Runaway Diesel
More Turbo
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 655
Likes: 18
From: Randolph County NC
I have seen a couple of runaways but it was older 71 and 53 series Detroits with the fuel lines running under the valve covers. One was fuel oil dilution related and the other was a stuck rack. Both were stopped by tripping the shutdown flap on the blower. Neither had a catastrophic failure and were returned to service.
We had another so called mechanic that shot a bunch of carburetor cleaner into a running diesel and he was able to make it run away. No damage was done but it was exciting to see.
On the Coast Guard boats, we were trained to keep as much load on the engine as possible (Have the driver turn into the direction of the run away engine). Plastic trash bags over the air cleaner or blankets to shut off air for the non-Detroit engines. CO2 was the last resort because of how close you had to get and the chance of parts flying.
If an extinguisher was used the motor was coming out and getting rebuilt If it was salvageable.
We had another so called mechanic that shot a bunch of carburetor cleaner into a running diesel and he was able to make it run away. No damage was done but it was exciting to see.
On the Coast Guard boats, we were trained to keep as much load on the engine as possible (Have the driver turn into the direction of the run away engine). Plastic trash bags over the air cleaner or blankets to shut off air for the non-Detroit engines. CO2 was the last resort because of how close you had to get and the chance of parts flying.
If an extinguisher was used the motor was coming out and getting rebuilt If it was salvageable.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,342
Likes: 588
From: Amarillo, TEXAS!
Probably because by the time they got through the checklist to the point it said "use CO<sub>2</sub> extinguisher", the engine had been turning 9 billion RPM for 40 minutes or so 
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 18,849
Likes: 179
From: Puget Sound
Stop the engine... let it blow... why is everything about the truck trying to suck on the end of my Buck$Zooka? Maybe I should have given the truck a girl's name, so it doesn't creep me out so much.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 18,849
Likes: 179
From: Puget Sound
Good point. I thought the implication was the CO2 thing.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 7,404
Likes: 52
From: Wheatland, Mo
More Turbo
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 655
Likes: 18
From: Randolph County NC
The CO2 last resort part was for personnel safety. You were discharging super cold gas into a cherry red turbo, the fear was the turbo grenading. On that class of boat, You had to climb down a ladder to get in position and the turbocharger was 1 foot away from you. Shutting off the air with blankets or trash bags was deemed to be dangerous but less risky to personnel.
Any dry chemical extinguisher discharged, was going to leave corrosive powder inside the motor, wiring etc. It was policy to tear everything down and rebuild.
Any dry chemical extinguisher discharged, was going to leave corrosive powder inside the motor, wiring etc. It was policy to tear everything down and rebuild.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,100
Likes: 6
From: Georgia
Molon Labe
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,272
Likes: 1
From: Alaska
I got my Halon extinguisher from a marketing co that was selling home fire safety equipment back in 1995. Not sure which halon it is as I removed the label and painted the extinguisher to match the roll cage in my old Trans Am.
It's now in my truck.
When I was a firefighter in the Navy Halon 1301 (bromotrifluoromethane) was my specialty.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 492
Likes: 0
From: Jenkintown, PA
I worked for the Naval Air Development Center in Warminster, PA as an electrical engineering trainee during college. I recall seeing lots of Halon back then, but that was before the whole ozone depletion thing. Kinda seems sad that such an effective extinguishing agent should be banned. I understand the environmental hazards, but I don't think that much of the stuff was ever released in fire suppression when compared to other industrial uses.
Super Moderator
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 29,380
Likes: 118
From: Central Coast of CA
Stewart