JH>> Were you talking about Fieros?
JH>> Eric
JH>> PS. Good to see you on FidoNet!

JH>No.... Porsche 914!   It had a VW bus engine in it basically but the Germans
JH>always experimented with alloy combinations.  Afterall, an aircooled engine
JH>should expand and contract and keep it's tolerances.  I remember someone
JH>getting a new beetle in 1973 and the thing started leaking oil soon after
JH>they got it. I suspect the engine tolerances changed rather rapidly. Well, t
JH>cut to the quick, there was a hefty percentage of magnesium in the alloy
JH>which, when ignited properly, would be impossible to put out.  I think this
JH>plagued even the 911 flat six from time to time but I would have to research
JH>it. Fieros? Now is that a play on the word fire?

Magnesium fires cannot be extinguished by water. Magnesium continues to
burn after oxygen is depleted. It than reacts with nitrogen from air to
form magnesium nitride (Mg3N2). When attempts are made to extinguish
magnesium fires with water, magnesium aggressively reacts with hydrogen
gas. To prevent any damage, a magnesium fire must be covered in sand.

An example of a magnesium compound is magnesium phosphide (Mg3P2), an
odorous, grey solid. When this compound comes in contact with water or
moist air, it is decomposed and phosphine (PH3) is formed. This is a
toxic compound, and it is also very flammable in air.

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