roberth944 Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 I am installing a in car supression system for #78 944 and was wondering where the nozzle inside the drivers compartment should be aimed? Under the dash above the pedals? Aimed at the drivers lower body? The one in the engine bay will be aimed at the fuel rail/ exhaust pipe area. any suggestions or input? John and I would like to know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legends21 Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 My system has three (3) nozzels. One is mounted on the tunnel pointing at my mid to lower torso. The other two are in the engine compartment, one directly at the fuel rail and the second mounted on the drivers side pointing accross the engine at the fuel rail also. If I had a fourth nozzel, I would put it on the fuel tank that I seen others doing. Also, I decided to try the ESS foam fire system this time. I have used Haylon in the past and thankfully, I have never had to fire either off. The only think I don't like about the foam is that I make sure it does not get exposed to sub freezing temperatures in the winter. Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b f cybronetics Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 I am using the ESS system with two nozzles in engine compartment and two towards the fuel tank. I did not put one in the cockpit for two reasons. One is that with the firewall should keep the fire in the engine compartment and the two nozzles there should control fire. The other is the risk that foam sprayed in the cockpit on the floor and shoes will result in a slippery situation which could make exiting the car more difficult. In the end the key is to get out of the car as fast as possible. There is also a possibility of the foam obscuring vision in the cockpit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
944-Spec#94 Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 I have a 3.375L AFFF system. It came with 3 nozzles, but I use only two. One pointing over the headers (heat source) and a second on the tunnel point mid torso. I would rather put more retardant on the two important spots. (most likely ignition source, and most important thing in the car). A fuel tank can ruptue, but there is not these same heat source as there is at the header. I want retardand over me as it may give me a few more seconds in case of nasty fire. Heck I don't care if the car burns down I just want keep from getting burned. In the photo you can see the black hose. It runs along the center tunnel which I believe will have the least chance of damage in wreck. One nozzle at me and the other runs to the engine compartment. Red T-handle is the pull cable and I keep the handheld just incase. Tank is mounted behind the pass seat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schwank Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 Pretty much the same here... ESS system with 3 nozzles. Bottle is in the passenger footwell, with one nozzle on the tunnel pointing at my feet and legs, and the other 2 in the engine bay - one running up the passenger strut tower and pointing at the fuel rail and headers, the other coming up behind the AOS and firing over the intake at the fuel rail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Dog Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 Robert, how many nozzels does your system have? To me, one must know that first to decide where to put them. I have 5 so I have one pointed into the trunk area (fuel tank area below), 2 in the engine compartment and three on me. The three for me are one from the right pointed at mid-section, one pointed at my feet (I assume that fire may get into that area and protecting feet is important) and the third one pointed at mid-section from the left side. As far as I am concerned, the car is not my priority. I AM. If I had fewer, I would concentrate on me and the fuel rail area. I am not concerned about the slippery issue as getting out of the car involves upper body and very little foot work and most of that is on the seat and not the floor board. If you want more information on ideas, let me know. By the way, I also keep the hand extinguisher. If another car is on fire or there is an electrical issue in the car, I can use that one. Big Dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rlofgren Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 i like your math big dog. 1 + 2 + 3 = 5 ; - ) p.s. i can't help but think of the possibilies of ballasting with a nice big fire suppression system... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Dog Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 You got me on that one, Rick. No wonder that I always think I have the new track record with my math skills. The fire bottle does not weigh that much as ballast but every bit helps, I guess. The other issue with a fire system is making SURE that the pin is pulled EVERY time one goes out on track. The fire in Florida involved a fire system that did not have the pin pulled so it could not be deployed. I have a long ribbon on my pin so that it reminds me to pull the pin. Some tie the ribbon to the key as a reminder. Whatever, just do something. Joe P. caught me at Nats going out on track with the pin in my system. (Thanks again, Joe, for kicking my butt on that one.) I now pull the pin at the start of the weekend and put it back in at the end as I put the car into the trailer. Big Dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidH Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 I now pull the pin at the start of the weekend and put it back in at the end as I put the car into the trailer. Big Dog Jim, I now have red tape (like your ribbon) on my pin per to your suggestion some time ago. Thanks. My only concern is my handle is to the left of the steering wheel and I am extremely careful when getting in and out of the car so that I don't hook it. I am tempted to move it to the right of the tunnel so that I don't set it off before getting to the grid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbuzz Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 good plan David. Since it has not been said: DO NOT point nozzels at facial area. Legs and lower body only. Be sure that all holes in fire wall are covered with metal not tape. Silicone sheet metal over holes or rivet, even better do both. Inspect fuel rail often: say once per weekend. It will most likely show some leakage before catastophic failure. Replace fuel hoses if you have not already. This includes the ones back at the pump. I just installed a new factory high pressure hose at the rail that i bought from SGS in San Luis Obispo (Gabe 805-540-3300) Yes this is one of my sponsors. The owner is a racer and Gabe (manager) is working on getting to be one. Gabe is a long time 944 guy and knows these cars. I bought the low presure return hose at the auto parts store. Looking at your car will catch alot of potential problems. This is important. See ya at the track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Dog Posted July 17, 2010 Share Posted July 17, 2010 David, on my vintage race car, I set up the fire system handles with pins that went through the handles to prevent them from being pulled because the fire bottle was hard to get to so I leave the pin out of it all the time but did not want civilians to wonder what the red handle was for and pull them to see. I can see the pins and reach the one by the driver seat when strapped in but make it a practice to pull both of them prior to going out on the track. You may want to consider doing something like that rather than moving the handle away from the driver window where emergency personel can get to it to pull it if you can't. That is why I put one of my two handles on that side as well. I can reach it and it is right by the window for others to be able to reach. My second handle is on the passenger side by the window so it doesn't matter which side a worker comes to, there is a handle. Charlie's comments about checking ALL of the fuel hoses is a must. I will say that I do have some pesky holes that I will get some sheet metal and pop rivet over the remainder of the holes. Thanks for that one, Charlie. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidH Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 Jim, I am glad you pointed out the corner worker accessibility. I do have a cotter pin that goes through it that I have the red tape on. I do pull the pin when I strap in, but typically leave it out for the weekend as it is hard to put back in. Maybe drilling a larger hole for the cotter pin so it is easier to put back in is the answer. Charlie, Great tips on the fuel rail. I replaced all of the hoses when one popped off in the pits years ago and thankfully nothing caught fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Dog Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 David, I use a smaller version of a pin that is like what is used on trailer hitches and things. I do not know the correct name for it. It has a straight side and the other side has a hump that holds it in place over the shaft of the handle. You might try one of those rather than the cotter pin. It should be easier. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Comeau Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 Jim, That's called a hitch pin. I wonder if, when I install my system, I should be focusing on trying to put the fire out first, THEN focusing on keeping myself from burning? The fuel tank is behind sheet metal. The engine compartment is behind sheet metal, too. Rick, BTW, my system weighs 17.4 lbs.......not that I'm using it for counter balancing the driver's weight or anything like that...... and strangely, my coolsuit tank has been moved down to the passenger floor as well.......hmmmmmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Dog Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 Tim, thanks for the correct name. I will try to remember it for future use. My system came with 6 nozzles. I figured that three for me was enough. I put two into the engine compartment. One is on the passenger side to spray that side of the fuel rail and the header side. The second one sprays from the center of the car to cover the other side of the fuel rail. There is not the same heat on that side but I figured that it would also overspray to the other side and would provide as good of a coverage as I could expect. By the way, I decided to have it recharged last summer. I can tell you that it puts out a lot of foam, I mean a lot of foam. That makes me feel better about it. That left one so I just pointed it back into the rear of the car. Is that the best use of the final nozzle? I don't know. I think that my placement covers both Tim's issue of putting the fire out and protecting my most important passenger, ME. I have not weighed my system to know it's weight but it is worth using it instead of ballast from a safety standpoint and I had it in when I was substancially over weight. Tim, where was your cool suit before? Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Comeau Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 It was up higher in the back seat area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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