Engine Ran Backwards - What Now ??

[Gordon Gould]

I was using my winch this morning and just about stalled the engine but she took right off again as soon as I disengaged the winch clutch. I was wearing hearing protection so I didn't really hear but more sensed something was different. Probably took me most of a minute maybe a little more to figure out it was running backwards and shut it down.
I restarted it and it is like nothing happened.

Is there anything I should tend to because of that. I assume it must suck air thru the exhaust and exhaust thru the air filter but am not at all sure on that.

Thanks

gg

 

[orezok]

When an engine runs backward, the oil pump also runs backwards meaning your bearings etc. got no pressurized oil. Most engines will not suffer any significant damage in a minute or less.

 

[davesl708]

That is bizarre. Seems to have self corrected. Should not need to do anything else. It still drew air the same way. Only way it could get fuel. Must have been a pre-ignition in one cylinder to get it started backwards.

 

[katoomed00]

Back in the early 80s I use to be a driller on land rigs. Once when I going in the hole with the tubing string, came off the slips, started slacking off the string before the clutch disengaged, it killed 2 V12 Detroit Diesels, spun them backwards and they fired off, oil was coming out of the breathers, I ran over shut them down, checked the oil level and restarted, we never had any problems afterwards. Detroits are 2stroke engines and fire off pretty easy, may be different with a 4 stroke

 

[Gordon Gould]

Thanks for the replies. I guess lunch is over and what is done is done. Oil pump running backwards doesn't sound to good. At least I was at low rpms. It was bizarre to pull the winch rope and have the cable stream out instead of being pulled in. The tension in the winch cable must pull the engine over backwards like a recoil starter thru the pto when it looses power ??

Stopping 2 V12 Detroits - yikes

gg

 

[ultrarunner]

I have it happen with other engines... like Model A and Model T Fords.

No harm if everything is lubed up and for a few moments...

Oil/Lube is the immediate issue.

 

[RaydaKub]

My neighbor was digging with the fel on his Deutz CUT. He lugged it down and clutched it just at the point of killing it. The engine revved up again, but the rain cap slammed shut on the vertical exhaust. He throttled it down and shut it off, restarted, and continued working like nothing happened. Essentially, nothing did.

 

[Looking4new]

You might look at your air filter and make sure it isn't black from the soot. Older Detroits and some Macks were bad for running backwards.

 

[DK35vince]

Older Detroits and some Macks were bad for running backwards.

I've had a couple old 2 stroke Detroit's and a 3408 Cat run backwards on me before.
Nearly stalled them, caught it will the clutch at the last second and the engine kicked and started up backwards.
Shut them down/restart and go.

 

[Mysfyt]

Only had this happen once. Chrysler slant six in an older delivery truck that we were beating the snot out of. Shut er down and fired it back up with no problems.