Gentlemen, I am considering installing a forced air system for my helmet and have a concern about how to do that given the recent fire that Tage experienced in Arizona in his BMW.

From what I have been told, it appears that Tage may have experienced a failure that either caused a fuel system break or an oil break that resulted in flaming fluid entering the car through the passenger side window and not just through the fire wall.

As I have learned more about that situation, I have concerns about my plan to install a NACA duct in the passenger window to feed fresh air into the system to be piped into my helmet. Our cars have the fuel rail and oil filter (and many have an oil cooler) on the passenger side. If there was a failure similar to what Tage experienced, flames would be more likely to affect the air intake if it was mounted in the passenger window and that would not be good, especially in a big incident such as Tage's.

I recall that, during the rule discussion period, someone proposed allowing lexan for the rear quarter windows to allow NACA ducts to be installed. I was opposed to the idea because of my desire for "No New Rules". The decision was made that there was no good reason to allow the change as there was no concern about using the passenger window for air, and I agreed with that.

I am now having second thoughts because of Tage's experience and after reading his account from the burn ward in the hospital. Now to my question, where can I get fresh air, without having a rules problem, to feed my helmet without using the passenger side window? I am very uncomfortable, now, with the risk involved with the passenger side because of the fuel rail, oil filter and, in my case, a good sized oil cooler on the right front corner adding to the danger of an oil leak that could get onto the exhaust and cause a big oil fire. I had never considered that possibility until now.

Looking for ideas and solutions.

Jim "Big Dog" Foxx

I have been considering the same issue. My original plan was a clear naca at the rear of the passenger window, but have also been considering just having an intake hose, just aft of the driver's side window. Since it is forced air (using a 4" blower in my case) it will probably get enough air to work without being in the window. This would not impede egress in an emergency.

Jim,
From the information I have Tage's fired entered from not having a rear window in his hatch back. We are required to keep our stock rear hatch so no issues there. Quite frankly the aero on a Civic hatch back is different from that on our cars so I can't say his situation applies to our cars in any way. Plust you can mount a passenger door vent within couple inches of rear qtr window. So no really benefit there to my understanding.

Joe, I was thinking about the drivers rear window to get the air intake away from the passenger side completely as that is the side that will get the most smoke and fire in the event of a catastrophic failure. I know that such a failure would be rare but our cars have seen lots of fuel rail failures that have resulted in fires under the hood. Our oil coolers are also mounted in the right front corner and are subject to greater risk because of that. With the exhaust on that side, the potential for a flash oil fire goes up significantly, although still small based on our collective experience.

I am also thinking about the 944 fire in Florida several years ago that resulted in a death. It would have been a large fire that lasted for some time and an air duct on the passenger side would have not been a good thing to have. Anything that can reduce the risk of a more serious problem resulting from the location of a fresh air intake would seem to be a prudent idea, especially if it does not create a performance advantage. I would think that requiring thicker lexan (to increase the weight to that of glass) would remove the performance discussion no matter how slight it might be.

Another idea would be to allow an air scoop to be cut into the roof of the car on the drivers side. That would be an aero disadvantage but would reduce my concern of fire/smoke entering the system.

Jim

Jim,
The safest place is probably in the car and not fresh air. Well that assumes the fire is on the outside and going in through window. If the fire is inside you want air from outside. In fact that make it safer to run windows up right?

Point is there is no perfect solution. Seems to me you want do the standard things.

1) check the car to minize risk of mechanical failures
2) seal off he firewall well.
3) run a fire system
4) practice rapid exits
5) Run with only the two door windows down to limit flames coming in the car from outside.

From these pics, it seems you'd like want the intake high, and forward - may in the top of the passenger window?