[v12-engine] Re: [xj] Did you suffer a Jag V12 Catalytic Converter Fire?

Mark,

I don’t usually like to see more lawyers get more money, so maybe what we
should consider is an ounce of prevention – an underhood temp gauge, for
instance, plus a fire extinguisher, might be a good idea. I’m thinking about
that.

Alex
79xj6

“Mark S.Edmondson” wrote:

I own a 1994 XJ12 that suffered a serious catalytic converter fire resulting
in the total loss of the car. The Jaguar Dealer has determined that the cause
of the fire was failure of the “A” bank of the Marelli
ignition system. It occurred during stop and go traffic on the freeway, and
provided absolutely no warning (idling smoothly, normal gauge readings, no
abnormal sounds or smells) before the center and right converters were red hot
[clip]

I am also NOT a believer in litigation for litigation’s sake, however, if
there is an issue that is destroying these wonderful machines and
jeopardizing lives, a “fix” must be put into place and Jag needs to own up
to the problem.
Allen
78XJS; 30K miles----- Original Message -----
From: Cannara cannara@attglobal.net
Cc: v12-engine@jag-lovers.org; xj-s@jag-lovers.org; xj@jag-lovers.org
Sent: Wednesday, December 08, 1999 6:09 PM
Subject: [v12-engine] Re: [xj] Did you suffer a Jag V12 Catalytic Converter
Fire?

Mark,

I don’t usually like to see more lawyers get more money, so maybe what we
should consider is an ounce of prevention – an underhood temp gauge, for
instance, plus a fire extinguisher, might be a good idea. I’m thinking
about
that.

Alex
79xj6

“Mark S.Edmondson” wrote:

I own a 1994 XJ12 that suffered a serious catalytic converter fire
resulting
in the total loss of the car. The Jaguar Dealer has determined that the
cause
of the fire was failure of the “A” bank of the Marelli
ignition system. It occurred during stop and go traffic on the freeway,
and
provided absolutely no warning (idling smoothly, normal gauge readings,
no
abnormal sounds or smells) before the center and right converters were
red hot
[clip]

I don’t usually like to see more lawyers get more money, so maybe what
we should consider is an ounce of prevention – an underhood temp
gauge, for instance, plus a fire extinguisher, might be a good idea.
I’m thinking about that.

Too late. By the time any of that does you any good, the problem has
already started. The solution is PREVENTION. The silicone slurp
seems to work well; anybody report any failures yet?

But just because WE know how to deal with the problem shouldn’t mean
that Jaguar/Ford doesn’t have to. After all, we represent only a
tiny portion of the Marelli owners out there – although perhaps the
most knowledgeable ones, the ones that understand this is
Jaguar/Ford’s problem and not a fluke.

– Kirbert | Palm’s Postulate:
| If anything is to be accomplished,
| some rules must be broken.
| – Kirby Palm, 1979

It won’t help with this problem. There is a specific issue with V12’s
fitted with the Marelli ignition. This has a kind of twin distributor
with separate feeds to each bank of plugs. There is a completely design
related failure which causes arcing in the cap and burn out, but just
for one bank. So unburnt fuel is suddenly pumped straight into the hot
cat serving that bank, which almost instantly glows cherry red and
melts, igniting the fuel running through it. The engine bay becomes an
inferno within seconds (or so I understand).

A fire extinguisher, although a good general idea, would be of comfort
value only for this failure - it is at the very least a car-killing
event.

Craig> Mark,

I don’t usually like to see more lawyers get more money, so
maybe what we
should consider is an ounce of prevention – an underhood
temp gauge, for
instance, plus a fire extinguisher, might be a good idea.
I’m thinking about
that.

Alex
79xj6

When my parents bought their XJ6 in 1987, there was a doctor nearby who
bought an 86 XJS, brand new. He had only owned it for one year, then it
had an engine fire. I don’t know if it was related to the ignition system,
but it might have.

When this subject first came up, and the cause of the fires was determined,
there was talk about notifiying the National Highway Traffic Safty
Adminstration (NHTSA).
(NHTSA is who drives recalls in the USA, right?). Did anyone ever actually
notify NHTSA?

I would think that a recall for a known problem that causes fires would be
prima facie evidence that the manufacturer should compensate owners of
burned cars, without going the nasty litigation route.