Until the battery voltage drops below what the ECU needs to function. Which
on most I'm told is around 9.6 volts.

"Tony Bad" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Rob Guenther" > wrote in message
> .. .
>> Well this is just a hypothetical question brought on by a friend of mine
>> telling me he made it 20 minutes after his alternator died on his
> Lumina...
>> I was thinking, with no spark plugs and much less of an electrical load,
> how
>> long would a diesel engine run without any alternator?
>
> Not sure about a TDI, but I once was on my way from FL to NY, and my
> alternator crapped out about 200 miles into a 1100 mile trip...made it the
> whole way. It was quite without a radio!
>
> --
> Tony Bad
> --------------
>
> 02 Jetta Wagon
> 01 Eurovan MV
> 91 Jetta 1.6 Diesel
> 86 Jetta
> 79 Rabbit 1.5 Diesel (semi-retired for now)
> Schwinn Continental 10 Speed
> Radio Flyer Pedal Car (my daughter made me add this)
>
>