was that the bottom draft duct design allowed the material
> to be pulled in, the fan then chopped it up and packed it against the
> resistors, then the resistors ignited it. Fire would result, with the
> fan literally fanning the flames.
>
> The ductwork problem is not easily rectified in the field, it's a
> engineering issue. However, the problem could have been repaired
> simply by encasing the resistors in an aluminum heatsink/cover that
> would have prevented ignition.
Well, you don't get massive fuel economy for nothing *something* has to burn. I suppose your car didn't have a radiator either?