Originally Posted by MBNRA (Post 2069732)

Originally Posted by DeliveryValve (Post 2069762)

Actually babymog mentioned this on Post #30.


In any event, still a good idea to add on.

Originally Posted by MBNRA (Post 2069732)

Get yourself a master cutoff switch and install it on the + battery terminal between the terminal and the feed wire!!!! In an Emergency such as this, it is a lot easier to pop the hood and throw the switch and cut off ALL power to the entire vehicle! I think, IMO, you spent too much time trying to isolate the source of your electrical fire and with the power still on, your battery was feeding the monster you were trying to put out!

I actually carry a small pair of battery pliers under the hood next to the batterey with a hole drilled into the handle and bolted to the inner fender with a small chain! I love all my Benz's and you never know what can happen. A good fire extinguishwer would be one with "Purple K".

An inline 1 amp fuse in the AUX water pump circuit is a great idea too and an easy to install safety feature!

Sorry for your loss man! But the motor and tranny will be salvageable and still run if you extracted them! Worst case scenario: A few new gaskets!:)

Originally Posted by LUVMBDiesels (Post 2069982)

I found the answer to our problems. https://hotrodcorner.com/images/Thum...03-2_Large.JPG

Install this on the battery and run a cable from the lever through the firewall and into the passenger cabin. I would have a loop of wire sticking down into the passenger foot well. A quick yank and the battery is cut out.

Originally Posted by cphilip (Post 2069849)

This is a good idea if you do it BEFORE a fire. real good idea. However remember the fire had started, and the car was cut off and, in that state, there is no thinking that there might be a live unfused wire that could be or even should be disconnected. The car was turned off and the fire already erupting at this point in time. All this activity occurs in less than five minutes. If your not aware of whats feeding it, or that such a thing could even feed something un-fused with key off, your not going to spend all your time trying under the hood trying to take your battery cable off. If you had time you would... but there was and is little time. My attempts to put it out may have spanned a minute or so of that time... and it was probably too late to disconnect the battery because by that time the fire had found fuel. And was consuming that fuel.

But its all hind site. Sure you and I can debate all day which things I should have done. Given time I would have done all sorts of things that raced through my mind.

I doubt the motor and tranny are salvagable. Remember... it started up on its own and ran and then raced on its own until it died. It puked its guts out as it died. It probably ran hot I would imagine. If it had sat there and let the fire wash over it, it might have been fine. But it decided to crank up on its very own and run itself in a harmful situation. Nothing I could do about it. Standing 50 feet away with my keys in my pocket....