Measures to combat a runaway diesel engine

**Dougal** · 9th April 2012, 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by Landy110

Dougal and others, yes, maintenance SHOULD prevent this from happening however, how often do you pull your turbo off and inspect it ?

Here is an answer you didn't expect.
In the last 6 months I have removed and inspected my turbo around four times. Including rebuilding it (unnecessarily).

The reason was I had an oil consumption bad enough to cause my engine to run on it's own oil for periods of around 20 seconds at a time. Turned out to be the provent. Oil consumption peaked at 1 litre in 10km.

I have blown a turbo on uphill motorway at full boost. The first thing I noticed was the egt gauge going off the scale, then the rumble noise, then the boost gauge dropped. Turbo bearings and seals were toast, engine started pumping blue smoke but didn't run away.
I popped the wastegate open, drove home slowly, waited for it to cool and then swapped turbos (yes I keep a spare or two) and finally arrived at the party 3 hours late.

**TonyC** · 10th April 2012, 10:08 PM

If having a stop valve makes you happy, have a look at these.

Air intake shut down (shut off) valves | Diesel Engines | Chalwyn

Tony

voksboy · 21st October 2012, 11:38 AM

This just happened to me yesterday and its not fun at all. I was doing about 130 kph when I fist felt a hiccup. Thought I popped a hose or something. then a few mins later faint back fire then smoke engulfed everything behind me.

immediately said there goes my turbo, then the car accelerated uncontrollably doing 100 tried to shut the engine off and nothing. Revs where at red line screaming! Friend in the back said get ready to bail. Passenger open the door! I stuck the LC 100 in 5th and hit the brakes and made my car stall!

Really scary for me and my passengers. Ran out of the car on the highway, smoke everywhere!

I only learn about the Run Away Diesel problem a while ago. I'm pulling my turbo out later today. I'm hoping nothing happened to my engine, 1HDT 12V

I would like to know how to prevent this from ever happening again. what if my wife was driving. Her car is an automatic turbo diesel pajero. Also my cars are maintained quite well

**dromader driver** · 21st October 2012, 02:08 PM

well if you don't have a detroit diesel mudflap to block the aircleaner inlet to hand the contents of a dry powder extinguisher into the airfilter inlet will do it. your of course not running the engine without the filter are you!!! give it lots.

It is a good idea to refill the extinguisher before attempting another start....

**POD** · 21st October 2012, 02:46 PM

My first thought with this thread was that it sounds like taking out insurance against falling space-station components. Second thought, hmmm turbo diesel being used hard in extreme climate and remote location.....Murphy is always looking for his chance. I don't know much about diesel gas conversions, but I wonder if this could add significantly to the risk of runaway?
One of those properly built shut-off flap arrangements might be a worthwhile modification for remote travel.

**slug_burner** · 21st October 2012, 03:22 PM

these are the two demonstrations of how to stop it, neither would be what I'd expect my wife to do.

RUN AWAY Detroit Diesel! 453-T - YouTube

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M1o2rpO_JY&feature=player_detailpage]detroit 4-71 in gmc 650 running away start after the 30 years - YouTube[/ame]

**goingbush** · 21st October 2012, 03:25 PM

Everyone caries at least ONE Co2 fire extinguisher right,
I have two in the car & one in the Van.

Unloading a Co2 down the snorkle will stop a Runaway.

they say this is dry chem in the youtube video but it looks more like co2 to me,
dry chem would block the filter more than displace the oxygen

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgPF0yJxWY0]Dodge running away after pull - YouTube[/ame]

.

**uninformed** · 21st October 2012, 05:49 PM

I would say that your chances of pulling over, getting your fire extingisher out and getting the contents down the air intake, all BEFORE termial failure, very F'n slim.

I have experienced run away at 85km/h on a single lane windy road with no shoulder.....Unless you start doing actual practice cenario's like NASA, theres not much you can do....well not as much as from behind a keyboard anyway.

**slug_burner** · 21st October 2012, 06:11 PM

Originally Posted by uninformed

I would say that your chances of pulling over, getting your fire extingisher out and getting the contents down the air intake, all BEFORE termial failure, very F'n slim.

I have experienced run away at 85km/h on a single lane windy road with no shoulder.....Unless you start doing actual practice cenario's like NASA, theres not much you can do....well not as much as from behind a keyboard anyway.

yep, most of us would struggle to do more than stop the vehicle and run away.

**goingbush** · 21st October 2012, 06:12 PM

I would not go to the trouble of mounting a FE in the engine bay with the nozzle plumbed into the intake & a cable to trigger it, but would not be hard to do if you were paranoid about a runaway event.

at least its nice to have a fire extinguisher on hand instead of standing around looking like an idiot,

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