How to Stop a Run-away Diesel -ENGINE BLOWS !

[@nakedoffroad8518]

NOTE: We make these videos for fun. We don't make money from this channel, and don't bother with adds on our videos either. We have no budget to buy three cars and do the test 3 times. We make a video of a vehicle just before it goes to scrap. We do the best we can within our budget (zero) to provide the most information we can. If you want us to test again provide us with a vehicle and we will !

[@DreamTheory1994]

my dad drives a wrecker with a cat diesel in it. turbo seal failed and it ran away. he used a breaker bar to pry the intake hose off while it was running and it died without boost or oil from the broken turbo.

[@alltheboost5363]

DreamTheory by removing the charge pipe in between the turbo and the engine you also remove the fuel supply

[@karenbowen3990]

all the boost . I'm

[@bitsnpieces11]

all the boost: He said it was a diesel not gasoline. Diesels inject the fuel into the cylinder and the air supply has nothing to do with the fuel.

[@stevebull8292]

bitsnpieces11 but it's running on the oil from the turbo not the fuel. The fuel would be stopped as soon as u turn the key off

[@seanhenderson8693]

Being a mechanic and working on a lot of 4WDs in far north Queensland I have encountered run aways before, generally a big fist full of rags or t shirts stops it quickly, but the one that will catch you out by surprise is when they run on backwards!!! Exhaust system full of diesel from a faulty scv, turns the exhaust into an intake and blows it all out of the intake pipe, takes a few moments to realise what is going on and that you need to block the exhaust off haha

[@nakedoffroad8518]

sean henderson -that's good info ! Never thought of that happening.

[@garthodonnell3661]

sean henderson that would be strange, I'd definitely be confused for a bit

[@Kalvinjj]

Reminds me I've seen a video about some crude oil running tractor (2 stroke) that you really needed to take care if the engine would be able to go uphill or not, cause if it stalled mid way and started to roll back, the engine would start to run backwards and pull it harder downhill. Not the same deal (as it's not exactly a runaway) but a kinda similar situation, it's interesting tho that while 2 strokes used in big ships are indeed stopped and reversed for the propeller to run backwards, the runaway principle could do this to a 4 stroke as well, nice addition.

[@CaffeinatedSentryGnome]

Bulldog tractor probably

[@Wayoutthere]

Fuck me that sounds lethal!

[@JakeLikesTech]

I feel like these tests are the definition of "beating a dead horse" you said it had a hard life and now you're just killing it lol. Great tests though!

[@jamesshawjr5299]

When I went to Universal Technical Institute in Phoenix Arizona, for Automotive and Diesel technologies, there was a run away diesel engine that a student had rebuilt. The student panicked and grabbed a Phoenix phone book, which is about 3 inches thick, and attempted to cover the inlet port. The engine was running so fast that it actually sucked the phone book into the engine shredded it into confetti and blew it all over the school compound!!!! It was kind of unnerving how quickly it pulled the phone book thru!!

[@rogerpearson9081]

I am sceptical. The engine can only produce a certain amount of vacuum no matter how hard it is revving. Must have been a pretty pathetic book. This is a real runaway engine stopped with a plastic cover which he finally gets properly sealed and the engine stops. I would personally be very wary about putting my hands anywhere near the turbo in case they get shredded. BTW this is in a class too! kzbin.info/www/bejne/foS6XpehmNitgqc

[@velianlodestone1249]

@@rogerpearson9081 very skeptical, this is the same as trying to rip a phone book, good luck!

[@malthomas5079]

@@velianlodestone1249 i can rip a phone book...trick is to kink the book first..enjoy

[@renoallstate4573]

I assume the suction was pulling on one page at a time but very rapidly thus being able to make the book into confetti

[@lemons4lana]

Yeah, i am calling bull$h1t on this story…lol😂

[@rebelwolves]

I used to work as a diesel mechanic for the US Government. Had a 5-ton run away on me once. Hit the intake with a CO2 extinguisher to stop it. Worked like a charm and the engine survived too. I used to be skeptical about using CO2, because it comes out so cold. Figured hitting the hot pistons and valves with such cold temperatures would cause damage. But if you think about racers and the use of N2O in cars you realize that the engine must be capable of taking it.

[@sylviageldeard7280]

rebelwolves ;

[@llewellynquay9463]

40 years ago I learned to always have a Co2 bottle ready when starting a diesel in the shop, especially Detroits (2 stroke) which start with the rack wide open. Also diesels can runaway from oil leaking from the intake side of a bad turbo.

[@VigilanceTech]

@@llewellynquay9463 I've heard they can also run away from bad oil rings

[@garebear1806]

Yeah but most of your racers that run nitrous rebuild there engine quite often

[@allangibson2408]

@@garebear1806 When your engine runs away you are going to rebuild it anyway. CO2 means you have an engine to rebuild.

[@wayneparris3439]

In the Army we had a 2 1/2 ton truck, injector pump failed wide open, linkages etc had no effect. We tried the high gear and pop the clutch, just burnt the clutch up, no difference in vehicle running. Block air, could not get a good enough seal. disconnected the fuel line (injector pump issue remember?) that finally stopped it. The engine sucked all the fuel from the lines and filters in just a couple seconds, that is about 4 gallons of diesel in just a few seconds. Not a runaway by the burning it's own oil definition but it could not be shut off any other way.

[@Kalvinjj]

Makes sense, I think a normal runaway (as in burning lubricant) could be stopped with the clutch thing, because the oil is not as good of a fuel. But if it's locked injecting actual diesel then it's pretty much at it's peak power output too.

[@AIRDRAC]

Kalvinjj agreed, furthermore i suspect that a 2½ ton has significantly more torque, and would likely just tear the clutch apart anyway.

[@Nevo1996]

It's so hard just tu write 2.5 tons instead of 2 1/2?

[@AIRDRAC]

Popescu Robert what is the problem with 2½? It's just as readable, and (at least for some of us) the ½-key is on the keyboard anyway, so why not use it instead of wasting an extra keypress?

[@ryanhouck7387]

Yes makes sense, I always wondered if pulling the fuel pump fuse would work as well. Anyone know if this idea would work or not?

[@AndreasmMr]

i had a dump truck engine that ate a whole winter jacket when we tried to block the air only the zipper was found

[@Wayoutthere]

That's scary..

[@heinz490]

ha ha

[@RennieAsh]

Hello there! And welcome, to the Jacket Racket

[@peebis9511]

jesus!

[@88terrorwolf]

Hungry engine mate

[@GenderSkins]

Here is a tip for you, from one old mechanic to another. A halon fire extinguisher will work on a run away engine. I know because I use to keep one in the shop back, when I was working in a full service, service station which are pretty much non-existent for the most part now days. Now Halon is a "Clean Agent." as defined by the National Fire Protection Agency. And it is a liquefied gas, and it does carry a ABC rating, the nice part is that because it is actually a gas instead of a powder it will not damage the engine. Which is why I kept a Halon fire extinguisher on hand all the time, as it meant less repair work if a car caught fire in the shop. And yes that does happen, when a car backfires through a naturally aspirated gasoline engine. So it should work on a Diesel engine as well, for cutting off the air supply.

[@stuie3183]

I can imagine that Halon would work pretty well, but, as a CFC depletant it has been banned in Europe for over 10 years and is unobtainable. I don't know about the US or AUS. The replacement argonite or FM200 extinguishant gases that are used to protect data centers might well work but they don't tend to come in handheld cylinders like Halon used to, principally because they are fluorinated gases and very strictly controlled

[@grumpyhale821]

Stephanie Kawadias Halon (Bromotrifluoromethane)... Was banned under the Montreal Protocol no?

[@fastone371]

I know we can still get small 10# bottles for on board driver activated race car fire suppression but I think thats it.

[@steveblackbird]

Halon is only used on aircraft in aus atm and specialist industries from what I know...... and if you ever let one off the paperwork is biblical..!!. stuff kills a fire, ultra fast though... kills the oxygen.. fire gone in like a second or two... extremely effective!! However not so great on mother earth...

[@messylaura]

@@steveblackbird uk taxis used to have halon extinguishers back in the fairway days, i kept a few as they are good for electrical fires

[@crazyguy32100]

Fire extinguishers work pretty well, seen a couple of trucks run away, go nuts with the extinguisher, if you run legal you need one anyway. A powder extinguisher will plug the filter and snuff the air and a CO2 will smother the fire inside. We had a screaming truck and hosed it with the powder. Swapped the turbo, changed the air filter, gave the side of the truck a pressure wash and the good old DT466 was still running 2 years later. So don't spray powder directly into an engine without a filter.

[@tcpnetworks]

The fire extinguisher method (a CO2 unit only) is used for commercial equipment.

[@toddstidham8374]

I feel like the block of wood would work on an actual runaway though. You guys were testing with the proper fuel ratio of a running diesel using it's injection system. A runaway will typically not be burning injected diesel but whatever engine oil it can suck in and in a quite rich mixture going by all the smoke you typically see. I think the block of wood will change the mixture parameters enough to stop the combustion. Anyway, nice video guys and thanks for the effort!

[@jacobhighland3638]

Todd Stidham diesel engines detonate from its compression not the actual fuel and air mixture I think .

[@KBS117]

Todd Stidham ...it will keep it from exploding like bomb, until something else can be done..

[@fastone371]

So after watching this video what I learned is that if my diesel ever goes into a runaway condition I should take the oil cap off and keep replenishing the engine with fresh motor oil so that the engine does not run dry and damage itself. :) Thank you for the tip.

[@GustyWindflaps]

If it was a proper runaway then it would be revving much higher than you are running it at

[@nakedoffroad8518]

Hooty256 correct, but would that change the results ?

[@GustyWindflaps]

Would for sure change the ability to stall the engine

[@heliarche]

Not too much, at least on leaving it in gear and stalling it. I had a Diesel VW Rabbit run away on me while driving down the highway. I got it pulled over, put it in gear and stalled it with no problem.

[@nakedoffroad8518]

Yep. And if we could do any more than hold the throttle wide open on a dirty old push rod diesel to get it to over speed further, let us know !

[@MaxTiger8]

You could of used brake cleaner, spray a load of that and watch it go!

[@jeZZa7810]

i like all the complaints about not enough revs and not a true run away, but you demonstrated perfectly what works and doesn't work without destroying a perfectly good engine, anything that works or doesnt work at low revs should do the same at high revs

[@nakedoffroad8518]

Justin_Pirates_Rc -Thanks for the feedback. We are just two amateurs giving it a go.

[@KBS117]

Justin_Pirates_Rc ...this is a synchronized tranny..when putting it in gear, each gear has a brake on it to slow down the transmission and allow you to get it in gear.. Semi truck transmissions do not have that feature, and you shift them without the clutch..trying to get one of these transmissions in gear, behind a run away diesel is almost impossible. Most semi trucks have a clutch brake, to stop the transmission, to engage 1st gear, while idling.. The most important thing to note here, is this engine is in no danger of exploding and killing you.. I have seen an 8v71 detroit, blow pistons through the hood.. Takes balls and no brains, to sit over a bomb, and try to kill it..

[@fastone371]

Justin_Pirates_Rc: Those are very realistic comments. You gotta remember that a lot of todays diesel trucks can easily be tuned to over 1,000fT LBS of torque, you don't just put that kind of power in gear and stop it with the brakes. Testing that on a diesel VW Rabbit is not even in the same galaxy as testing on something with very high power because to have that high power you need massive amounts of airflow. One of these bigger engines can ingest your hand if you try to stuff a jacket down the intake.

[@buildingracingvideos4714]

They most likely did destroy a good engine. At best they fucked a bearing and bent a rod

[@G56AG]

There are tons of runaway diesels on KZbin, on some of them a mechanic was standing by and knew exactly what to do, every successful stop I've seen was by blocking the intake, every single one. On several they stick a bunch of rags in the intake, some others stuck a solid object like a book on top of the intake, in all cases they reacted quickly before the engines had a chance to reach peak rpm, those items might not have worked if they had waited, but the fast reaction worked. I have no doubt a good Co2 extinguisher would be an excellent choice, the important part is cutting off the air by some means. Your simulated method where you just raced the engine, as they say for entertainment only, certainly applies here since a true runaway is far different.

[@wcweaverjr]

Just discovered your channel. You remind me of a guy I met when I was still in the service ( US Marines) and we spent a couple months playing cowboys and aboriginals in the bush in Queensland. He was a real stand up guy, but we lost touch after a while. Gotta tell you, the best time I had there was a weekend I spent on Great Keppel (spelling?) Island Resort. Totally loved your country while I was there. Some of the most beautiful women I have ever met. I subbed because I really like the way you keep your humor about the situations that you create.

[@markcoe69]

Great test, respect for the guys spending their time on this for us 👍🏻

[@michaelcuff5780]

Run away Detroit diesel will either make u a man or a mouse! Lol!

[@marksommers6764]

Michael Cuff True ! My Father in the Navy was faced with a run away 6-71 in a boat .... the men could not kill it until they "fed" it a bunk mattress !

[@KBS117]

Michael Cuff ...I have seen an 8v71 blow pistons through the hood... These engine have an injector hang wide open, and nothing short of god can stop them....when we ran the rack on these engines, start up always took to guys.. One to turn the key, and one with a 3 pound hammer, to knock the fuel line off the head, if the rack hung and it ran away..

[@Thankz4sharing]

Many long years ago I bought (cheap! cheap!) a badly maintained high mileage Rabbit (Golf Mk I) diesel that had worn out rings. That allowed the pistons to suck lube oil from the sump at speeds above about 55mph/90kph. Who knew that diesels could run so well on 20W-50 oil? So I rarely drove it on roads with speed limits above 45. A couple of times when I did, "run away" became very real and very scary. It would keep accelerating with the throttle closed. Never had any problem slowing back down using the brakes, but I did have to push the pedal pretty hard. After a couple more years as an in town only car, the cam belt eventually broke and to the junk yard it went.

[@reme2493]

The rag does work it saved the day for me on my old landrover when the fuel injection pump failed. I stuffed my jacket over the air intake and it stopped it virtually straight away saving the engine

[@SatansSpatula]

Solid video, great presentation. I never actually realized that's why diesels run away.

[@Jafromobile]

Cut or crush the turbo oil feed line. It runs out of fuel, combustion stops, hopefully before the crankcase runs dry. The hot oil bath wouldn't be fun, but you'd have an engine.

[@JanicekTrnecka]

Jafromobile your approach works great but I experienced another type of runaway... injector pumps were built in head, and leaked. oil sump filled with mix of diesel and oil and was sucked in into intake by sump ventilation.... oops...

[@Jafromobile]

OUCH! That sounds like a disaster looking for a place to happen. :( I don't think I'd attempt my method unless I knew the turbo was failing (in other words, if it was my diesel engine and I had seen it/smelled it smoking prior to the runaway). Doing this to someone else's engine would probably just make them blame me for helping them, knowing my luck.

[@zafirasi]

Runaway diesels rev much higher when running on their own oil, as the fuel/oil isn't regulated. I seen one blow a clutch when putting it into gear and then carried on running to put no.1 Rod through the block

[@rogerpearson9081]

They are uncontrolled except for volumetric efficiency and throwing a rod.

[@thatonegamer4055]

The whole rag idea generally works. I was working with my grandpa on his 2002 Cummins diesel and with all the fuel in the air in our shop started it into runaway mode (accidentally) and he threw a small pile of rags into the intake and it managed to stop it.😁

[@chrismarek7864]

This is why I believe turbos need an emergency oil shutoff. Turbo might end up getting destroyed but its still way cheaper to replace a turbo than an entire engine in most cases. That is if the vehicle is even worth it by then.

[@dposcuro]

....Turbo already needs to be fixed if it's due to oil bypass in the turbo itself. So, no big loss there anyways. Now, if you shut off the oil to the turbo, and find it's your fuel pressure reg or something....then damn, you killed your turbo, and the engine is still going...

[@KBS117]

Chris Marek... all the older 2 cycle Detroit diesels had an emergency kill lever in the cab...it was a flap on top of the blower, that when released, closed off all the air suppy...engine would not run, until you reset it..

[@Stacy_Smith]

A large butterfly valve for the intake would be better.

[@jhsevs]

@@Stacy_Smith yes. My 90s Suzuki Vitara td has an intake valve that shuts off with the ignition, in addition to the fuel shutoff. I test mine regularly, and it stops the engine pretty much immediately but smokes a tiny bit in doing so, which is understandable as it's choking the air supply causing the injected fuel to not burn for a few cycles.

[@upsidedown4155]

spot on man, the rag just helps it catch fire, ruin the clutch and save the block

[@BrianBell4073]

block the exhaust. You don't have to block it completely. Get enough back pressure on it and the turbo slows down. If you happen to have a potato handy and ram it into the exhaust one of two things will happen. The engine will stall or you you will have a high speed potato projectile.

[@LGKvideos]

xD

[@supergeekjay]

High tech engine propelled potato gun! LOL :)

[@ryansmithberger9221]

Thought of this also. you would have to stop it right at the turbo, and completely. trying to shove a potato in a non runaway TAILPIPE would be difficult

[@ryansmithberger9221]

Try it on a gas motor at idle.

[@fastone371]

BrianBell4073: Give it a try on your gas engine running at 2500 RPM's and let us know how that works out for you, or does not work out for you in this case. The one fail safe measure that works every time is to block the intake air with either a thick chunk of wood or at least a 3/8" thick steel plate.

[@rotax636nut5]

A large bag of smallish nuts, bolts and ball bearings tipped down the intake usually works to stop a runaway

[@rsmith155]

Rotax 636nut the sounds tho

[@blowndome]

Goodbye valves

[@KBS117]

Rotax 636nut now thats funny

[@stevenc8140]

You forgot the posts, chain, and stable hay with horse dung

[@nickcapps85]

So, I live in the states. Our common diesel Semi Trucks have 15Liter engines with 10 speed transmissions (5 gears and a hi/lo splitter). The transmissions do not have gear synchronizers so if your truck is sitting and becomes runaway, you can't get it in gear. Most become runaway engines while moving and we have a duty to protect the public so we typically try to pull to a shoulder or get away from large groups of people. Also, I'm not a mechanic, but I was told there are high pressure and low pressure fuel lines so cutting fuel lines is dangerous if you don't know what you're doing (the high pressure can cut through skin like a razor). And finally, most runaway engines catch fire before we can get the engine hood popped to try to do anything. As far as farm diesels and heavy equipment diesels....I imagine they would have trouble getting to the engine before a fire started. Ultimately, there will be some damage. It sounds like a CO2 extinguisher is the best choice, I just don't know how much it would take on a 15-25Liter Diesel. Great experiment though. I've heard wood and a rag...now if it happens...I'll go straight for an extinguisher!

[@johnsiders7819]

I work on and hot rod the old 2 stroke Detroit's Use a CO2 one If some one has removed the emergency stop air flap on the blower those old things can if the rack jams the scream makes every one crap there pants and run I also put a quarter turn valve on the suction side fuel line for that reason you can turn one about 3200 and not scatter it I set them a 3K on the stuff I fool with .

[@kylewalker6375]

Never cut the fuel lines on any diesel engine no matter how old. Even pump line diesels like the DT360 and 6.9L Ford/IH V8 have a fuel pressure high enough to cut through skin. Common rail diesels now a days are running fuel pressures of 20-30,000psi. When this happens 99% chance you're gunna lose that limb. With a runaway the engine may not even be running on diesel fuel. If it is turbocharged it'll probably be running on oil from the crankcase. If you're in a manual transmission vehicle don't put in high gear and dump the clutch; you'll just shatter the disk. Rags in the intake are a hit and miss as most people don't have multiple thick clothes piled in their cars/trucks they'd just be willing to throw in the intake. Block of wood over the intake is most effective, but who(other than a select few who know the trick and how to do it) just carry around a piece of flat wood big enough to cover the intake? Pulling the oil line to the turbo would be another logical choice, if you happen to have the right wrench size for the flare nut and enough time to sit there and turn 1/4 turns until it starts spraying boiling hot oil at high pressure everywhere. And it's still not even off yet. A valve in line would be great, but that's a lot of pressure. Ball valve would be minimum. If you're running a turbo diesel a CO2 extinguisher is the best option of all of them. NO harm to the engine, they can be very small for smaller cars/storage, they're easy to use.... Not terribly expensive either.... $100-$200 is a nice safe insurance against a new $5000+ engine..... Just food for thought, and my personal experience working with diesels.

[@mwmm]

Luckily this shouldn't be a problem in newer cars, most new cars have an Anti Shudder Valve built into the EGR valve, I have a 1999 VW Polo TDi and even that has an ASV! this fully closes when turning the key to the off position blocking intake to make a vacuum in the cylinders for a dampened shutdown!

[@randknu1]

Remember that a turbo engine with no turbo has very little power, add to that it's running on oil, which is less efficient and will produce less power. My guess is the block of wood would work and the rag would likely be stuck at the same broken turbo.

[@g0fvt]

Had a runaway diesel a few months ago, pretty scary, it was in a boat so no way to stall it by clutch drop! The air filter assembly faces down and I bottled out of taking that off in case it threw something through the crankcase. Fortunately the answer was to keep it in gear to stop the revs going crazy and it soon calmed down. This was not an injector or turbo failure it was someone tthat serviced it had put too much oil in. It was running fine until we hit rough water, horizontal cylinder, engine at an angle.

[@heyarno]

If I ever get a diesel, I'll get a matching Co2 fire extinguisher.

[@RedLine_Renesis]

Or just me a man and drive stick

[@MINIPOTHOLES]

@@RedLine_Renesis and will driving stick help?

[@RedLine_Renesis]

@@MINIPOTHOLES Yes. Because you can put it in high gear and quickly release the clutch. The engine will stall.

[@BrianBell4073]

@@MINIPOTHOLES Totally - put it in gear and slam on the brakes. It will stall immediately. That is why you can bump start a stick shift but not bump start an automatic. There is a direct connection between all the moving bits on a stick shift. There isn't on an automatic.

[@MrTerrymiff]

It's great to hear all of the ideas regarding the stoppage of runaways by cutting off the oil line to the turbo. The unfortunate fact is that you don't have to have a turbo for a diesel to runaway. If the oil scraper rings fail a diesel will runaway fueled by it's own engine oil deposited on the sides of the cylinders.

[@velianlodestone1249]

I think I'm going to keep having a fire extinquisher nearby, seems like cutting of the oxygen is the only way to really make sure to stop the runaway.

[@MrTerrymiff]

@@velianlodestone1249 Make sure that it is a CO2 extinguisher. Dry powder extinguishers make a mess. Water/compressed air extinguishers are a recipe for bent conn rods.

[@mexcanfun4498]

I had a 350 chev automatic which I couldn't shut off until I found a broken air line.

[@stevecowham1017]

I'm a Marine Engineer. I've had several runaways. Turbos will do it, as you said. Leaking diesel past injectors, lift pump, injector pump on a non-turbo engine will result in engine oil getting too high. This in turn starts to blow out of the dipstick and crankcase pressure can force oil into the intake via the breather. The engine revs faster and faster and is only limited by the physical constraints of reciprocal mass port sizing, etc. CO2 extinguisher will work. Clutching doesn't work on a boat but would burn out the clutch generally, on a car. Best way I've found is to take away the air by putting your hand over the air intake on smaller diesels. Trust me, it doesn't rip your skin off, give you a rash or cause cancer! If air is getting past through the breather, (if mounted below the intake), then this won't work unless you block that as well. Another way is to cut the breather so removing the fuel supply. Cutting diesel supply won't do a thing as it's the engine oil that is being burned. Steve.

[@electricitymachine6401]

I never knew Simon Cowell was interested in diesel engines.

[@mikeward6921]

Running a 12V-92 on a dyno one time, guy in the next cell had a little 4-53 run away on him, open blower intake. He grabbed a bunch of shop rags, threw them at the intake. There was a big bang, room filler with red confetti, engine stopped, but the blower fell off the side of the engine in a few pieces. Cutting off air will always stop it, but have seen it invert old blower seals.

[@duttydiesel8303]

Was your intake leaking somewhere other than the hole.. I feel like that block of wood "SHOULD" have stopped it!

[@nakedoffroad8518]

Yes, we totally agree. We are more surprised that such a small amount of air could actually keep it running though.

[@jonathanfurtado3696]

Justin Dennis To let you know all diesel engines have no vacuum because they have no throttle body that is why all diesel engines and most direct inject gasoline engines have to be fitted with a vacuum pump to all the extra crap that we have like brake assist and EGR valve work properly.

[@tannermarlow5162]

Jonathan Furtado there has to be a pressure differential (what most consider to be vacume) or it would not run. even with forced induction, there is the moment at start before any boost is being made, that requires vacume to fill the cylinders.

[@jonathanfurtado3696]

Tanner Marlow Yes the cylinder does make a vacuum on the downstroke when the air intake is open but there is not a vacuum generated that would run the brake assist and everything else that a gasoline car would normally have and even in some gasoline cars they have to put a vacuum pump on it

[@vinny142]

Don't forget that the air intake happens at the same time that ignition happens on another cylinder, there is a *lot* of force behind that, so a small leak can handle a lot of air. Also, the inlet system wil act as a buffer for air between inlet cycles, it will be sucked vacuum during a stroke, and has time to recover through the leak while the cylinders are not taking in air.

[@marielato7934]

Very well explained for those who fear having diesel good video ......Thumb up

[@cameronzy279]

so basically don't buy a diesel with an auto trans

[@TheBCSledder]

Cameron ZY Put a Positive Air Shutoff on it if you're that worried

[@Charlieswag9000]

specifically a c02 extinguisher

[@codymoncrief2128]

Charlieswag9000 or a halon or halotron will do the same job.

[@Whatsthegeek]

Just don't buy an auto trans car at all. doesn't matter if it's gas or diesle, auto is 4 n00bs xD

[@GenderSkins]

Actually you are better off keeping a Halon fire extinguisher around with automotive repair. co2 can be a bit more dangerous, and Halon is safer around humans then co2.

[@Mark-nu5vg]

Thanks guys I've always wanted to know what caused a runaway disel and how to stop them great video thanks .

[@alexpencek2172]

7:23 try that in a big turbo international 18 wheeler and you will blow the clutch out of it because those engines have FAR more torque

[@nakedoffroad8518]

alex pencek -yeah, if they were using a clutch from a Kia van . You provide the truck and we will try it.

[@peterwelsh6975]

It can be done, much harder to get a high enough gear because unsyncronized transmission

[@Sbanar]

Naked Off Road do you want to be skewered by a prop shaft?

[@pavkata99]

don't think diesels have much power at that rpm tho? max power would be way lower in rpm range i think.

[@nakedoffroad8518]

OverblownSnow98 - That would make for a popular video though

[@terryeffinp]

A lot of the old 2-stroke Detroit Diesel engines had a plenum that attached to the blower. Inside was a metal plate with a spring loaded mechanism. Some had an emergency shut down solenoid or cable that you could kill it in the event of a runaway. Some of the engines that were in generator applications had a mechanical speed switch that would energize an electrical solenoid to slam the plate closed. We see some newer class 8 engines come into the shop that have run away or ran backwards because of injectors that hung open. I have only seen a couple turbos fail on the compressor side. One of the easiest ways to kill a truck that is running away is put it in 10th gear and dump the clutch with the park brakes applied. Just better hope the customers slack adjusters are working.

[@gcrauwels941]

The term 'runaway' is a misnomer . The term is overspeed . The runaway comes from the operator running away :p

[@FADEua]

G Crauwels runaway and overspeed are not the same. Often one will lead to the other. You can have a runaway diesel running at idle speed. Runaway simple means that you have lost control of the engine and have no method of slowing it down or stopping it. An overspeed is when the engine is running at speeds higher than it is designed to handle and most often comes from faulty fuel control systems.

[@keithglaysher737]

I once saw a containerised V16 32Lt. diesel genset runaway, it revved so hard the flywheel exploded & killed the mechanic inside the container, a 1,500 rpm engine revved to 6,000 rpm because the governor was jammed. Bits of flywheel became ballistic after killing the poor bugger, they came through the steel container walls & injured another 3 guys, jeezus what a mess it was.

[@akio2589]

CO2 Extinguishers are pretty widely available and would've done the job. CO2 displaces the oxygen, kills the engine. It also wouldn't have damaged the engine.

[@paveljelinek772]

Yes!!! Finally somebody who came with the engine stall!!!!! Yesss!!!!! Jackpot!!!!! I am sick of those nonsense air intake block and the blahblah stuff! 99% of the peeps eeven dunno where it is! But throwing the last gear and dropping the clutch at once whithout a blink? Noooo, this hits no one' brain! Congrats on this simple solution

[@poellot]

In a true runaway , a diesel engine can rev over 10,000 rpm, producing up to 10 times its rated output. I have never once heard of anyone successfully using the clutch killing a runaway. It burns the clutch up in seconds. Big trucks have 2,250 ftlbs clutches and will no way hold a runaway on a 16 liter engine. The problem is, the clutch is only made to handle just a little more the the engine puts out normally. I have never seen a dyno runaway but i have heard around 10 times the hp and torque before the blow up or lock up.

[@paveljelinek772]

@@poellot the problem is i had a runaway, in my ford truck, rpm got at 8tho. and the clutch with 6th gear solved it, thasall my friend

[@TheChipmunk2008]

CO2 is common... Nobody who's ever let off a dry powder extinguisher would buy another one LMAO

[@mah0625]

Bad ass

[@daveyr5462]

Funnily enough in all the fires I've dealt with the powder did far more damage than the smoke and flames combined! It's impossible to get rid of, I'm still finding the stuff at the back of the kitchen cupboards even now. Foam FTW - less mess.

[@roadwolf2]

Very nice. Now to try these methods on a heavy duty diesel

[@RoughAndWretchedRAW]

The extinguisher is not supposed to be sprayed into the intake manifold. It is supposed to be put into the intake so the powder plugs the filter. The plugged filter stops the air but also stops the powder from destroying the engine. As most of the crank case breathers also enter the intake post filter they are also deprived of air to keep running

[@JaredJanhsen]

Plugging the air cleaner isn't quite what the powder extinguisher does. Even powder fire extinguishers use CO2 for propellant. The air cleaner just protects the engine from being damaged by the powder.

[@RoughAndWretchedRAW]

Will the fine powder from a fire extinguisher. plug an air filter enough to stop it? Try it!! Folks that claim it works say to do exactly what I'm saying. But here is the proof. This myth busting used The recommended "dry powder" fire extinguisher called for in the so called myth. Why is dry powder recommended if a CO2 is what gets the job done. Co2 extinguishers exist. I am not saying that CO2 doesn't have an effect at all. It's a non combustible gas and therefore replacing oxygen almost entirely will stop an engine. But as you saw from their block of wood it doesn't take much oxygen to Keep running. If it drops to a sputter with CO2 and your extinguisher runs out you are immediately in the same boat. Not so if the filter is plugged with powder. But this whole video was strange. Myth busting of this type should be done with most commonly available Items and the most commonly available knowledge in the few minutes of panic before the engine self destructs. They are supposed simulate the problem to try remedies. They didn't simulate a engine oil runaway. They didn't kill the ignition which is the first common sense thing anyone would do first. Diesel fuel supplied by the pump is more volatile than engine oil. How often does the Turbo give out at a shop where you can access the shop rag they didn't use or a block of wood? You wouldn't have quick access in most times to these items. You would have your shirt to ball up and use or your pants or a jacket. These items wouldn't likely be sucked in if applied properly due to their sizes. Even a rain coat. What's more likely to have on hand when driving? A dinner plate or a rain coat? Who travels anywhere naked without at least some articles of clothing in their vehicle? Even if you yourself don't have a fire extinguisher. Look for and wave down ANY commercial vehicle they are required BY LAW to carry one. Depends on laws in the area. But Here you are required to have one in a boat also so anyone trailering a boat probably has one. If you are in the out back hundreds of miles from anyone and find your self naked with no clothing to use. look down. handfuls of sand or dirt can plug the air filter. The whole point is to educate. Common sense answers easily remembered and used by people in a bad bad situation anywhere and anytime.

[@JaredJanhsen]

Powder fire extinguishers are far more common than plain CO2 ones. They're also slightly more effective at stopping a fire in the hands of a novice. Restricting the flow of air into the engine is fundamentally different than disrupting the concentration of Oxygen entering the engine.

[@gpecaut1]

Powder will plug up the air filter, BUT then the air filter will just collapse and get sucked through the engine. Another reason for a run away! Bad injectors. It causes a build up of excess diesel in the rings and then the engine goes run away on the fuel being fed from the rings. This is the only type run away I have ever experienced, as I was a marine mechanic, and most marine engines especially generator, and sail boat auxillary engines are not turbo charged.

[@RoughAndWretchedRAW]

lol... a plugged airfilter is never going to collapse and get sucked through the engine.

[@DaveDablave]

Dumping the clutch in high gear should work. Lol. Great video!

[@MINIMOTOMADNESS]

happened to me in a citroen van,screaming its nuts off,i put it in 5th gear and dumped the clutch with the brakes on,sorted

[@steven-vn9ui]

Always wondered why people don;t do as you did as well mate. Quick thinking that.

[@TheBCSledder]

steven corner Whether the tecnique would work or not would depend on the torque and horsepower ratings of the engine I would suspect.

[@steven-vn9ui]

As well as the friction generated by the clutch etc. I know. To be honest the vid was so boring I never go to the end. All the best

[@nakedoffroad8518]

steven corner I can't please everyone. Sorry. Maybe you can go back to the Russian car crash vids for a few cheap thrills

[@steven-vn9ui]

Or maybe you can stop making shit video's and go fuck yourself

[@jdrissel]

If you do this again, you should reconsider the rag. Try it with a wet rag. Make a ball out of it and let it get sucked in. If it keeps running pour in more water. It could not be worse than the dry powder. Even if it hydrolocks the engine, it might save the rest of the vehicle (and surroundings) from fire damage...

[@zoolkhan]

his rag was too small... when that kind of shit hits this kind of fan - its time tp stuff your t-shirt, jacket and underpants all at once into it. Or try the detachable headrest ... full of foam... rubber floormats... your mother in law.. wahtever is available, just not a rag size of a hankerchief

[@blameusa7082]

was just lazing on the bed watching weird shit, watched this video till the end, and it was very well made!!!

[@BlackLightStar]

What is available in the vast majority of all vehicles that you could use to plug the intake is the floor mats. However, the intake has to be plugged after any PCV-connection or bypass connector etc.

[@Chris-yy7qc]

7:40 That clutch got smoking hot :D

[@MrThenry1988]

I've seen a runaway 3 times. A carhart coat worked good on one. Rags shut the other 2 down just fine.

[@johnnok7775]

There's another video around KZbin where an engine starts to run away and an old guy throws a balled up rag into the turbo inlet and it does shut it down, probably destroyed the turbo at least though

[@gorillaau]

Johnno K as explained at the start with a runaway turbo engine, the turbo is going to nedd rebuilding or replacement as the seals are compromised and you are burning oil.

[@noahparkin4001]

just a side note. on a larger engine that is turboed or blown will die more effectively with a block of wood. for example a 2 stroke detroit pulls air at such a high vacuum (many DD's are blown and turboed) that the block of wood will seal the intake. the vacuum is so high infact, that if you fail to completely cover the intake, you may not have the time or strength to pull it off and try again.

[@stevemasterson7776]

a CO2 fire extinguisher hahahaha that way it doesn't ruin the engine

[@MasticinaAkicta]

Good old fun with cars. Nothing beats getting some old runners to get through their last days/hours of life.

[@Bearcats737]

generally the idea behind the fire extinguisher is that you would leave the air filter on, the powder from the extinguisher should plug the air filter, in theory it is the fastest way without damaging the engine

[@garyfisher4155]

Baron Van Oosting co2 is a gas( carbon dioxide) using a powder extinguisher won't starve it of oxygen, its safer to block the exhaust, stop the flow of gases, and if the engine blows it won't explode in your face.

[@KBS117]

Baron Van Oosting ...no...you rob the engine of oxygen...that hoover will suck that air filter inside out and keep going.. This test worked here, due to static lock..

[@TheDodgeboi]

I have had quite a lot experience with 8v71 Detroit engines. The ones with blowers. Between the intake and blower there is a flap that shuts off the air consequently the engine shuts down almost immediately. A rubber backed floor mat works well for a vehicle without emergency shut down. PEACE

[@colbyc.6698]

Wonder how the powder would do on a air filter maybe stop the filter up and not hurt the motor

[@nakedoffroad8518]

Colby C. That's a good point.

[@dposcuro]

But then is it going to stop the engine?

[@shadowthehedgehog4737]

+Goldmarble: If it stops up the filter, where else can air come in?

[@meanymartini]

I would have thought the powder should clog the filter and that should suffocate the engine?

[@KBS117]

Colby C. Compressing the powder is what killed it...without that, it would keep going.. Carbon dioxide?

[@madflyer1093]

Three words : roda deco valve. Every single diesel needs to have one. Not just those in haz mat environments

[@robertwingate650]

Nice video, make a part 2 and grab another used up diesel and do it again, this time run the engine while misting used engine oil into the intake so you can see the engine start overrunning The governor. At the end of the video give it enough oil so it shits the bed

[@nakedoffroad8518]

Robert Wingate -Yep. We have decided to make another and feed it till it blows.

[@zoolkhan]

i would find that scaring me quite a bit. I am normally confident about machines i understand, but a machine without a proper stopping possibility.. going at over 10k RPM makes me want to be much farther away than the lenghts of a broomstick. Also, when you blow.. dont do it in your own garage dude - it may put you out of business. Go to the grumpy neighbour of yours... do it there

[@waiting4aliens]

Thank you for a simple concise explanation.

[@Dasdembo]

In manual car's you should drive off and then kill engine by using the brake. My friend once try to stop one engine by releasing clutch in hi gear. Clutch exploded and engine continued to rew.

[@vapeking8882]

if you got a pocket knife just cut any of the turbo boots or carry a co2 or Halon gas fire extinguisher the dry powder ones will work if there is a good air filter it will plug it but still more chance of engine damage with the powder. i use to work for had a 12v cummins runaway in the shop after a fresh rebuild on the first startup the owner gave us the rebuilt turbo to install on it but was missing the oil seal when it was rebuilt. anyway he just smacked the turbo with a full swing of a 3lb slug hammer it snapped the turbo off the exh manifold and it shut right down. it cost a turbo but not a engine that he just put 10k in building. long story short you need to stop the air from the turbo getting to the motor and the runaway will stop and there is a lot of ways to do that. thanks for sharing

[@MrHeadshot1982]

Most of the time you dont have the time do all this

[@davidappleton2905]

Thank you for your very informative and helpful video for the runaway diesel, bless you.

[@michaelcuff5780]

Stop it from getting either fuel or air and it will quit! If u have the balls to hang around to do it! Lol!

[@blowndome]

That wouldn't work on a turbo since like he said the engine is running on its oil.

[@fastone371]

Michael Cuff: "stop it from getting fuel" ? Are you brave enough to start unbolting the turbo while the engine is in a runaway condition????

[@antoniofdez620]

Good video,but i wonder if you let the engine run-away, would it end blow up 100% of the cases? If there is no more oil the engine can't keep running anymore (it could be destroyed before if it reaches too high rpm)

[@v4vauxhall498]

This is not valid , you need to make the engine runaway to do a proper test. just revvving it is not valid.regards Joe

[@politicaldissidence]

I've heard of runaways on tractor trailers, sucking holes through phone books and clip boards and such. My mechanic teacher said its pretty hard to stop a runaway. Cause a runaway just doesn't sit at idle, why they're so bad is because the rpms just keep climbing, till the engine rips itself apart. Other wise you could just let it run till it was done doing its thing, its the rpm climbing that makes it dangerous.

[@cmcgill8832]

In reality its - engine over revvs mechanic runs away lol

[@terryeffinp]

That signals it is time for a coffee break!

[@SD40Fan_Jason]

I am so sorry that the wood wood not work. =P I suppose if you have your garden variety MAP (mon-ammonium phosphate) fire extinguisher, your choices are to wreck the engine before the big smoke and blazing fire, or after. On bigger machines or trucks, the engine will quickly overpower the clutch and destroy it. I have seen it happen first-hand. Cars and caravans, not so much. All in all, good job on the video, thank you for sharing!

[@connorsealy957]

an old hilux did this to me and I tryed to stall it and it didnt work so I just pulled off the battery leads

[@JustJackStuff]

Loony Rocket hahaha good one i got you 😂

[@samuelseidel6148]

Diesels don't have spark plugs.

[@connorsealy957]

"Joke"

[@dodgeme1986truck]

Samuel Seidel actually that's not entirely true there are diesel engines with spark plugs they usually run on propane or cng

[@wills.5762]

If it runs on propane its not a diesel?

[@brendanrandle]

the rag might work not because it blocks enough air flow but because it binds the turbo up if you let go

[@raymondhertz1476]

That was interesting. I have my dad's 1962 David Brown three cylinder diesel tractor. When he bought it, I was fascinated that turning off the "ignigion" did not stop the engine. You had to turn off the fuel. My dad explained that diesel engines do not have spark plugs and that ignition occurs through compression. My first lesson in thermodynamics. My dad was one smart farmer.

[@JoshsCarCorner]

I think this is a good experiment, but the thing you may be failing on the first test is that when the engine is running on engine oil it is making significantly more power than it would be on diesel. It may overpower the clutch.

[@rcatyvr]

Quite a few years ago I was taking very heavy load of slate over a high crown bridge. Some one cut in and had a minor fender bender right in front of me and I stomped on the breaks. I had a 225 gm two-stroke natural aspirated w/ a (sloppy)13-speed. I was only doing about 15 mph just at the max pulling rpm in 3/4th gear. The unit recoiled against the lash in the drive train and kicked the engine over backwards. This is possible with a two-stroke. I shut the ignition off, but the mechanical fuel pump still had lots left in the lines. There I was, stuck on a bridge, the exhaust pouring out of the air filter and air sucking down the exhaust pipes. Of course, pulling the emergency shut off did not work as that cuts off the air from the air filter--which was now the exhaust pipe. The RPMs just kept climbing. So I put it in 6/7th gear and let the clutch in until the revs started to drop and then I just popped the clutch. As the engine was running backwards, the truck lurched backwards against the brakes and stalled. Now I was really stuck. Police trying to route rush hour traffic around me and the engine was heat seized. I got the police to clear out 4-5 cars from behind me and w/ a few tries, force roll started the engine by rolling backwards downhill and popping the clutch in hi-reverse . Fortunately, it worked just before I ran out of brake air and dynamited. Years later, this would not have worked with a Cat 425 or a 6V-92T which a) would not have run backwards and b) would have dropped the tranny if I popped the clutch at high rpm Interesting times....

[@soumen8624]

This videos was educational and entertaining, thanks man keep it up and good luck

[@TheMissourian]

been thinking about getting another extinguisher for my truck. definitely getting a CO2. thanks for the video

[@Azurren]

In all seriousness though the best solution for stopping a run away for the majority of watchers is attempting to stall it. So the real question is how to let off the clutch. Do you drop it and risk it exploding under the massive torque pressure or let it out slowly and risk overheating / burning it out before it is able to drag the engine to a standstill?

[@TheBristolChannel]

Quickest way is put your foot over the exhaust and smother the engine insides with exhaust fumes. It works this happened to me, and remembering how we used to stop mopeds with no ignition from when I was a kid. It took about 20 to 30 secs from it happening jumping out the car and it stopping. Still killed the engine it melted 3 out of the 4 injectors and there wasn't much compression after. Don't know how hot it gets in there, but it must be high.

[@EyebrowsMahoney]

Love the videos, Keep up the great work! I tuned in on the hydrolock vid and just found this one. Subscribed for sure. Personally, being aware of the possibility of run-aways, I'd keep a CO2 or Halotron extinguisher handy in my truck/van/diesel powered thing. Just in case. I usually have one in every one of my vehicles (petrol powered) because "fire bad!". (I've had an injector o-ring pop out before!) That right there is a money saver! But good to know that most diesel goers should be snuffed by the gearbox. Looking forward to more!

[@nakedoffroad8518]

Eyebrows Mahoney Thanks for the positive feedback ! We are still amateurs but have plenty more " destructive testing" to do yet. Creating a video currently that showing what happens when you loose all your coolant , and what the gauges don't tell you is happening. Yeah, we blow it up

[@EyebrowsMahoney]

I look forward to it! I've been wanting to make videos like this but haven't had a source of vehicles to do it with. I'm glad someone finally is! Destructive testing is where it's at, you know what happens and how!

[@geltecmail]

Liked the video and yes you would have had a problem with the rag. Being in the oilfield most companies now require an air shut-off on the intake. This is because of gas fumes being sucked in for fuel, hence run away. For a turbine you only need to add a dump valve with it to bypass the flow before the shut-off. Did like the different types to shut down, but I guess if the engine blows, it couldn't be as bad as a minor overhaul to clean the cylinders if the block survives.

[@indridcold8433]

If your diesel runs away, Block the intake right away. Your diesel's reving don't you fear, Lauch your car from higher gears.

[@msanchez7317]

I always wondered why more diesels didn't have fuel cutoffs to stop a runaway - I didn't think about the fact that they can keep running on their own oil. Makes sense, and explains why the smoke of a runaway diesel is usually white (oil smoke?). Looks like shifting into a high gear would be a good idea if you catch it quick. I'd be nervous in the driver's seat - what happens if/when it engages the transmission and you start moving? Then you have a runaway that might be stuck in gear because of a melted clutch? I'm not sure if that is even mechanically possible. Seems like cutting fuel with a cutoff and using something solid isn't the best approach. Slap that sucker in high gear or fire extinguisher... fire extinguisher might kill the old girl! Thanks for sharing!

[@itchyvet]

Diesel engines need two things to run, one is fuel, the other is oxygen. Cut out either and she will stop. Yes they can run on their sump oil, therefore cutting oxygen is imperative.

[@mixter7x7]

there are 2 stages to runaway. the first stage of runaway is when crankcase vapors condense inside the intake and begin to pour into the cylinder and burn as / instead of the fuel . the throttle is completely out of play and many times the the accelerator pedal draws to the floor. turning off the ignition key will stop the flow of fuel , but the oil will continue burning until it's all completely burned. the 2nd stage of runaway is when the oil itself being burned as the combustion fuel creates enough blowby gas in the crankcase to push excessive oil vapors into the intake to be burned as / instead of / and along with the fuel. once this cycle starts the engine will burn out all the oil before it shuts off. probably terminal for the engine since all the oil is gone. turning off the key will not help this condition as the engine is in a complete vicious cycle of combustion vs blowby / crankcase pressure. turbo lubrication leakage / runaway is a whole other creature likened to the 2nd stage listed above. a positive air shut off in line with the throttle plate would choke ANY engine out as one of the primary elements of power are removed. combining this with a C02 ext couldn't hurt.

[@2526ac]

I tested the sealing of the snorkel I fitted to my Landrover a long time ago by putting a heavy plastic bag over the intake. Surprised the wood didn't work, had me thinking there was air getting in elsewhere.

[@patton446]

a trash bag works well. We use it as an emergency stop for large diesel engines aboard ships when we can't access the normal stop

[@madmax2069]

A runway in a turbo diesel is why I would want to have a Co2 fire extinguisher on hand. And with the old diesel engines with the where the fuel rail is stuck (many if not most of the older 2 stokes have the flap on the intake, you pull a knob/lever to choke it out). I'm not sure how well a Co2 fire extinguisher would work on a semi that has two intake boxes (I guess if you had a passenger and two Co2 fire extinguishers on hand spraying in both intakes might work). I guess you could have a Co2 fire extinguisher in the passenger compartment or cab where it has a hose leading from the extinguisher directly into the intake, in case of a runaway you could just enable the extinguisher and choke out the engine without having to pop the hood.

[@Motoman714.]

Honestly my tech center we use blocks of wood stop runaways if there is any but our secondary choice is fire extinguisher down the intake because the powder is not compress like diesel does

[@rustyaxelrod]

The video should have been titled "What Happens When You Spray A Dry Powder Extinguisher In A Diesel Engine" and had some better shots of the aftermath. That was the most educational part. Of course every situation may be a little different but a run away diesel makes for a very tense situation, most people won't want to put their face down there to unhook the intake pipe. It would have been interesting to know if the extinguisher would have worked through a filter.

[@SamFisherK]

Had a runaway diesel engine once while driving. Huge pile of smoke in the back, put in 3rd gear immediatly and slamed on the brakes till it stops. Changed a turbine the other day, the car was still burning the oil what was left in the exhaust. But I just went to a highway, it felt like Im sitting in a rocket ready for a take-off, but after few km it went away and it was running like it never happened.

[@ericcollins8940]

As far as a manual goes it depends on if the transmission is synchronized, or not ( Semi truck ). I've had a semi run away with me before and I wasn't about to be messing under the hood incase it decided to throw a rod. It wasn't possible to put it in gear either. I just turned the key off and let it stop on its own after the motor oil ran out. Surprising the engine didn't seize up after.

[@Madpegasusmax]

the rag on air intake will work , I already saved a runway AX diesel like this . And even if is suck in will get to the air filter compartment , not inside the engine . no one will try to get the intake hose from a runaway engine ... On a manual Gearbox , the high gear + heavy break is the easy and fast way to do it .