Has anyone ever considered an emergency air shut off for your diesel tractor?

[s219]

Keep a suitable sized rag handy -- or your t-shirt -- to stuff in the intake. It will take some bravery to pop the hood and get under there if the engine is running away though.

On my previous Kubota, I stuffed a rag in the intake when I washed down the engine, and then forgot to take it out. She started up and ran normally for a few seconds and then shut right down. The rubber snorkel puckered up pretty good. There was a lot of suction there.

 

[mslisaj]

Well gentlemen, this turned into quite a topic with some good idea's and positive feed back. My friend that watched that Cummins melt down said they could not get to the intake on this truck. The oil source was from oil built up in the intercooler from a leaking turbo. But he also said it was wild to watch and I could only imagine being there. With all that said there are some great suggestions here on how to build a simple and effective system. But another gentlement said "they make valves for this" so I googled it and sure enough here is a neat little system that can be installed and operated from a remote station.

PH1 PowerHalt Air Intake Emergency Shut off Valves | Pacbrake

As I mentioned this is the very first diesel engine I will have owned and I had always said to myself if I ever had a diesel I would figure out something to shut it down in an emergency. Well I am going to look into one of these systems. They even make bolt on kits for installation. It's kind of like the ROPS systems on our new tractors, we don't ever want to find out if they work but the device is there to give us a second chance.

When I take delivery of my new MT125 I'll check out the intake size and order one of these kits and I'll post pictures of the installation here. Sacrificing shirts and all are good ideas too but it would behoove us all I think to have a plan in the back of our mind how we'd kill the engine if we had too. The older I get the more cautious I get so you guys will have to forgive me.

 

[Looking4new]

Caution is good. Way better than reckless.

 

[LiveRoll]

Generally any diesel powered engine that is used in the oilfield has to be equipped with an ASO system to remedy that problem in case there is a high rate of atmospheric gas in the area. they are either electrically or manually operated. I have had to install them on two of My kubotas. they are readily available, generally run around 700.00 but are relatively simple to install provided there is room underhood.. Also if the handle is out of sight, ( but location known to operator) also works as a good theft deterrent.

 

[Looking4new]

Try these guys, they are in both Canada and the U.S.
Roda Deaco-Contact Us

 

[goeduck]

You are making a mountains out of a mole hill. The newer diesels almost never run away.
The air cutoffs you are thinking about were standard equipment on the older 2 stroke Detroit Diesels,
but they dropped them on the last generation of the 2 stroke diesels. My 4-53 in a Dynahoe has an
air cutoff and I do verify that it works occasionally even though I've never had to use it.

There is a fairly recent TBN thread about a newer Kubota with run away problems. So your “almost” is probably accurate, but it still happens on newer machines.

 

[Egon]

You are making a mountains out of a mole hill. The newer diesels almost never run away.
The air cutoffs you are thinking about were standard equipment on the older 2 stroke Detroit Diesels,
but they dropped them on the last generation of the 2 stroke diesels. My 4-53 in a Dynahoe has an
air cutoff and I do verify that it works occasionally even though I've never had to use it.

There are many industrial sites where a diesel will only be allowed in if it has a positive air shutoff.

There are occasions where the molehill has resulted in fatalities when a diesel powered equipment has entered an explosive environment.

 

[Egon]

You are making a mountains out of a mole hill. The newer diesels almost never run away.
The air cutoffs you are thinking about were standard equipment on the older 2 stroke Detroit Diesels,
but they dropped them on the last generation of the 2 stroke diesels. My 4-53 in a Dynahoe has an
air cutoff and I do verify that it works occasionally even though I've never had to use it.

There are many industrial sites where a diesel will only be allowed in if it has a positive air shutoff.

There are occasions where the molehill has resulted in fatalities when a diesel powered equipment has entered an explosive environment.

 

[AUSTENNN10]

Deepwater Horizon

 

[Ortimber]

I have also heard a C02 fire extinguisher discharged in the intake could also save an engine. If the ext runs out, maybe you have time to get your shirt off and shut her down...