Sure, our LS-powered Nissan 350Z could now move under its own power, but that created a whole new set of potential problems: fiery problems.
Time trials competition doesn’t require an onboard fire-suppression system, but one can literally be the difference between a minor setback and a full-on carbeque, never mind the potential for injury.
We really don’t want to watch our sweet race car go up in flames, especially if we’re watching from its driver’s seat. This point was driven home while watching some video shared by BimmerWorld’s James Clay: At an IMSA race at Sebring, a leaky fuel rail caused a big fire that quickly became an extinguished fire thanks to the car’s onboard fire-suppression system.
We were so impressed that we called James and asked for whatever he was having, which is how we found ourselves installing a Lifeline Zero 360 FIA 3.0 kg Novec 1230 fire system in our 350Z. In addition to BimmerWorld, James owns LifelineUSA as well.
We’ll start with prices. Lifeline’s least expensive fire system costs $249. “The $249 system works when SFI or FIA isn't required and is better than nothing,” James notes, “which isn't Chump, Lemons, BMW, Porsche, NASA, SCCA, etc.” The company’s FIA-rated systems start at $399, while the one we installed sells for $1400. Lifeline systems can also be found in many of today’s homologated race cars from the likes of Aston Martin, Audi, Bentley, BMW, Cupra, Dallara, Ford, GM, Hyundai, Lexus, Ligier, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Oreca, Seat, Toyota and Volkswagen.
What do those extra dollars get?
What’s the bottom line? In exchange for the money, our system offers less weight, easier activation, easier installation, and far more firefighting ability. It should pay for itself the first time our 350Z catches on fire, but hopefully we never get the chance to recoup this investment. We spent a few afternoons in the garage carefully installing nozzles and tubing according to the included instructions, then mounted the bottle between the rear shock towers.
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My D-Sports Racer once grenaded the engine at a private test day; the subsequent oil fire was quite exciting.
Our friends Corvette burnt to the ground at a PCA track day; the car went from small fire to fully engulfed in 20 seconds. the car was not equipped with a fire system.
Yeah, I've never had a close call myself, but I've seen unexpected fires too many times and I try not to take any chances as a result.
A few years back, I was at Willow Springs to do a story on a car that won't be named built by a flagship aftermarket parts manufacturer that also won't be named. The driver took it out "just to put a few laps on and make sure the gauges look good" before I was to take it out in the next session. After two laps, flames shot out of the hood, but the driver was able to pull over, grab the extinguisher mounted to the passenger seat, and put out the massive oil fire. It was a completely unexpected failure that I would have bet was impossible. The car's day was over at that point thanks to all the powder all over the engine, but if he hadn't had a bottle the car would have almost certainly burned before the firetruck made it to the corner.
If he'd had a Novec system instead of a traditional extinguisher, we probably would have been able to fix the car that morning and gone back out on track.
What really stuck with me? He was only wearing a helmet; I'd told him he didn't need to bother putting a suit on since it wouldn't show in photos and fire gear wasn't required at the test day. Yeah, it would have been pretty stupid to get burned while your fire suit is sitting in the trailer. These days, I try to wear my suit whenever I go on a track. It's free, and it could save my life. And while good fire systems like what I installed in the 350Z are definitely not free, they're cheaper than the cost of a wasted race weekend's fuel/entry fees/food/hotel room, way cheaper than the cost of a new car, and WAAAAAAY cheaper than burn treatment.
Fire burns just as hot on test days as it does on race days.
I believe Charles Espenlaub said this.
Our friend in the Vette was wearing an open faced helmet, when he opened the drivers door to leap out he was greeted by a wall of fire and burnt the skin on his nose.
As for the sports racer fire; it was almost 20 years ago and I still have a keen mental image of seeing flames travel through the side pod and pour out the slats in the front fender. Knowing there was a fire system made the situation unnerving rather than terrifying. Keep in mind I road raced motorcycles before switching to cars so my unnerving likely qualifies as frightening.
I used to work in a building that overlooked an interstate off-ramp-up-to-overpass that for some reason people picked for a getting off point if their car was on fire. It happened three times in the less than two years I worked there.
First time the car went out on its own, and I joined a group of people helping the owner push the car up the off ramp. Second car made it to the gas station across the street and burned to the ground (the car not the gas station). I watched it out my office window.
The third time was tragic. Thankfully I didn't see it in person because I was working from home. The company paid for therapy if they wanted it for those who had been there.
A man driving a minivan with a fire under the hood made it all the way to the blue painted disability parking space by the building. His wife was disabled/obese/wheelchair bound (one or all of those things) and needed help getting out. But before he could get her out or anyone in the building could react, the fire flared up and consumed the whole minivan. She burned to death and he was badly burned. It was hot enough had to replace windows on the building up to the second story.
People, if you have a car fire do not "look for a place to pull over" or try to get to an off-ramp. You get to the shoulder at max lane changing and braking velocity and get out. You don't know how much time you have and should assume it is zero seconds.
In reply to DennisDoesEverything :
I don't know the specifics, but we had something similar happen at a club race: car caught fire, and the driver drove alllllllll the way back to pit lane. He passed away from injuries.
Do not pass go. If there's a fire, stop, drop and roll. GTFO.
David S. Wallens said:Do not pass go. If there's a fire, stop, drop and roll. GTFO.
Continuing on this theme I jumped out of the sports racer while it was still traveling about 1/2 mph, it rolled about 30ft from me. The fire had gone within a second but I wasn't taking any chances on it reigniting. I didn't go back to the car until the crew showed up with a large fire extinguisher in hand.
My view of fire systems is they are their to give me time to exit the car............I don't give a crap about the car.
Tom1200 said:My view of fire systems is they are their to give me time to exit the car............I don't give a crap about the car.
That's my understanding too. If you catch the fire early while it's small then maybe it'll save the car, but that's definitely not the point.
While I am in no way arguing against fire suppression systems, I just don't see $1,400 worth of parts there. The piece of mind and safety are worth it, BUT more people would use them if they were more reasonably priced. It just seems like a bit of price gouging to take advantage of valid fears of death (to car or driver) by fire.
350z247 said:While I am in no way arguing against fire suppression systems, I just don't see $1,400 worth of parts there. The piece of mind and safety are worth it, BUT more people would use them if they were more reasonably priced. It just seems like a bit of price gouging to take advantage of valid fears of death (to car or driver) by fire.
The NOVEC suppression agent is quite a bit more expensive than AFFF
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