Fires in Elises

[gfoz]

I've read on a couple of other sites, references to fires in Elises. It's enough to make me think I should invest in an extinguisher for the car. Are these small 'car sized' extinguishers any good? I can't stretch to a fully plumbed in system but am wondering if these little things really work?

Anyone...?

[135sport]

They can be effective, if you can get to use them in time.

They rely on cutting off the supply of oxygen to the fire, either by coating the bits on fire or by shielding the oxygen from the fire for long enough that the fire dies.

From what I have heard, is that most Elise / 340r fires are in the engine bay and burn away taking hold for sometime before the driver is aware. At which point it is probably to late.

I think once the body takes hold then there is not much that can be done to save the car.

Another problem I see is that the engine hatch (bonnet) is an open design, so cutting the supply of oxygen off is tricky. Euro boxes have relatively small grille opening in comparison.

If I had the money I would get a plumbed-in device. But then something is better than nothing. Some of the 'tall thin' designs will fit snug down the side of the drivers seat above the storage tray.

[adeewuff]

Totally agree that something is better than nothing, when a fire does take hold in an Elise there is usually very little to stop it consuming the whole car. Since Aluminium when heated up to a high enough temp will burn there's usually not alot left.



Scary huh? The plumbed in system is your best bet but also check regularly for oil leaks on the undertray as if this oil drips onto you catalyst it will more than likely ignite!!

Take a look at this site for fire extinguishers.

http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/pdpr/safety/fire00.html

[TheLemming]

Please tell me that isnt (wasnt) an Elise?

Thats almost traumatic to look at...

[adeewuff]

It was a S1 Sport 160, was stolen and burnt which is even more horrid. There was another site where one guys 340R spontaniously ignited as he was driving down the road, lucky he got out but had to watch it melt infront of him. I don't think his site is up anymore.

Even less of anything left afterwards when the flames died down.

[Podie]

Once saw a 340R on the hard shoulder on the M1 at Junction 19 with flames coming out the back and a man (clearly crying) on his mobile...

[gfoz]

ok, you're all scaring me now! Maybe I should try a different angle: has anyone, or know of anyone, who has successfully put out a fire in an Elise with one of these small hand held extinguishers?

[jamesmac]

Podie said: Once saw a 340R on the hard shoulder on the M1 at Junction 19 with flames coming out the back and a man (clearly crying) on his mobile...

That is very sad, poor guy

[fergusd]

Yes, people have extinguished fires in Elises using hand held extinguishers . . . I have read of at least 2 such incidents. The car was not in best health afterwards, mainly dure to there being no wiring loom left in the engine bay, but it was not a writeoff.

Almost exclusively these fires are caused by oil leaks, the cat converter is easily hot enough to cause a fire if anything combustable touches it. This can be made much worse if the engine has a fault (misfire for example) which causes the cat to overheat, thus massively increasing engine bay temps . . .

I carry a handheld extinguisher, it's better than a mobile 'phone . . . I also regularly check the car for leaks, defects, missing/lose heat shields, etc as part of my routine maintainance . . .

Fd

[jimmythegreek]

does the S2 elise have the same problem

[fergusd]

I can't expect the S2 will be any different from the S1 in this respect, however it's at an early stage in it's lifecycle, most are standard, and low milage, I guess we'll see when they start ageing . . .

Fd

[Jonathan T]

All this makes it sound like fire in Elise's and derivitives are common. They're not, although I've got a fire extinguisher just incase.

[Podie]

fergusd said:
I carry a handheld extinguisher, it's better than a mobile 'phone . . . I also regularly check the car for leaks, defects, missing/lose heat shields, etc as part of my routine maintainance . . .

Fd

What's the reception like on the extinguisher?

Good point though - worth having an extinguisher just in case... go to www.autoexpress.co.uk and then product test... then fire extinguisher.

Winner of their test was the Allied Safety SPA1 - £22.95, refilable, passed the electrical fire test too... from their site;

This unit has it all for us - it displayed tremendous fire-fighting power in our test and its performance was backed by those high fire ratings. It really packs a punch and directing was made easy by a prominent nozzle. This performance was repeated in the instructions which covered the essentials and, usefully, urged owners to keep them with the extinguisher. Top performance at a keen price - our favourite product.

>> Edited by Podie on Wednesday 30th October 08:32