well, the coupe had a bit of an issue over the weekend at a local track day, that being it the caught fire, lucky being a track day there were marshalls on hand with fire kits and there is an extingisher in the car as well.

Was keen to test it as we had just made the below changes

Fitting the rear 300mm rotors off the Pug 607 to Vas's design (have 330mm fronts)
Fitting the 20vt undertray to clean up the under car airflow (had to modify)
Making a lower strut brace to stop the front sub frame flexing under acceleration and braking
Have a full alloy race raditior made to make sure I had no water leak issues (ongoing problems)
Change over to studs and fit race rubber (went for dunlop 03G in 215/45 x 17)

Just to start by saying this car has been together and run in this trim for a year on the road beyond the changes above, and there are no leaks (ie not an oil fire) it just got so hot the under bonnet caught fire, dyno tested and everything is spot on there - It just seem to have ignited the bonnet lining but I am sure the paint wouldn't have handled it anyway. The lining was in good condition and not sagging or the like, this was after about 6 laps (1.30m each) flat out. it was at about 1.3-1.4bar









Thankfully it is not as bad as it looks, the bonnet is pretty stuffed and the engine loom is melted in a few places but generally it is O.K. - brake and power steer caps melted and the the strut brace has lost some of it's paint.
Really this thread is about what to do once it fixed to lower the risk of a repeat.

Few things spring to mind

the .48a/r hotside is holding more temp in the tubular exhaust manifold perhaps, considering a swap to a .63 but I doubt this would have a huge effect on temps? The manifold is a copy of the standard 16vt tubular manifold, only differnce is it is in steam pipe not exhaust pipe, so not too much to change there I would think.

Maybe venting the bonnet a bit to get the heat out - had thought about a grale type grill above turbo in the bonnet I have but it is so far forward I can't how it would look any good - any example anyone has?.

Sometype of sheild attached to manfiold in Stainless

Bit more lining of the underside of the bonnet with heat proof material sandwiched between stainless skins on the inside. (anyone done this and got pics?)

Wrapped the manifold - but this looks bad on what is a road car in the main

Ceramic coating - though I am not sure how much this would do for keeping localised temps down over a long run?

Anyway, has anyone got any pics of a decnt vented bonnet? Also what is the feeling as to the difference a .63 housing would make to manifold temps? I suspect it may be a combination of all of the above, but any other thoughts

I made a shield from metal on top of the manifold.

that will take the biggest temperature off.. from whats next..

oh, and I took all the noise material of from the bonnett.

i'm thinking the same standard mainfold is lower in engine bay , and this custom is much higher.
http://www.forum.fiatcoupe.pl/files/wloty_528.jpg not ideal i know . ..photo from FCKP

shhhhhhh*******ttttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe get rid of the foam pads that sit between the bonnet and wings. Should increase air flow a bit.

Thanks all

Had thought about removing the rear rubber seal on the trailing edge of the bonnet and putting say 10mm blocks under the hinges in to lift the trailing edge and hopefully increase airflow

thanks for the pic alfisti, prefer clean lines, so will try and aviod it unless needs, must - any other styles you have seen?

Saint i was thinking a bit ... do you have FMIC ?
If yes maybe direct some part of air from this side to the mainfold.. ?

did the fire start directly above the exhaust manifold?

If so, you could wrap it in heat-wrap or you could simply put a heatshield over it

the problem with trying to increase airflow to prevent another fire is that it's only effective if you're moving

It might be beneficial to wrap the manifold and fit a turbo jacket. Ceramic coating is very expensive. The difference made by wrapping my manifold has been impressive, before wrapping it was unbeliavably hot, but I can now put my hand on the manifold without burning it.

Holy shit man

Here is an example of a vented bonnet:



But I think it's easier to add a heat shield or wrap the exhaust manifold.

Get the tooth brush out and clean that mess up you lucky fccuk'er!

Yeah, it sounds like a combo of many of the above.

the fire did start right above the manifold, hence the thoughts of a vent directly over it like the Mitsi Evo have from the factory

Nice job on the wrapping tom, in the coupe it is obviously the first thing you see when you lift the bonnet, how long has that been on for, looks mightly clean, I had it wrapped in the past but the wrap got dirty (just road grime) and was impossible to clean - looked terrible

I am thinking more and more a heat shield. I can either weld bolts underside down to the top of the manifold, and put a stainless shield on it using the heads as spacing. - done right I may be able to wrap under it so you can hardly see it, or I can shield the under side of the bonnet which may be a better option, I can put (nymex?) heat proof material between two skins of stainless.

Looks like a lucky escape there Paul. I don't know if you can get one (or if it will fit with a tubular manifold) but the standard 16vt exhaust manifold gasket comes with a heat shield attached to it

Cheers Alexis, I have those but they won't fit with the tubular manifold and I run a spesso one instead.

I think I will make something like that up though in stainless that mounts to the top of the manifold.

I always carry a fire extingisher in the car, as it happens this was a track day but still a very good move for modded coupes I would say.

Lifting the trailing edge of the bonnet has actually been found to increase under bonnet temps on some cars. I depends on how the air flows under the bonnet, undertray design etc.

Glad you're OK, and that the fire got put out promptly.