What not to do

[4seasons]

I was skidding some logs out today with my Yanmar 1401D. Everything was going fine till a bigger log got stuck behind a stump and the front end rared up. I shove the clutch in and it rolls back just like plenty of times before but this time the left rear tire slipped off the edge of the bank. I feel the right rear tire coming up, so I bail out and get clear. After I hear a big thud I turn around to see the thing still running the right rear tire up in the air spinning and a fountain of oil coming from the bottom (now facing up.) So I shut it off and go get the neighbor to help me right it. It was sitting on its side for about 2 hours like this:

And the resulting damage:

Now I am do diesel mechanic so I posted this same question on a tractor site but I thought I might get some good info here too. So now that I have it back to the house, what do I need to check before starting it again. I knew better than try to start it as soon as it was on its feet because of oil in the cylinders. Will that just run back in the pan after a few hours or will I need to get the oil out? First time I ever flipped a diesel so I want to make sure before I try to start it. Other than a bit of bent sheet metal and low oil everything looks fine, but it was getting dark and I will look it over better tomorrow.

 

[Mac88]

Whew. You are extremely lucky. I don't see why it would have oil in the cylinders, but I'll leave that judgement up to the diesel experts.

 

[pennsywoodburnr]

I'm glad you escaped unhurt. That could've gotten ugly, quick. How much to fix your yanmar?

 

[Bushmans]

You should be fine. If oil could escape that easy we'd all be SOL!:rolleyes2:

 

[Bushmans]

You should be fine. If oil could escape that easy we'd all be SOL!:rolleyes2:

After a re-read and your mention of a fountain of oil. You may have broke something. No reason for a fountain of oil if you just tip it over.

 

[brown2501]

Let it sit overnite fill oil in AM than try to turn over by hand (turn front of crankshaft ) if you can get a full revolution you should be OK it might smoke a little
Stay safe

 

[esshup]

Go over everything with a fine tooth comb. There should be something broke for a fountain of oil to happen.

Agreed, turn it over by hand first. If that's impossible, or you can only rotate it so far before it locks up, remove the injectors and turn it over by hand. If there is oil/water/excess diesel in the cylinders you don't want to hydro lock the motor.

If the glow plugs are easier to get to, remove those.

You can try turning it over by hand without removing anything first. If you can only go so far and it locks up, then remove what ever is easier first (from all the cylinders) and try again. If still locked up, and you only removed the glow plugs, then you gotta go for the injectors.

Good thing you weren't hurt!!

 

[bubba3228]

Glad you are ok - I have had the front end of tractors off the ground - not a warm fuzzy feeling- flipping one over would be :msp_scared:

 

[Itsme7]

Its common knowledge in the ATV world, then you flip, or tilt the quad up on the rear, to let it sit for a hour or 2 to let oil that may have found its way into the cylinders drain back down. Also have to check the airbox and sop out any oil that may have pooled.

 

[VW Splitter]

Hmm, the belly up pics look so sad.:msp_sad: Glad you are ok.

 

[memory]

Sure glad you are not hurt. Sure is a good thing you were able to jump off in time. I personally never turned a tractor over but my dad has, he hit the edge of a small creek. I have completely turned over an atv. Luckily nothing was hurt.

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

WoW! Good thing you bailed! That exhaust stack doesn't look like it would serve as ROPS!

 

[nathon918]

i wouldnt worry about it too much, that oil spraying is more than likely just from the crankcase breather tube.
about 10 years ago we had a guy working part time with us, had him on the skidder 84 JD 440c, he was pulling wood back to the landing, he went across a small hill then decided to go up the hill, and pulled the skidder right over. not as easy to flip upright as a small tractor:bang:, that was his last time on the skidder

 

[laynes69]

Your very lucky! Hopefully you aren't skidding from the 3pt boom? Pull from the drawbar, where the center of gravity is low. I've had the front end of my Oliver super 55 come up twice, it's no fun.

 

[reaperman]

Your lucky in a couple of ways. Thankfully, you didnt get crushed. Secondly, your lucky oil didnt leak into the cylinders as the engine was running. When this happens the compression on a diesel engine great enough where the engine will run on the oil that is leaking in. Not only will the engine run on the oil, but it will run wide open as the oil continues to leak in. And there is no way to shut the engine off when this happens because it has a constant fuel source. The engine will eventually run wide open and smoke like a OWB until she finally blows. I would pull the glow plugs off each cylinder if it has glow plugs and turn over the engine by hand, forcing any extra fluids out that may have gotten in. Too much fluid of any kind in the cylinder can raise hell with the pistons. If you want to play it safe, change all fluids and erase all future doubt.

 

[nathon918]

Your lucky in a couple of ways. Thankfully, you didnt get crushed. Secondly, your lucky oil didnt leak into the cylinders as the engine was running. When this happens the compression on a diesel engine great enough where the engine will run on the oil that is leaking in. Not only will the engine run on the oil, but it will run wide open as the oil continues to leak in. And there is no way to shut the engine off when this happens because it has a constant fuel source. The engine will eventually run wide open and smoke like a OWB until she finally blows. I would pull the glow plugs off each cylinder if it has glow plugs and turn over the engine by hand, forcing any extra fluids out that may have gotten in. Too much fluid of any kind in the cylinder can raise hell with the pistons. If you want to play it safe, change all fluids and erase all future doubt.

not true, a run away diesel can be stopped. either stop the fuel source, block off the intake, or if its a manual trans (with the wheels on the ground) put it in top gear and drop the clutch and stall it. hoping your clutch or input shaft hold up :msp_w00t: best way though is to block off the intake, less chances of breaking something else

 

[reaperman]

not true, a run away diesel can be stopped. either stop the fuel source, block off the intake, or if its a manual trans (with the wheels on the ground) put it in top gear and drop the clutch and stall it. hoping your clutch or input shaft hold up :msp_w00t: best way though is to block off the intake, less chances of breaking something else

A runaway diesel on its side, running off oil leaking into the cylinders cannot be stopped. The key will not shut off the fuel source. Good luck blocking off the intake of a engine screaming WFO and smoking like a forest fire. Especially if the tractor is laying on the side of the intake. Not to mention the burning oil is not governed so the engine only runs faster and faster. Even it it could be stopped, major damage will result from high rpms. I had the pleasure of watching this first hand, as a skidloader flipped on its side, it wasnt pretty and cost the poor innocent soul a new engine.

 

[nathon918]

A runaway diesel on its side, running off oil leaking into the cylinders cannot be stopped. The key will not shut off the fuel source. Good luck blocking off the intake of a engine screaming WFO and smoking like a forest fire. Especially if the tractor is laying on the side of the intake. Not to mention the burning oil is not governed so the engine only runs faster and faster. Even it it could be stopped, major damage will result from high rpms. I had the pleasure of watching this first hand, as a skidloader flipped on its side, it wasnt pretty and cost the poor innocent soul a new engine.

it really depends on the situation, im not saying it can always be stopped, but you basically wrote that a diesel running off of its own oil cannot be stopped in any way. i was just saying it is possible to stop them, theyre definetly scary no matter what the situation is.
i put stop the fuel source in my first reply because, many runaway diesels are from turbo seals, pull the oil line off the turbo, and you have stopped the fuel source, but that really only works if you know where the source is coming from...

 

[4seasons]

It was only running on its side for a few seconds. Once I was clear and heard the thud and not a crash, crash, crash chasing me down the hill, I went back and shut it off. I don't know how long it would take for a oil flood runaway to start, but I would imagine more than the 5-10 seconds it took me to get back and shut it off. I am hooping to get out of this as cheep as possible, oil change, refill diesel, and maybe pull the injectors if it is hydro-locked. The bent hood and busted grill are not big concerns as the paint was shot when I got it anyway. I just have to get it back in service quick so I can haul my wood in. Just a few days worth at the house right now.

 

[darkbyrd]

It was only running on its side for a few seconds. Once I was clear and heard the thud and not a crash, crash, crash chasing me down the hill, I went back and shut it off. I don't know how long it would take for a oil flood runaway to start, but I would imagine more than the 5-10 seconds it took me to get back and shut it off. I am hooping to get out of this as cheep as possible, oil change, refill diesel, and maybe pull the injectors if it is hydro-locked. The bent hood and busted grill are not big concerns as the paint was shot when I got it anyway. I just have to get it back in service quick so I can haul my wood in. Just a few days worth at the house right now.

Tight spot to be in. Best of luck to you, and thank God for quick reflexes.