Whenever that engine cover comes off everyone wants to have a look…
Lol
To be fair, the engine is peachy. This was the scene after a 20odd minute race at Oulton, right at the end of the cool down lap when I’d brought it to a halt outside the collection area. Turns out the fuel pressure sensor had loosened off ( I hate taper threads!), the vapours must have been cleared by the airflow while the car was in motion and then lit as soon as I stopped.
About 30+ kilos of damn extinguisher powder later and que the photo opportunity (why does no bugger ever get a shot of you flat out through druids!?). Massive thanks to all (and I think I really do mean all!)the marshalls for their rapid action which resulted in the total damage of just the 2 sensor wires.
Reminds me of the first time I met Russ and Pesky!..
Same happened to me at Silverstone in my MGF cup car, my built in sytsem didn’t put fire out properly, luckily there was a nice man in orange suit with a big extinguisher
The link below is best I can do. Russ’s first ever race at Oulton (Mid Engined Series) - Honda engine had behaved beautifully over 12 months & umpteen trtackdays. On raceday, oil pressure relief valve failed, causing a spray of oil from the filter, onto the exhaust manifold.
I remember that the commentators on the tannoy said that it was me on fire when Russ went down cascades with the afterburners on… It was like the final kick in the 'taters of that weekend.
For anyone unlucky enough to ever need such advice, this powder gets absolutely everywhere and is extremely corrosive if left to absorb moisture so after too much practice lately I now reckon the best way to get powder off is to use an airline to blow out all the loose and then jetwash. A normal hosepipe can still leave a residue on there so all you’ve effectively done is wet the powder…
I still reckon the Ben R in the Duratec Nitron car at Brands hold the record for best fire…or possiibly now Matt Cs car at the Nurburgring.
Fire is bad. When my K series threw a rod at Oulton and mine went up, it was bloody terrifying. Thankfully the onboard extinguisher put it out. I remember thinking, F***ing Hell I am getting covered in foam, but then the realisation that it was actually a good thing!!
Cheers, it was a non event really the picture just amused me.
I have a Spa 2.25 AFFF mechanical system. With any of the plumbed in systems if you don’t trigger them within seconds of the fire starting they’re not always an awful amount of use, they’re really just for taking the heat away long enough for you to get out. Maybe they’re more effective if the whole charge goes into the engine bay?
The new G-TEC halon replacement gas ones are good because they don’t make such a mess if triggered!
