Dave helms upgrades... question on value/cost?

Dave relocated SRI to much bigger quarters and is still busier than a two-peckered billy goat.

Must be doing something right.

 

I have some of Daves products on my car and it has made a real difference. More than that though, I have talked to Dave on the phone a few times and he is more than willing to help out. I travelled to Vegas a couple of years ago and stopped by his place on the way....I just had to meet the overly polite man that was on the other end of the phone and he was all that I expected. He is a real mans man. He has done a lot for many of us in the Ferrari community and if you believe in Karma (and I do) then he has a lot of good coming to him for the rest of his life. I left his shop that day and it had just started raining.....the rest is history.

 

So what...?

The argument has somehow turned that SRI hoses are the ONLY hoses on the planet that are modern fuel compatible... and that's just not ture. There are 5 billion boats and cars that run on modern fuel (and haven't burned to the ground) with "other" hoses that prove the fact.

SRI is an QUALITY product but there are comparable alternatives at less cost. Obviously some people cant come to grips with that fact.

 

Well Duh!????

I guess a bunch here skipped HS Chemistry class ......


A car is a Roman Candle. Almost everything that goes into one WILL BURN.

It is just waiting for the right conditions.

Thankfully they rarely, rarely ever occur.

 

This guy is a professional accident reconstruction engineer and deals in, among other things, fire causation. Take a look:

http://www.croberts.com/coolant.htm Coolant fires may be rare but they can and do happen.

Anyway, this discussion has moved from a question of value and cost of SRI stuff to cheer leading session. I will reiterate my position that there is no argument with regard to SRI quality. But lower cost, higher value alternatives are often available of sufficient quality as to not cause concern about potential future failure. There will always be those who prefer what they perceive as the best where as others will prefer what they perceive as necessary and sufficient.

I've posted these pictures before. They are of a now 30 year old coolant hose off my 308. It was replace at 30k miles, 25 years. This was the hose that goes from the front of the water pump to the down tube, very hot area. It shows no signs of degradation other than some discoloration. No cracks, no cuts from the clamps, no build up of crap inside. Still very flexible. Is something of higher quality and much high cost necessary? Is there value in that? I don't think so, and apparently neither dose my Ferrari mechanic who has over 35 years experience.
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I suspect that if there are 10,000 car fires (in cars with internal combustion engines) caused by fluids leaking in any given time period that perhaps 1 is not caused by oil or gas. Not saying it's impossible to have your anti-freeze be the culprit, just saying if you're going to obsess over a fluid moving hose, fuel is the one I'd be most worried about.

Ethylene glycol has a flash point of 350 degrees, that's pretty high, but cut 50% with water, it rises to approximately 800 degrees. Not an easy thing to ignite. But possible,

Ok, back to the Dave Helms argument. $1500 too much? Just right? Alternatives?




D

 

Thank God you didn't get any carp buildup that would clog the hose for sure.

D
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No to belabor the point but just as all coolant leaks do not result in fire, not all fuel leaks do either. (Please do not interpret this as saying fuel leaks are something to worry about.) Perhaps it should be noted that there is a difference between the flash point and the auto ignition point. Flash point is the temperature at which a liquid will give off a vapor that can be ignited by an ignition source. Auto ignition point is the temperature at which no external ignition is required. 50/50 coolant has a flash point of about 300*F and an auto ignition point of about 750*F. Gas has a flash point of about -45*F but the auto ignition point is 500 and 800*F depending on the mix. What this is saying is that simply spraying either fluid on a hot surface will not ignite it unless the surface is above the auto ignition point. Anyway, here is an interesting and informative article. Note that in the tests, pictured at the bottom of the page, the test surface was held between 1000 and 1200 *F.

What auto fluids burn? | Garrett Engineers, Inc.

 

Been crewing on Land Speed Record cars for years. Dumping the coolant in the engine bay for fire suppression has been used since Christ was a Corporal and not once has it caused a problem.


One car we used to run had a 30 gallon cooling system, it had been originally built in the 50's and was built with just such a system as primary fire suppression. It had many power plants in its life, most were nitro burning and that system had been used several times in its life. Our telemetry system recorded exhaust temps up to 1700 degrees.

Since it gets very cold on the salt overnight, the use of antifreeze is common and was used in that car.

Under the right condition many things bun. Doesn't mean it will ever happen in the real world.

 

I love the carp photo!! And ... it brings some humor to this thread, which has become slightly terse.

 

thats funny

 

+1

When was the last time you heard of an auto fire caused by coolant?
Maybe I'll take my torch out and see what it takes to ignite a saucer of used coolant.
Under the right conditions many things may burn but in the real world it may not happen.
This thread has taken a path in the wrong direction.

 

Yes, and we have all spilled gas on the hot head of our lawn mowers or snow blowers without it igniting. And you can put out a match by dumping gas on it too. Doesn't mean it is a good idea. What happens in the real world is not limited to one individuals experience. Again, not making light of the facts. Certainly fuel is more dangerous the coolant or brake fluid, etc, but gas more difficult to ignite without an ignition sources (spark, flame) than many believe. Even with an ignition source a fuel/air mix has to be within specific flammability limits; 1.4% to 7.6% Below 1.4% it's too lean to burn, above 7.6% too rich. Just ask anyone with a carbureted car about starting when flooded. Plenty of compression, plenty of spark, but no POP! Just too rich to ignite.

 

I guess anything can burn under ideal conditions but I doubt very much one has to worry much about being burned by anti-freeze. Probably more of a chance of being eaten by a shark while swimming in a public pool......which begs the question....is chlorine flammable.....hmmmm.

 

Just for informative purposes here is a section of an MSDS for antifreeze. Sorry, but I have become curious about this issue and it's my nature to research things.
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....time to just stop.

 

Did you say SHARK!!??!?!

That's the last time I go swimming in a public pool

 

Wanna really have fun? Research OCD, that'll keep ya busy for quite a while.

D

 

+1

I'm way out of date, but I think that may be the biggest carp ever caught in the UK.

Drifting *way* OT here, and I know they're considered 'trash' fish here in the States, even being shot with bows & arrows (something that makes Euro anglers want to kill someone!) but outside of salmon (which few can afford to go after) they're the king for anglers in Europe.

Catch & release of course - they're pretty crap eating!

Cheers,
Ian

 

I have burnt to death many times over the years due to automotive coolant leaks....

 

apparently many have ....but no one knows who they are

 

funny

 

The shad in the Houston Ship Channel have become a big problem too...
Supertankers wandering around, dead engine......bumping into things.......