Runaway Engine - Is It Goosed?

[sebring]

So, on the way to work today - i went to a massive puddle and there was still steam comming off the engine a minute or 2 later.

 

i joined the motorway, and the car went into limp mode where it seems like theres no turbo - did a power cycle, and the turbo came back to life for a minute and it happened again.  Another power cycle, and i put my foot on the accelerator - turbo comes back to life and then goes again - only now i notice white smoke from the back - or is it water mist!

 

Another minute later and ive got a runaway engine - got onto the hard shoulder and switched the car off - engine still on, but i manage to stall it (takes 3 attempts)  - now the car doesnt start and theres no oil in the sump!

 

So - is the engine goosed, or just the turbo gone?  The runaway lasted about 10-20 secs.

 

Can i put oil in the car to try to start it or will it run away again?

 

PLS HELP

[BrownBarge]

Are you sure theres no oil in the sump? It might just not be on showing on the dipper. I wouldnt risk starting it either way.

How hard was it revving itself?

[Phil-E]

Don't try and start it again!

 

Was it revving very high?

 

If it's gone past the red line it may have already caused damage to the engine internals.

 

At the very least the turbo will need replacing and all the turbo pipes draining of oil.

 

Phil

[sebring]

i think it was up to about 4k revs

[mannyo]

You could have hydrolocked the engine, in which case the car is 99% beyond economic repair.

[mikec]

Hope it's not as bad as that - would be a shame to have a good car off the road  :( 

[KenONeill]

4k revs is not a runaway; you're still at least 600 below the governer.

 

As others though, you may have hydrauliced it, or broken the timing belt.

 

If so, then economic repair at this point probably depends on how much you can source a newer engine for.

[sebring]

so the good news is that i put in a litre of oil in the engine over the weekend and it started up ok (the level just missed the minimum mark)

 

started to take of the turbo now - and wow,  is there a lot of play in the shaft! (had to re-write that a couple of times so it didnt sound rude) lol

 

will prob go for a hybrid - what sort of power should i be expecting from xman750's hybrid, with .0216 injectors?

[BrownBarge]

Cant help you on the power gain bit but good news that the engine is good

[sebring]

recieved the turbo - within 24 hours from ordering - thanks xman750

 

which oil should i be using guys - carry on with the 10w40 or start using fully synt 5w30 / 5w40 as the engine will be a bit modified now  - (uprated turbo, injectors, decat)

 

noting that i will be using wvo, and the engine has done 170k miles

[nbat58]

I had the same experience as you last month and I had to have a second hand engine put in my Octy, the crazy thing was mine happened after I had a re manufactured turbo fitted, that's what happens when the AA tow you to a cowboy garage.

[sebring]

oh dear - is all well now?

[sebring]

so ive got the turbo off, and the compressor wheel looks similar to this:

 

where would the broken bits have gone so that I can get them out so I don't damage the engine

[nbat58]

oh dear - is all well now?

All is good now thanks, gee, that turbo looks well and truly mangled if you're having the turbo fitted at a garage, make sure you take it to someone who knows what they're doing.

If you're doing the job yourself, make sure you get all those bits of metal out before you replace the turbo, either take the sump off and clean properly or flush the engine out a few times with cheap oil before you fit the new turbo on.

You need to take the oil feed pipe off and block off with a right size bolt and fit some cloth on the intake and exhaust where your turbo was to stop your engine sucking up any rubbish, fill with cheap oil and flush a few times.

I would also replace the turbo oil feed and drain pipes to ensure everything is clean.

This was how I did my Passat a couple of years ago after some advice from a member on another forum.

Edited 22 November, 2014 by nbat58

[sebring]

would it have gone into the oil as its on the compressor side?  I would have thought its gone into the intercooler

[sebring]

ok - almost there - cant believe how much oil came out of the intercooler - didn't account for it, and it went all over the drive - whoops!!

anyway - now the intercooler pipe keeps coming off (the rubber pipe from the turbo to the plastic pipe) - how is the clip supposed to go on as ive forgotten!

[emch4mmer]

ok - almost there - cant believe how much oil came out of the intercooler - didn't account for it, and it went all over the drive - whoops!!

anyway - now the intercooler pipe keeps coming off (the rubber pipe from the turbo to the plastic pipe) - how is the clip supposed to go on as ive forgotten!

I think you are talking about the pancake pipe which is thin then connects to next pipe to the intercooler

This just connects with a jubilee clip but clean all connections before to help stop it coming off, after i clipped mine together as it popped off under boost i cable tied it tight to inner arch linning to stop it moving around so much, i noticed it had loafs of flex.

Hope that makes sense

[sebring]

thanks, but is the pipe that connects to this - the one that comes from the turbo