Hand Gernade Cummins

[Rnpeder]

The Freightliner ambulance I work in experienced a turbo failure on the Cummins motor in it. It has the larger displacement B series motor. When the turbo failed, it started injecting motor oil into the intake. The ignition was off, keys out, and the motor, with an unregulated fuel source, began a "runaway" condition. It sounded like a jet turbine spooling up. I would bet it made atleast 6k rpm. Smoke everywhere. If you read in you manual, it will tell you to inject a fire extenguisher into the air intake. I would recommend a CO2 type instead of an ABC dry chemical. Just thougt I would let everyone know of this rare, but costly type of failure.

 

[Todd T]

Cool!!!



but not Cool!!

 

[Speedo]

We had a turbo let go on a Series 50 Detriot, it put a lot of oil

downstream of the turbo (charge air cooler) Detroit Diesel put

a new turbo on it under warranty but the mechanic didn't bother

to clean out the charge air cooler. When it was fired up it took it

just a sec to start pulling oil into the intake and away it went.

We got a fresh motor out of it after that. The Series 50 is a 4

cylinder version of the Series 60 truck motor and evidently it

is not made to handle high RPM.

 

[JohnE]

IMHO, the Series 50 engine in not a work of art. It is a poor reving, high vibration power plant better suited for stationary usage. The new Series 40, 530 cid is much better.



<b>B</b> series engines all share the 5. 9 liter displacement. Cummins will CPL a <em>higher</em> output engine for emergency units such as ambulances.



-John

 

[Josparkz]

Halon fire extinguishers are about the best thing to use , if you can still find one.

 

[JHansen]

Runaways are no joke!

That's why I have a positive air shutoff on my truck..... in my line of work (oil and gas field operator) it may save your life-let alone your engine.



Jason

 

[Josparkz]

positive air shutoff ?

Positive air shutoff ? How do you build one of those ?

This could be the next goody we all need to build. Oo.

 

[JHansen]

Not built-bought! There's a company here in Alberta that makes them for everything-it's mandatory pretty much everywhere in the oilpatch to run them on a diesel..... If you're interested in learning a little more about them have a look at www.rodadeaco.com



Jason

 

[Josparkz]

Thank you.

I just e-mailed them for a price quote.

 

[JHansen]

With the exchange rate should be pretty reasonable for you. They have 2 different models-1 that is manually tripped with a pull cable and 1 that is electrically tripped and also senses engine RPM to automatically shut down without operator input-ie. if the driver isn't in the cab. I have the 2nd system-it cost more money but the peace of mind is well worth it for me.



If you have any specific questions ask away! I'll do my best to answer them.



Jason

 

[Scot]

We have these on some of our fire trucks. They are wonderful things except when someone accidentally shuts down with it instead of the normal shutdown. I must say, it is a fine way to check for leaks in the aftercooler and lines. It sucks the boots flat!

 

[grtescpa]

Runaway detroit diesel

I'd like to add my experience with a runaway. I am an electrician for a major water utility. We have emergency standby generators and automatic power transfer switches. One day one of our Euclid auto transfer switches failed in a bad way. The power company and the genereator supplys line became crossed. The generator became motorized and started turning the diesel engine. By the time someone got there to shut the fuel off it was to late. You could not get near it and you would not want to. That big V12 was so hot it was running on its crankcase oil. It set the building on fire and there was nothing anyone could do but stand back and wait till it ran out of oil and blew up!:--)