I'm embarrassed to report that I don't know what this tube is. Will someone please enlighten me?
Jason
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Fire suppression system. Engine catches fire, the tube breaks and put's it out :-)
here is a demonstration of one on a burning vw engine
Blazecut Fire Suppression System (Click for video)
Interesting product. Sure makes it easy if there's a fire under the hood and you don't notice it right away while driving. The video shows a very fast burst of the fire suppression material to put our the fire. I wonder if that's enough to put out a larger fire...
If the gas was still leaking onto a hot engine and there's a chance of re-ignition after the first fire was put out, this suppression system doesn't seem to work for that possibility. Has anyone on the forum installed one of these?
Thank you all for answering my question!
Jason
That's the stuff!
BlazeCut® Woulda' Saved It!*
*In theory, not actually proven. Professional driver on a closed course. BlazeCut may cause drowsiness, diarrhea, weight-gain, dementia, male pattern baldness, and suicidal thoughts. Don't use BlazeCut if you are pregnant, nursing, or thinking of becoming a parent someday. Don't use BlazeCut around children or small animals. BlazeCut may cause impotence or incontinence. Don't use BlazeCut while operating heavy machinery. Don't drink alcohol or smoke the ganja while using BlazeCut. Your mileage may vary. BlazeCut is not meant as a substitute for not catching things on fire to start with. BlazeCut is not pie.
@pkdfw posted:Interesting product. Sure makes it easy if there's a fire under the hood and you don't notice it right away while driving. The video shows a very fast burst of the fire suppression material to put our the fire. I wonder if that's enough to put out a larger fire...
If the gas was still leaking onto a hot engine and there's a chance of re-ignition after the first fire was put out, this suppression system doesn't seem to work for that possibility. Has anyone on the forum installed one of these?
Many on the forum have installed one but I don't think anyone has had their car catch on fire and used it yet.
SONOFAGUN! That’s friggin’ AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’ll be the first to admit that it is NOT a “perfect” fire suppression system, but it is FAR better than nothing or a hand extinguisher in/near the cockpit.
And think of it holistically; if you have a blazecut in the engine bay AND a typical hand-held extinguisher in/near the cockpit, the Blazecut might buy you a few seconds of time to get the cover open and get in there to properly coat everything with hard to remove extinguisher dust and put everything out for good.
OK, maybe I’m being a little snarky, but all you have in our cars is seconds and if Blazecut buys you another 10-15 seconds to get back there with your extinguisher, THAT can make a HUGE difference.
You’re lucky to have them already installed……
Has any one used one of the Element fire extinguishers? If you have a Blazecut and one of these, you may be good to go and the Element doesn't take a lot of room.
@Gordon Nichols posted:SONOFAGUN! That’s friggin’ AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK, maybe I’m being a little snarky, but all you have in our cars is seconds and if Blazecut buys you another 10-15 seconds to get back there with your extinguisher, THAT can make a HUGE difference.
Gordon, you have drastically underestimated the amount of time it takes for me to get out of my car, much less to move quickly in any direction thereafter.
@pkdfw posted:Has any one used one of the Element fire extinguishers? If you have a Blazecut and one of these, you may be good to go and the Element doesn't take a lot of room.
I carry one of the Element extinguishers as well as a hefty amount of insurance. I figure the extinguisher prevents a fire much like carrying an umbrella prevents rain.
@Michael Pickett posted:Gordon, you have drastically underestimated the amount of time it takes for me to get out of my car, much less to move quickly in any direction thereafter.
Lol. I hear you. My “fire drill” is known by its traditional name: Viking Funeral. 
@dlearl476 posted:Lol. I hear you. My “fire drill” is known by its traditional name: Viking Funeral.
That's funny, right there. Well done.
@Michael Pickett posted:Gordon, you have drastically underestimated the amount of time it takes for me to get out of my car...
I just use the 'drop and roll' technique, even when I'm not on fire.
Works well.
Quite a few years ago now , I had a fire. Carbs overflowed onto my manifold. I managed to get there quickly enough with a fire extinguisher......and a little patting to put out some bits of rubber. I bought more fire extinguishers and a 1m Blazecut installed pretty much as the 1st picture. The pressure dropped over time and I enquired if it would still work. I was told it would. Time went by and an aircooled supplier had 2m lengths on offer. I have the old 1m and a new 2m installed now, strapped together.
Just curious... How often does an engine fire occur with air cooled engines?
Not very often if you have a habit of checking engine condition, hoses and connections routinely. Fires often happen because of bad amateur repairs or upgrades, the fuel line rupturing, carb flooding, or something related to fuel feeding the fire. A big cause is a plastic fuel filter in the engine compartment, or cheap fuel hoses that degrade with modern gasoline and rupture. Electric fuel pumps should have a cut off switch installed for safety. Regular maintenance inspections are a must. Often a small fire becomes a raging inferno because by the time you notice it, you have been pumping gas onto it while driving for some distance. Add some fiberglass to the mix and it’s ash city.
@LeadPedal posted:Not very often if you have a habit of checking engine condition, hoses and connections routinely. Fires often happen because of the fuel line rupturing, carb flooding, or something related to fuel feeding the fire. A big cause is a plastic fuel filter in the engine compartment, or cheap fuel hoses that degrade with modern gasoline and rupture. Electric fuel pumps should have a cut off switch installed for safety. My late father put over 300k miles on his bone stock 67 vw and never had a fire. Regular maintenance inspections are a must.
Good to know and thanks for the inspection tips @LeadPedal. I've also seen YouTube videos on VW experts recommending to relocate fuel filters so they're not in the engine compartment too and switching out the clamps that attach the fuel hose to the carbs as that's another area fuel can leak from.
If you want to have a visible filter, mount it next to the transmission or use a sealed one attached to your electric pump near the front tank.
@LeadPedal posted:If you want to have a visible filter, mount it next to the transmission or use a sealed one attached to your electric pump near the front tank.
Thanks for the tip.
I always use two filters NAPA 3032 or NAPA 3031 depending on the ID of the fuel line hose. One at the fuel tank outlet and the second filter on the hard line where it exits the left frame horn.
@Alan Merklin posted:I always use two filters NAPA 3032 or NAPA 3031 depending on the ID of the fuel line hose. One at the fuel tank outlet and the second filter on the hard line where it exits the left frame horn.
Me too! Belt and suspenders.
I've been through a vw bus fire where the plastic filter in the engine compartment developed a small leak.
You don't need that!
does it help to pee on the fire?..Gotta be at least 20oz.
@barncobob posted:does it help to pee on the fire?..Gotta be at least 20oz.
Only if your hose is long enough...
@pkdfw posted:Just curious... How often does an engine fire occur with air cooled engines?
@LeadPedal posted:Not very often NEVER if you have a habit of checking engine condition, hoses and connections routinely. Fires often happen because of bad amateur repairs or upgrades, the fuel line rupturing, carb flooding, or something related to fuel feeding the fire. A big cause is a plastic fuel filter in the engine compartment, or cheap fuel hoses that degrade with modern gasoline and rupture. Electric fuel pumps should have a cut off switch installed for safety. Regular maintenance inspections are a must. Often a small fire becomes a raging inferno because by the time you notice it, you have been pumping gas onto it while driving for some distance. Add some fiberglass to the mix and it’s ash city.
Fixed it for you...
@pkdfw posted:Just curious... How often does an engine fire occur with air cooled engines?
LeadPedal and ALB are right… ish.
Carbureted cars of the cold war era all burned from time to time, for reasons which may or may not have been related to a lack of maintenance. Most high-performance air cooled T1s have Webers or Dellortos, almost all of them with the enrichment circuit disabled or removed. This is generally fine, but there are circumstances when a cold engine with no choke will “sneeze” and have a little backfire through the carbs. This sprays the inside of the paper air filter with raw fuel.
At that point, you’re a backfire (which is really just a fireball headed out through the in door of the engine) away from lightning that gas-soaked filter on fire.
There are many similar events that can cause a backfire, which can (under some very specific circumstances) turn the normally used paper air filters into tiki-torches sitting on top of an aluminum contraption with a bunch of fuel being continuously pumped into it. The best possible way to extinguish that fire is to suck it down the intake into the cylinders. Unfortunately, shutting the engine off (rather than flooring it) seems like a safer course of action in the moment.
As an aside, it is my belief that this little fire in the area between the air-filter and the carb top happens a lot more than any of us realize. The fire is usually just sucked back into the engine on the next intake stroke.
Has anyone of us ever had a plugged idle jet? Experienced a failing electronic points replacement module or coil? Suffered a little chunk of love from a disintegrating soft fuel line landing in the needle valve causing a float bowl to overfill? None of these are events that can be avoided with maintenance, and they have the potential to light the car on fire, under the right (wrong) circumstances. These things just happen with analog cars.
Henry Reisner started putting the turbo-hat air filters on all of IM’s T1 cars a few years before IM closed up shop. He said it pretty much eliminated cars burning down. I’m running them, and will be until if/when I go to EFI (and maybe even after).
By all means, you do you - but I nearly burned my car down when a points replacement module came loose on a trip and gave me some nasty backfires. I’m not dorking around with hoping everything stays perfect.
@Stan Galat posted:.Henry Reisner started putting the turbo-hat air filters on all of IM’s T1 cars a few years before IM closed up shop. He said it pretty much eliminated cars burning down. I’m running them, and will be until if/when I go to EFI (and maybe even after)..
Even with EFI, the turbo hats give you an opportunity to route some cooler air (= HP) into the intakes.
Mike, I only wish the "tubes" were a bit bigger. 2" is marginal.
@pkdfw posted:Good to know and thanks for the inspection tips @LeadPedal. I've also seen YouTube videos on VW experts recommending to relocate fuel filters so they're not in the engine compartment too and switching out the clamps that attach the fuel hose to the carbs as that's another area fuel can leak from.
I never use worm gear style clamps because they can cut through the hose. I only use ABA stainless steel FI clamps.
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