Flames on an Elise

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mac
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Post by mac » Wed Nov 08, 2006 9:35 am

I agree :lol:


Mac (Plumbed in faction)
S2 Elise (cobalt blue with stripes) - toy spec
Caterham 7 - hillclimb spec
Yamaha Thundercat - 2 wheeled toy spec

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Rich H
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Post by Rich H » Wed Nov 08, 2006 10:51 am

The only reason you carry a fire extinguisher is to put someone elses car out.

If your car is on fire and you can, get your pax out, get out, then run. If you happen to take the fire extinguisher then great, have a go, but remember you have ~10 secs as Dom says. It will probably (Hopefully!) be a powder extinguisher, that means it will smother the flames but it does not cool anything at all! The oil/fuel/plastic is still probably above flash point so another source of ignition and then boom.

Essentially get out, fire the extigusher, then run. Cars can be replaced remember (And probably will need to be anyway...)

If you are trapped in the car with a fire extiguisher then use your 10 secs wisely...

All IMHO of course.... :wink:
1994 Lotus Esprit S4 - Work in progress
1980 Porsche 924 Turbo - Funky Interior Spec
2004 Smart Roadster Coupe - Hers

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Novice Racer
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Post by Novice Racer » Wed Nov 08, 2006 3:55 pm

I once watched someone set themselves on fire after dousing themselves in petrol minutes before.

Walked in through the front door of the hospital past me whilst I was on my way to clinic.

3 powder extinguishers struggled to put out the flames :shock:

I agree with Richard and others that the right thing to do is run - a small extinguisher in the car is uselss.

I have learned that relatively small areas of full thickness burns will lead to massive fluid losses, sepsis and death within hours. Its not worth the risk to save any car.

I have always been scared of fire and hated burns since - hence my worried questions earier in this thread.

What is the fire risk for misfires/cat catching fire in Elise S2s, or is this mainly an S1 problem :?:

Novice

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Rich H
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Post by Rich H » Wed Nov 08, 2006 4:04 pm

AS uncle Tut says it tends to be highly tuned engines or dodgy conversions that have problems. The Elise only looks worse as there is so little left at the end, but if you look the passenger compartment is intact and doesn't actually have much to burn in it.

The fuel tank is below and behind you in the middle of the chassis, the other side of the fire wall, the fuel lines are all internal to the car, its probably as safe as it's going to get.

Oil leaks are the main problem as they tend to go unnoticed and can build up or a catastrophic failure in an oil line, only a problem if you have an oil cooler.

Rich
1994 Lotus Esprit S4 - Work in progress
1980 Porsche 924 Turbo - Funky Interior Spec
2004 Smart Roadster Coupe - Hers

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Novice Racer
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Post by Novice Racer » Wed Nov 08, 2006 4:17 pm

Good. Feeling safer already......

NR

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Tom
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Post by Tom » Wed Nov 08, 2006 11:20 pm

RICHARDHUMBLE wrote:The only reason you carry a fire extinguisher is to put someone elses car out.

If your car is on fire and you can, get your pax out, get out, then run. If you happen to take the fire extinguisher then great, have a go, but remember you have ~10 secs as Dom says. It will probably (Hopefully!) be a powder extinguisher, that means it will smother the flames but it does not cool anything at all! The oil/fuel/plastic is still probably above flash point so another source of ignition and then boom.

Essentially get out, fire the extigusher, then run. Cars can be replaced remember (And probably will need to be anyway...)

If you are trapped in the car with a fire extiguisher then use your 10 secs wisely...

All IMHO of course.... :wink:
and to think captain nescafe saved his car without a fire extinguisher. the pikey instead wafted it a bit and it went out :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
1995 Volvo 940SE Estate

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simon
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Post by simon » Wed Nov 08, 2006 11:51 pm

Tom wrote:captain nescafe
Captain Naf sounds better :lol:

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Tom
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Post by Tom » Wed Nov 08, 2006 11:53 pm

simon wrote:
Tom wrote:captain nescafe
Captain Naf sounds better :lol:
:lol: :lol:
1995 Volvo 940SE Estate

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Sanjøy
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Post by Sanjøy » Thu Nov 09, 2006 12:32 am

It was quite possibly the most stoooopid things (and tehre have been a lot) I have ever done.

Mind you this was pre Nescafé days when burning plastic smells worse than beans.
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Tom
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Post by Tom » Thu Nov 09, 2006 12:41 am

that's true. if you were smelling roasting beans then you'd have to have let it burn :lol: :lol:
1995 Volvo 940SE Estate

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