BlazeCut Installation, What I learned.... Options

[oakdalecurtis]

I purchased the 6 foot BlazeCut Fire Suppression System. This length only requires one length down one side of the lid, one curve, and one length back the other side of the lid. I also found that the stiff tubing does not like to bend into a tight enough arc to fit into the confines of the engine lid. The tube kinked at the center of the curve, but I don't think it damaged it. I bought an electrical gray pipe curve, 3/4" ID, split it with my band saw, and zip tied and taped it around the BlazeCut tubing at the center of the arc where the tubing wanted to kink. This supported and held the tubing, keeping the tubing in the required arc while preventing it from kinking. I also found that plastic zip ties were not strong enough to hold the tubing in position under the engine lid. The stiff BlazeCut tubing does not like to bend or go where you want it to very easily. As you can see, I removed my rain tray a while ago since I never take the car out in bad weather and the engine runs cooler without it.
I fastened the tubing to the underside of the engine lid using metal pipe claps, 3/4 ID, and short self tapping metal screws into the lid supports. I wrapped the BlazeCut in heavy plumbers tape wherever it came in contact with the metal lid. I also cut thin strips of black tape and put them on the top side of the BlazeCut tube so you could not easily see the white tubing through the engine grill from the outside.
If you look on the left side of my engine lid, you can also see a steel braided cable I added a while back so I don't have to hold on to the engine lid when I open it. Without the cable, if you popped the engine lid and didn't hold it, it would fly open and put a lot of bending force on the hinges, which I have already rewelded once. Now the cable catches it before it works on the hinges.
BTW, if you have a weak opening engine cover, here's a link to an easy and simple fix that lets you put more pop in the opening, especially with the extra weight of the BlazeCut under the lid. My lids pops open fully now, even with the tubing under it.
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...=290514&hl=
I hope I never have to find out how well the BlazeCut tubing works!

[Frankvw]

Thanks for your update and tips&trics. I understand you removed the raintray.
Do you think it will be possible to install one WITH the raintray still there based on your experiences with the install now ?

[oakdalecurtis]

Thanks for your update and tips&trics. I understand you removed the raintray.
Do you think it will be possible to install one WITH the raintray still there based on your experiences with the install now ?

The rain tray would block most of the mounting points on used in my car. I don't know how I would mount it with the tray in place, but there is enough room above the engine. You can't drill holes for mounting screws in the plastic tray for obvious reasons, so you would have to come up with some other clever way to mount it there.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif)

[BeatNavy]

Yeah, I bought one of these a few months ago, and it's been sitting on my workbench waiting for me to figure out how to install without removing the raintray. I need my raintray, so I'm not sure how or if it's going to get installed any time soon...

Thanks for the write up.

[oakdalecurtis]

Yeah, I bought one of these a few months ago, and it's been sitting on my workbench waiting for me to figure out how to install without removing the raintray. I need my raintray, so I'm not sure how or if it's going to get installed any time soon...

Thanks for the write up.

I suppose you could screw the clamps right into the rain tray if you put a little silicone glue on each screw as it went through the plastic. It's not like the water from rain that gets in the tray on the top side is under any pressure to get past the screws.

[Andyrew]

Looks good! Conduit clamps work well in this situation. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[PanelBilly]

Mine fit

[oakdalecurtis]

Mine fit

Looks good Billy, you may find that heat and ozone degrade the zip ties over time and they will break. Also, if you can see the white tubing through the engine grill, you can hide it from view. Put about on inch long strips of black plumbers tape on the top half of the tubing where you can see it from above the engine grill, and the white tubing "disappears' from outside view. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

[FlacaProductions]

@BeatNavy - given the recent couple of engine fires that have been documented here, I thought I'd dig this thread back up - any luck on an install WITH the rain tray over the years?

[willieg]

Mine fit

PanelBilly: How did you stop the BlazeCut from kinking at the bends?

[mb911]

I ended up getting mine from @beatnavy .. I painted it flat black and put it on mu GT lid. Fits perfect.

[BeatNavy]

@BeatNavy - given the recent couple of engine fires that have been documented here, I thought I'd dig this thread back up - any luck on an install WITH the rain tray over the years?

Hey Brian - as Ben noted above, I ended up giving mine to him so he could install. I still wanted to keep the rain tray and didn't want to try to make it fit with that.

Hopefully I won't come to regret that in a big way, and hopefully Ben won't need it!

[mb911]

@BeatNavy - given the recent couple of engine fires that have been documented here, I thought I'd dig this thread back up - any luck on an install WITH the rain tray over the years?

Hey Brian - as Ben noted above, I ended up giving mine to him so he could install. I still wanted to keep the rain tray and didn't want to try to make it fit with that.

Hopefully I won't come to regret that in a big way, and hopefully Ben won't need it!

I agree. 2020 has been an overall awful year in many ways.. I don't want to need it.

[Coondog]

I like it and Curtis is doing it right by carrying a back up extinguisher..... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[eric9144]

I like it and Curtis is doing it right by carrying a back up extinguisher..... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Since most of us seem to do a lot of running in groups, I've always figured an extinguisher is there as much for me as anyone we may be driving with... Anytime I see a torched 914 it gets me in the gut because I know how much most of us put into them in blood, sweat, tears and $$$$.

"Two is one and one is none" aka a backup is never a bad plan in case one doesn't work or finish the job.

[Beach914]

I carry a Halon extinguisher and one of the "Element" brand extinguisher sticks in each of my cars.
I remember reading this thread awhile back and its something I should consider doing.

[iankarr]

The Blaze Cut system looks really cool...but looks like it's only effective on fires above the engine tins. Is there a piece for under?

[PanelBilly]

Mine fit

PanelBilly: How did you stop the BlazeCut from kinking at the bends?

I bought it from Amazon and it came rolled up. I took advantage of the natural curve and fit it into the lid.

[oakdalecurtis]

PanelBilly: How did you stop the BlazeCut from kinking at the bends?
[/quote]

I actually over bent mine at first and it kinked! I was shocked that it didn’t blow! But since it continued to try to kink at the center as I curved it, I took some electrical pipe curves, cut them in half and wired them around the curve to prevent the BlazeCut from kinking any more. You can see my fix in the photo. If you don’t overbend it, it will make the 180 without kinking...

[CHIZ 914]

Was thinking about that system and looks to work very good, the fit with a rain tray would be the issue
Now just have a fire bottle with a quick release seat frame mounted, perhaps add another one, but might clutter up the cabin. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)