Is a fire wall(s) needed for my application? Pictures inside

[biglady112]

I have had a large cooling system in the car for over a year getting the car prepared for an LSR event. I recently added a overflow tank as well that is now located in the rear of the car. Inside the cabin. The large system I am referring to is a 10 gallon cell located at the rear of the car also in the cabin. I am currently running a 90/10 water/coolant mix.

I understand the rules changed recently for blown cars to run straight water, but the only reason for the coolant at this point is I live in Denver, Co and the car is still driven from time to time.

I am going to begin the roll cage very soon, and need to know if I need to design one or more fire walls. I am also currently redesigning the fuel system and the car will have a five gallon cell also mounted in the rear of the car. Now I am pretty darn sure this will need a fire wall so not much of a question for this. I have a 2006 SCTA rule book, but cannot find any information on the answers I am looking for for my coolant tanks.

Keep in mind, both the 10 gallon tank and over flow are sealed units. The overflow is just like a stock setup in any vehicle. It is just mounted in the car. It does vent and overflow out of the cabin via a hold in the floor of the car.

Battery box(not relevant, but taking comments)


Coolant overflow


10 gallon coolant tank

[jimmy six]

The answer to your question is found in the statement. "If your tank split or ruptured in any way would you want the pumped 200 degree coolant hitting YOU".

Many cars have bulkheads between them and ANY liquid in the driver compartment. Good Luck

[Cajun Kid]

I agree with JimmySix,,,  I would want a bulkhead between me and the back of the car where the water and fuel tanks appear to be.

Charles

[biglady112]

Thanks for your recommendations, however, your replies did not answer the question. What I am comfortable with and what is the rule are two different things.

I am mostly concerned with the coolant tank. Not the over flow as it does not heat up.

[Glen]

As a person that spent many years on the SCTA emergency response team and have seen what comes loose inside of a vehicle I would do everything I could to prevent any fluids from getting in the cockpit area. Tanks can rupture, hoses come loose and brackets fail. It's not a pretty sight. It's your butt you have to protect.

[biglady112]

Ok gentlemen. You all have been doing this longer than I have. And I understand that. Please do not recommend what I should do. I need to know for sure if there is a rule or not. As I said my 2006 rule book does not state anything.

My tank has four mounting points. The over flow weighs less than 10 pounds full and has two mounting points. This all makes a very very big difference in how I am able to design the roll cage.

I also need to know if just a wall or something say with silicone or foam is needed to seal it.

[Glen]

log onto www.scta-bni.org. click on the rules and regulations tab on the left and submit your question to the committee. That way you will get an official answer.

[biglady112]

Fair enough. Like I said, this will play an improtant part in the cage design, which I am trying to build and design so I can trust it north of 200mph.

[Jonny Hotnuts]

I have a coolant tank up front in my car, and this year our inspector said my firewall was full of holes.
I explained to him the firewall was separating the engine compartment from the driver, and their were no "holes" in my firewall (being a mid engine).

I was made to put fire putty in the holes in the factory wall in front of the car because "a leak or rupture in the water system could result in a burn....".

I was able to run the car a few years before anyone had an issue....this year it wasnt the case.

I dont care that I had to do it....nor do I argue with the logic...but I would of had an issue if I was unable to run BECAUSE I couldnt seal it (like the tank would be mounted in the driver compartment). I would like to see a ruling that tanks and hoses designed for cooling the engine must have a secondary sealed wall (as in firewall) or allow tanks in the vehicle at your own personal risk.

Because its a GOOD idea to separate the tank from the driver, I would say there is about a 75% chance you WILL be asked to have a secondary shield about about 100% that you should for your own benefit.

[Jonny Hotnuts]

Also....loose the seat.

[biglady112]

What seat is that? Passenger or driver? This car thus far is a back up vehicle and I still take people for joy rides every now and again. I have not decided if I am going to try to keep a passenger seat with the cage or not. Most likely not, but it is nice to think that I could take someone if I wanted to and not have them sit on the floor as they have for the past two years. The seat was just recently reinstalled. With the way the cage is going to work, I will barely have any room for myself. Think funny car style cage. Built so I don't have to use a HANS device.

I am either going to purchase a kirkey or make my own.

[Glen]

You need a new rule book, starting 2010 all new cars and motorcycle streamliners will require a head and neck restarint. Page 24 of the 2009 rule book.

[Milwaukee Midget]

Glen's right on that.  Kind of sad, but as safety issues continue to arise, the days of the dual-purpose LSR car have mostly drawn to a close. 

Get thee to a rulebook.

[interested bystander]

Need to share some comments on this subject.

Sat in on an inspection of a newly built Lakester Sunday that the owners dragged me out of retirement to build the body of.

Yrs truly's first ever built racecar went down a DRAGSTRIP in 1962, and I earned my living building them for over twenty years.

The SAFETY points brought up by the kindest, gentlest SCTA tech official Sunday (Jim Miller)  opened my eyes to what the huge differences between building a SAFE drag car and building a safe Landspeed car is/are.

Even though lakes racing spawned the drags, there is beyond a world of difference in what it takes to be safe in a racer that when you hit the guardrail and before you stop the safety people are rolling to you and a Landspeed car that you could conceivably end up more than a mile away from a safety crew and maybe out of sight of them.

My suggestion: Go for overkill on safety.

[55chevr]

We all enjoy the sport and the regulations are often onerous but safety is the driving component to the rules. This year we suffered 2 fatal accidents. When it comes to safety just do it right ...