Air mass meters. Whats inside them that could cause a fire, if anything`?

I ask because I happen to ride red fire engines for a living. I went to a car fire a few days ago that was an 04 reg 1.9td (some other initials) Vectra. The fire was small and only in the area of the air filter box. It *appeared* to originate from the mass sensor; the surrounding damage radiated out from it. At least, I assume its the mass sensor. Ducting from air filter into an alloy housing with a four wire connector on it then on to the engine.

So apart from a possible chaffed wire heating up, whats in one of those sensors? Anything heated? Any known issues with them?

This isn't an official query, just me being nosey. I'm sure the insurance people will have it investigated properly by those who know but I'm curious.

Thanks.

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Reply to
Mike Barnard
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I believe they work by heating a wire, and then measuring the resistance (or variation of) caused by the cooling effect of the air passing across it.

Reply to
xscope

They work by heating a bit wire, the air then flowing over the wire cools it, causing the resistance of the bit wire to drop, which in turn causes more power to be drawn.

They shouldn't really go on fire though, but then the 1.9 is a Fiat engine, and the Italians can make a balls of most things...

Reply to
Moray Cuthill

Are they still using that?

Reply to
Depresion

Reply to
Duncan Wood

It does appear to be a problem with the JTD lumps in general - I've seen and had anecdotal reports of several 156 JTDs going up in flames.

Reply to
SteveH

Reply to
Tim (remove obvious)

Don't heat it up quite so much??? Too busy winning and watching the world cup I suppose.

Reply to
gazzafield

Hi.

When you say 156 JTD's I assume you mean something like this?

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Or is that a air mass part number?

I'm interested in any info you have please Steve.

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Reply to
Mike Barnard

Thanks.

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Reply to
Mike Barnard

I see.

Fiat eh? Live and learn. Thanks.

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Reply to
Mike Barnard

Interesting fact to know though. Thanks.

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Reply to
Mike Barnard

Hmmm.

Innefectual air filter allowing something flammable onto the wire?

Too close a proximity to a plastic wall / part?

Too little insulation between the base of the element holder and a plastic supporting part?

Just ideas. Again, thanks.

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Reply to
Mike Barnard

Cheap paper air filter thats fallen apart and been ingested. Engine suffered some sort of flow of oil from the crankcase ventialation system that has flowed back into the intake (normal to some extent) and got too far back up the intake. Maybe it was breathing heavily beforehand (pushing lots of combustion gasses past the rings) and this forced a gas/oil mixture from the case back into the intake in larger than normal quantities. Checking the throttle body region will probably show any major oil-breathing. J

Reply to
Coyoteboy

Td suggests turbo diesel. Only Vauxhall could use model codes/lettering for a petrol vehicle that invites the owner to fill with the wrong fuel.

-- Peter Hill Spamtrap reply domain as per NNTP-Posting-Host in header Can of worms - what every fisherman wants. Can of worms - what every PC owner gets!

Reply to
Peter Hill

The vehicle in question is a diesel though....

Reply to
M Cuthill

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