How do you stop a runaway diesel with auto box??

Considering you could knock your manual transmission into high gear and stall the engine should it ever runaway, has anyone ever considered how they would stop a runaway diesel with an auto transmission before it broke itself apart???

As in one thats running on its own oil due to a turbo leak or such like? Just pull it out of high range or stamp on the brakes.

Infact, dont pull it out of high as it'd go pop :lol:

thats not going to stall it though is it? surely it would still be running, and eventually run out of oil/seize.
only thing I can think of would need 2, one to be stood on the brakes, the other to try and suffocate it.

Block the air intake,that will stop it

pouring water in the intake would stop it

ifloochies said:

Considering you could knock your manual transmission into high gear and stall the engine should it ever runaway, has anyone ever considered how they would stop a runaway diesel with an auto transmission before it broke itself apart???

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You could try and standing on the brakes with it in drive, but your torque converter wouldn't last very long, and it wouldn't stall the engine. Really the only sensible thing to do would be to get out of the car and move away from it. If you are feeling brave (or stoopid) you could lift the bonnet and try and block the air intake with something, or if you have one, empty a CO2 extinguisher into the intake.

thats what i was thinking,. hance my one to stand on the brakes (hopefullt converter would last long enough) the second, with the engine at safer revs to open bonnet and shove summat over the intake (or just over the intake if its a fender, unlikly with the auto bit)

Have you ever been next to a run away? most manuals wont stop a run away, the clutch will just burn out, an auto has no chance. I would never contemplate blocking the intake unless I knew it may run away and set it up before hand. A CO2 extinguisher is the only option other than waiting for that pop. I had an Iveco Daily run away right in the front of my garage a few years back, cue 5 mechanics standing behind a toolbox waiting for the pop, con rod went through the side of the engine that time, smoked the whole garage out, couldn't see a thing and the neighbours called the fire brigade.... was an interesting day...

Knock it int neutral, pull over and just enjoy the fireworks watching from a safe distance

C02 fire extinguisher is the best bet though. I have one in all my cars and my 110 anyway so it'll be at hand if the worst ever does happen and the clutch can't stall it and something over the intake doesn't work on its own.

Cut, rip or otherwise detach the turbo pipe. I think that this is usually why the diesels run on in the first place?

Surely if you take the pipe off the turbo or the pipe off the intercooler it will cut the sequence?

It would be good to invent some sort od slam shut device for this purpose, I'd buy one as my last disco 2's turbo failed and it went berserk, luckily it stopped before the oil completely burned up and before the engine blew up.

Right I'm off to find a device, what diameter pipe is the metal turbo pipe?

My little two cylinder tractor has a butterfly in the intake so as you can shut the air supply off.

A friend of mine tried to smother a bike engine on a pallet once with a glove it sucked the glove out of his hand straight into the carb stopped it fast though :-(

gavbriggs said:

Cut, rip or otherwise detach the turbo pipe. I think that this is usually why the diesels run on in the first place?

Surely if you take the pipe off the turbo or the pipe off the intercooler it will cut the sequence?

It would be good to invent some sort od slam shut device for this purpose, I'd buy one as my last disco 2's turbo failed and it went berserk, luckily it stopped before the oil completely burned up and before the engine blew up.

Right I'm off to find a device, what diameter pipe is the metal turbo pipe?

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I was going to say cut the turbo hose and shove summit on the intake.

Always carry a knife and a big rag i suppose. An old jumper.

I cant think of another way if you dont have a co2 extinguisher.

So far it looks like the suggestion of cutting/ disconnecting the intake hose is the best bet.... Ultimately, you want to prevent the oil pouring out of the turbo and into the suction hose from reaching the combustion spaces where it burns causing the runaway.
Question is, has anyone really got the guts to pop the hood and do it with the engine running at full bore??

get a snorkel and make a cover ?

Friend of mine worked at a garage, they had a p38 in , the bloke had cooked the brakes trying to stop it & it drunk all its oil then siezed, how are you going to block the air intake if you are in the car at 70 mph, can u take an auto out of drive at 70 mph ????

offroadmad said:

Friend of mine worked at a garage, they had a p38 in , the bloke had cooked the brakes trying to stop it & it drunk all its oil then siezed, how are you going to block the air intake if you are in the car at 70 mph, can u take an auto out of drive at 70 mph ????

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stick it in neutral and pull over

Oh right i dont do auto,s i assumed it would be locked in drive until stationary, makes sense now sorry !

Happened to me in an astravan once , pretty scary but fifth gear n brakes stalled it before it killed itself