Downhill With A Dead Engine

With so many truckers out there struggling to maintain control of a truck with a working engine, one can truly appreciate this headline.

Without ever being in this situation, I would like to think that I could bring the tractor to a halt immediately following or during an engine shutdown situation by fully depressing the service brakes or setting the tractor and trailer brakes before gaining too much speed.

Otherwise, I would hit the ditch before gaining much speed.

 

#### hope driver is ok?

 

Hopefully he had a manual transmission because even a dead engine in gear will keep running the compressor.

 

All in all... I'd sayvhe did a pretty good job with what he was given. And at least when he did lay it over it was to the uphill side. Could have been alot worse had it layed over to the downhill side.

 

I was told if an automatic rolls in neutral with the engine off it severely damaged the transmission. I find that hard to believe that if the engine quits while you're driving, it immediately ruins the transmission. It seems like a poor design.

 

Big oof, that there is nightmare fuel. And while we dont know the full story, one gots to wonder why as soon as he lost power he didnt instantly lock it up and bring her to a stop. Or othetwise at least slow it to a point he could hit a ditch semi safely with minimal damage.....or just how fast he was going/how heavy he was thay he lost his brakes trying when the engine failed? Afterall unless your brakes are already hot, They will as a rule bring a truck to a stop or heavily slow it even on the steepest inclines once....at least if your going the posted speeds. Course if his brakes were already near overheat when the engine went, or he was going too fast for his load that indicates a totally diffrent issue....

Regardless given what we saw and could see he did about as good as could be expected in that situation. Only question on competince is what LEAD UP to that situation. The handleing OF he did about as good as could be expected. Hope he is alright.

 

The way it was explained to me was that there are some big beaeings in the transmission that are fed oil from an oil pump on the engine. If the transmission is turning but the engine is not, the pump doesnt provide the needed oil and it very quickly cooks those bearings.

 

That is true in automotive transmissions, although the oil pump is not on the engine, it's on the front of the transmission and requires the engine turning for the pump to turn. I don't know enough about Allison's to say if they are that way, but any of the automated manuals in big trucks, it's not an issue, as they're splash lubed.

 

I-shift, I-Mac. Junk if you move them.