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How long could a diesel run with a failed alternator?



 
 
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  #1  
Old January 31st 05, 02:21 AM
Rob Guenther
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Default How long could a diesel run with a failed alternator?

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?

Seems to me only the ECU would need power (no electric fuel pumps on a
diesel right?), lights could be disabled by switching them off and pulling
the parking brake up far enough to activate the DTRL shutoff - but not
enough to apply the parking brake.


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  #2  
Old January 31st 05, 02:43 AM
Joseph Meehan
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Rob Guenther wrote:
> 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?
> Seems to me only the ECU would need power (no electric fuel pumps on a
> diesel right?), lights could be disabled by switching them off and
> pulling the parking brake up far enough to activate the DTRL shutoff
> - but not enough to apply the parking brake.


It all depends. I would not expect a new electronic injection to do as
well as an old mechanical model. The old ones could do hundreds of miles.
I don't think they needed electric for anything other than holding the fuel
kill switch open.

--
Joseph Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math


  #3  
Old January 31st 05, 02:47 AM
Tony Bad
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Default


"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)


  #4  
Old February 1st 05, 03:25 AM
Woodchuck
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Posts: n/a
Default

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)
>
>




 




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