CRACKED HEAD Engine runaway - VOSA investigation

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hmmm, the draw from an engine running full pelt is quite significant. This would have to be quite a substantial piece of kit!

Perhaps an exhaust brake combined with the inlet flap, or a CO2 extinguisher plumbed to discharge into the inlet when you pull the cable might be a better bet?
 
doesn't 4 or 5th gear brakes on and dump the clutch still work?
 
hmmm, the draw from an engine running full pelt is quite significant. This would have to be quite a substantial piece of kit!


It wouldn't be a huge problem.

The WORST force involved would be a vacuum of about 12 - 13 psi, so if the aperture and butterfly was 3" diameter, the MAXIMUM force on the butterly would be about 85 pounds. The TD5 inlet aperture is 2½ inches across, so the maximum force would be about 60 pounds.

It could not be worse, and all carburettor and petrol injection butterfly valves put up with forces like that for the life of the car.

It would be a simple mechanical device, and would definitely shut the engine down, either stopping it, or getting the revs right down.
I suspect there would be a VAST amount of smoke!
WHOOPPEE!

Quote
Perhaps an exhaust brake combined with the inlet flap, or a CO2 extinguisher plumbed to discharge into the inlet when you pull the cable might be a better bet?
Unquote

Exhaust brake is a problem as it is working under pressure, and in a hostile red hot environment.

CO2 bottle MIGHT work, but unless the engine STOPPED, it would take off even worse as soon as the CO2 ran out.


I like the butterfly idea, and the inlet manifold of a TD5 is just asking for this!
 
So I called VOSA the vehicle Safety Agency, they have reported it to Landrover who seemed surprised there was a problem.

I think your wasting your time to be honest, its a 7 year old car, things are going to fail and go wrong etc. If a seal on a caliper had failed and let all the fluid drain out rendering the brakes useless would you report that to VOSA to report to LR?

Plenty of vehicles have issues and faults that could lead to fatal accidents and indeed do, leaking turbos is a common cause of diesel run away and would lead to the same circumstances your daughter was in, should Air Research be reported to VOSA for making a dangerous turbo? Where do you draw the line? If this was 2006 and the vehicle was a year old with 15,000 on the clock I would say maybe you have a case, but not now.

10 or even 30 people are not going to have any impact, they don't even offer a TD5 to the UK market and I don't even know they offer it elsewhere anymore either.

If it's a Defender then I assume it will be manual unless it was converted, what was the matter with the clutch?
 
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Bill,
This just happened to me, your daughter did very well to stop the car. Mine just took off on the freeway (Australia) when I was driving at 100k in the middle lane. It takes a few secs to work out what's happening, first thought was the cruise control had been tripped, had my foot slipped on the pedal etc. etc.. Trying to avoid not hitting the traffic in front, trying to change lanes in heavy traffic in an uncontrollable vehicle. Turning off the key ( by the way that would lock the steering) and / or knocking the car into neutral would probably make things worse. Did you get anywhere with Land Rover, they clearly know about the problem and it appears that TD5 heads are known to crack giving this result.
regards
Hopeddd
 
One night last week only ten weeks after buying a late 2003 TD5 Discovery it ran away with me whilst crossing a temporary narrow bridge which ends in a T junction. Quite scary but managed to slow sufficiently to turn sharp right at the end. Eventually managed to stop the vehicle but turning ignition key off did not stop the engine - I even took out the keys and got out but engine still revving and by now belching thick grey/white smoke from exhaust. Got back in and able stop only by deliberately stalling it.
All the wise men told me that the turbo charger had blown however, after contacting a Landrover specialist repairer I was told that the cylinder head has cracked, apparently not an unknown problem to Land Rover and is caused by a wall within the head which is too thin.

Meanwhile, the car which cost several thousand pounds is in a local car repairers (mainly 4x4s) and I have been advised that the engine and sump was drained of about 5 gallons of diesel. He has attempted to start but it almost immediately stalls. Problem he has now faced me with is does he replace the cylinder head and find that other problems have occurred necessitating a costly engine strip, he said he did suspect a bent con rod, or do we seek a second hand engine which lets face it could go the same way weeks later. Unfortunately, I am going to find it hard to finance this work whatever has to be done.
 
One night last week only ten weeks after buying a late 2003 TD5 Discovery it ran away with me whilst crossing a temporary narrow bridge which ends in a T junction. Quite scary but managed to slow sufficiently to turn sharp right at the end. Eventually managed to stop the vehicle but turning ignition key off did not stop the engine - I even took out the keys and got out but engine still revving and by now belching thick grey/white smoke from exhaust. Got back in and able stop only by deliberately stalling it.
All the wise men told me that the turbo charger had blown however, after contacting a Landrover specialist repairer I was told that the cylinder head has cracked, apparently not an unknown problem to Land Rover and is caused by a wall within the head which is too thin.

Meanwhile, the car which cost several thousand pounds is in a local car repairers (mainly 4x4s) and I have been advised that the engine and sump was drained of about 5 gallons of diesel. He has attempted to start but it almost immediately stalls. Problem he has now faced me with is does he replace the cylinder head and find that other problems have occurred necessitating a costly engine strip, he said he did suspect a bent con rod, or do we seek a second hand engine which lets face it could go the same way weeks later. Unfortunately, I am going to find it hard to finance this work whatever has to be done.

where are you?
 
But I do have the auto, so, let's just say I'm driving along and the worst happens what would I do? Just ditch and dive for cover? :confused:
 
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