Huston...we have a problem

[Denny]

The ceramic seals aren’t prone to going away like rubber seals do. An injection pump governor failure is just as you described. Saw a lot of them fail on the old Oldsmobile Detroit diesels. What ever it was that happened you will know more at the autopsy. Time to break out the back up truck.

 

[Functional Artist]

For more info
...& to further the discussion
...this truck is a 2003 Isuzu NPR-HD
...with the 4HE1 (4.8 l) Isuzu Intercooled Turbo Diesel engine

First pic is of the turbo unit

* The metal tube, with the bolt going thru it (AKA Banjo fitting) on top (of the turbo) is the "pressurized" oil inlet line
...it provides lubricant (aka motor oil) to the Turbo unit
...& there is a non-pressurized oil return tube (not shown) coming out of the bottom of the Turbo, that goes down to the oil pan (area)

** The (2) metal lines, on each side (also with Banjo fittings) are water coolant (inlet & outlet) lines

*** The vacuum actuated "bar" is connected to the Waste Gate (on the exhaust side of the Turbo)

How this system "works" is the fresh air (from the air cleaner) comes into the Turbo, thru the big tube on the left (w/water droplets)
...then, the air flows, out of the Turbo, thru the "upper" big tube

Then, the air goes thru this tube

Thru the Intercooler (in front of the radiator)
...& then/finally, into the engine, on the other (far) side

So, as I mentioned previously, it seems like an oil seal "failed" (under that pressurized line)
...& allowed oil, from that pressurized oil line, to enter the "air system"

Which ended up "fueling" the engine
...& causing the "runaway" situation

 

[Sparkwizard]

Just an opinion...the death rattle at the end of that video sound to me like bottom end ran out of oil at high speed.
I do not think it overheated. I think there is bad news in the oil pan.

 

[Functional Artist]

Just an opinion...the death rattle at the end of that video sound to me like bottom end ran out of oil at high speed.
I do not think it overheated. I think there is bad news in the oil pan.

We gonna find out

Did ya notice the box truck, in the background?

* Winter storage for my Polaris, Sequoia & Tsunami EA racers

It's the same type truck
...early 2000's Isuzu NPR
...w/same 4HE1 Diesel engine

It runs & drives
...but, the engine has a "miss" to it
...& has been "diagnosed" to have a "burnt" exhaust valve (hole in the valve), on the front cylinder

So, the Turbo unit "should" still be in "good" working condition

To double check my "Oil seal failure in the Turbo" theory, I removed the "big tube" on the "air out" side of the Turbo, on my flatbed

Yup, the inside of both the Turbo & the tube are coated with motor oil

Motor oil even came drippin' out of the Turbo, when I first pulled the tube off

Here is a view on the air "in" side of the Turbo
...& the impeller (inside of the Turbo) looks ta be still "intact"
...but, everything is definitely oil saturated (it should be mostly dry in there)

Then, as a test/for comparison purposes, I pulled the same tube off of the Turbo, on the box truck
...& it's "bone dry" inside (as it should be)

 

[Master Hack]

There a huge difference between working on a vehicle when ya need to or want to and working on one cuz ya HAVE to.
l feel yer pain!

 

[Denny]

Just make sure to clean out as much oil out of the intake tract as you can.

 

[Functional Artist]

Update:
The Isuzu 4HE1 Diesel engine holds 12q. (3 gal.) of motor oil

1st.)
Assuming the worst, I thought/figured that it would be pretty much empty
...but, to my surprise, got a pan full when I drained what was left, of the oil out of this engine

2nd.)
Using a couple of gallon jugs
...it seems like there was still ~6 - 7q. (or ~1 1/2 gal.) of motor oil still in the engine

* So, it still had at least 1/2 of the normal amount of oil, that it is supposed to have
...& this would, or at least seems to indicate, that it didn't "run dry"

3rd.)
Also, I didn't see any, "floaties" (like brass grindings or dust, from the main bearings)
...or see...anything...really...at...all (like discoloration or any foreign debris) when/while pouring the oil into the jugs (totally jet black...like usual)
...& didn't/don't see anything in the bottom of the drain pan...either

 

[Master Hack]

At least there is some encouraging news.

 

[Functional Artist]

Yesterday, I also I worked on removing the Turbo unit, off of the "parts" truck (first)
...but, ended up "breaking" a couple of the "mounting" bolts off, in the process

* These bolts are for mounting the Turbo to the exhaust manifold
...the (2) "inner" mounting bolts, go from the top down (as seen in the pic)
...& the (2) "outer" bolts, go from the bottom upwards (not shown)

There is also a front "support" mounting bolt that I was kinda worried about
...but, I got 'er out...without any issues

I quickly found out that this Turbo unit has (8) different connections
...(2) oil lines (in & out)
...(2) coolant lines (in & out)
...(2) air tubes (in & out)
...plus, where it mounts to the exhaust manifold
...& also, where the exhaust pipe connects
Wholy crap

So, after a couple of hours
...& with a bit of persistence...I got 'er off

After ALL (4) of the actual mounting bolts broke, I did some re-evaluation
...& decided to NOT attempt to remove the exhaust pipe bolts off (as they would potentially/probably break...too)

So, I devised a plan to just "wiggle" the whole unit out
...with the exhaust pipe still...intact
&
Now, I can easily "get to them" with some heat
...& try to get them bolts out (hopefully) in (1) piece

* Also, you can see (in the pic below) the (2) "up from the bottom" bolts, that broke off in the Turbo unit
...but, "luckily" there seems to be quite a bit of "stud" left to be able to "grab onto"
...& (hopefully) get 'em out (after heating)

 

[Functional Artist]

This is what the exhaust manifold/area (on the parts truck) looked like, when I took the Turbo unit off

I was expecting to just see a simple (probably metal) "gasket" in between the Turbo unit & the manifold
...but, this is what it looked like

Looks kinda wierd to me

 

[Denny]

Looks kinda carbon and coked up. I hope this goes good for you. I like diesels but they do have their shortcomings, as you found out.

 

[Denny]

Mission Control Houston to Apollo 13.
How is it going out there?

 

[Functional Artist]

Mission Control Houston to Apollo 13.
How is it going out there?

Hey Denny,

Well...for today's daily log/progress report

1.) With the help of some (actually a lot of) heat, I got the broken studs out of the "replacement" Turbo unit
...& got the (3) exhaust bolts off too
&
2.) I got the "damaged" Turbo unit off of "my" truck
But,
3.) Even with lots of heat, both of the Turbo mounting studs/bolts broke off, in the exhaust manifold on "my" truck
...& we needed them studs
So, currently...re-calculating...re-calculating...re-calculating (workin' on "Plan B")

 

[Denny]

Drill?

 

[Hellion]

Flippin’ excellent photo essay and teardown diagnosis, FA!
Rooting for continued perseverance and final success. Felt for certain it was a total loss.

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

Time is money my Friend, hoping for a speedy recovery. (See what I did there?)

 

[Denny]

Just checking in and hope all is going good.

 

[Master Hack]

Yeah! Update!
This is like a soap! The suspense is too much!
When is the next episode?
Seriously, l hope yer luck improves

 

[Functional Artist]

Hey Fellas,
Today's daily log/progress report

While "re-calculating" I remembered that there was another "parts" engine, in storage
...& that should have a "good" Turbo on it

It "was" in a non-running truck, that I bought years ago (just for the towing/flatbed, that was on the back)
...& it just happened to be an early 2000's Isuzu NPR w/a Diesel engine

* The cooling system on this truck had "frozen up"...somehow
...& this "freeze up" had "blew out" or cracked, the sides/water jackets on the block
...&/so, the engine was technically "good"
...but, it wasn't "actually" usable
...so, I saved it "for parts"

* Side note,
...my wife says I'm a HORDER
...& I always say "I may be ably to use this...sometime"

Well...HONEY...that time has come

On top is Turbo #3
...& the bottom Turbo is the "bad" or damaged Turbo, that I removed from/off of my truck

This time I left the Turbo, mounted on the manifold
...& am gonna just try-n-mount 'em together as a whole "unit"

This way we ain't gotta "deal with" them "problematic" Turbo to manifold bolts

Also, notice the ~2" tube coming off of the back of the manifold?

The bolts holding that tube to the manifold in my truck, also broke off
...so, this is another one of them...ain't gotta "deal with" them "problematic" manifold bolts situations

Now, I had to order a "manifold to head" gasket
...&/so, it's supposed to be here Monday

 

[Denny]

Nothing as good as having an ample parts stash! I’d still either drill or blow out with a torch those broken bolts though. You know, just in case one day. But I’m a worry wart.