Interesting debate this one, so to provoke some reaction, I would suggest that for 99% of folks, this gauge business is a storm in a tea cup! The 1% being for Mk-IV with J6 and his Lola etc. However even from his last posting he seems to be in a better position than he first thought as the liquid in the tubes within the cockpit are non flammable, i.e. Ford DID think about this safety issue.
For running a gauge in the engine bay, I would not expect a problem from a decent quality gauge which has been sensibly installed. I run a Holley pressure gauge that has been on the car for years. It is not fixed on rigid pipe work but in the aeroquipe flexi-hose run to the Holley carb, which gives vibration protection. However to have a gauge in the rigid fuel rail, to me, should also not cause problems by itself. An outside cause would be required to create failure in my opinion, but what that is, I wouldn’t like to guess at as I have no personal experience of Webber set ups. However I know quite a few guys with rigid fuel rails with gauges and no problems reported. In fact I see more fuel coming out of the top of the Webber's and occasional resultant fuel fires than from gauge problems. This could start a debate about Webber's over Holley’s, but no doubt about it Webber's look the best. Holley’s easier to set up and maintain and you don’t get spit back. Power output is better with….?
To adjust my fuel pressures I use Filter Kings (am converting to ali fuel bowls instead of the glass ones). To have to refit a gauge to do this adjustment is increasing the risks in my opinion. If you have a satisfactory set up, to then take it apart and store else where means potential for new leaks to develop or damage to the gauge in the process. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! Maybe, maybe not, personal decision required here but without a gauge you can’t do casual checks on fuel pressure, so if you have become concerned over fuel pressure by this debate, are you in a better position now by having removed the gauge? Sod’s law states that you will want to check pressure when you don’t have time to do things slowly and carefully or something else is worrying you and a check is needed to eliminate the fuel from that crisis!
Back to the cockpit though….
Which replica manufacturer supplies fuel pressure gauges for the cockpit? Suggest none do?
But I would suggest that all those with space frame chassis replica’s are guilty of running fuel in a pipe through the cockpit with junctions exposed behind the dash already. Huh? How about your fuel pipes from those lovely expensive filler caps you fitted down to your tanks? And the chances are that where the fuel pipe goes through the upper sill panel you have a hole for lots of other pipes wires and cables. If you believe you are at risk from a 1/8th inch capillary pipe going to a gauge then I would suggest you also look at the other plumbing in your car. Oil gauge feeds, brake pipes, clutch pipes etc.
How about checking that electric cut out switch you have mounted in the car. They don’t often come with covers for the positive battery cable connections, which will spark if something metallic falls against them and the chassis. I would suggest you stand more chance of a cockpit fire from an electrical source than by oil, fuel or brake/clutch fluid. Unless you are in a nasty accident in which case you are up the creek sans paddle anyway.
So, I believe that for everyone with a replica, this is a storm in a tea cup, as common sense should prevail when putting together the spec on your car, but just in case my sparky comments above turn into an inferno, I will nip home and don my fire resistant overalls!
Malcolm
[ November 12, 2002: Message edited by: Malcolm M ]