Diesel hazard

[Thunderchild]

I was chatting with one of my work mates and we were discussing my Ranger work ute. He mentioned that a friend of his is a member of a Pajero club and that they had lost four members who were all killed investigating fuel problems with their diesels and had released the pressure on the common rail which he tells me is at about 2700lbs pressure and died instantly. I was wondering if is correct as I had never heard of this before.

Glenn

[LS2 KLR]

This is a very real possibility, and I'm sure people have died from tinkering where they shouldn't. If pressure is released from the common rail first there will not be a problem.

[madmelon]

Yes, even with a small volume of liquid, when ejected with a pressure like that it can cut straight through you. Also, the (somewhat older) practice of purging diesel rails/lines by cracking a fitting is a massive no-no as once the seepage starts at that pressure, it wont stop. Like a water jet cutter through anything in its path...

[XR Martin]

I doubt the death bit, but people may have lost fingers or had deep cuts on the hands.

[jpd80]

Even more probable is the injection of fluid into limbs, body and face, think about that..
this is a real possibility with hydraulic hoses in industry, the practice of running your hands
over operating hydraulic hoses to feel for leaks is strongly discouraged for obvious reasons...

[vztrt]

Newer diesels are getting higher and higher pressures (needed to get emission standards), now its to the point were the manufacturer recommends changing the fuel lines after the pressure has been released. So it could happen, but I've never heard of death.

[wrongwaynorris]

Seriously doubt the death bit but injuries yes . Try working on a Caterpillar Acert engine , injection pressures of 23,000 PSI , NO thats not a typo Twenty Three Thousand PSI .

http://www.cat.com/technology/acert-technology

[Windsor220]

What were they doing releasing the pressure in the rail while the engine was running anyway?

[fmc351]

I used to hydroblast at 13,000 psi, I saw what that did to railway sleepers the pipes and pipe bundles sat on. I remember one guy lost his thumb to a 1mm pin nozzle at the same psi. A major medical problem was as has been already mentioned, the ingress of fluid under the skin layer.

[burnz]

Originally Posted by Thunderchild

I was chatting with one of my work mates and we were discussing my Ranger work ute. He mentioned that a friend of his is a member of a Pajero club and that they had lost four members who were all killed investigating fuel problems with their diesels and had released the pressure on the common rail which he tells me is at about 2700lbs pressure and died instantly. I was wondering if is correct as I had never heard of this before.

Glenn

as other posts have stated 28,000 psi is the norm..

and iv'e normally us a farley water jet to cut any object, that said i wouldn't supprise me if a fatality occured playing with diesel fuel lines..
the effective cutting range on human tissue is around 350mm distance, a jet of diesel fired at the head, heart, lungs of even arm entering the blood stream may prove fatal..

[FPV GT]

High Pressure Injection (HPI) Injury can indeed be fatal. However most of these injuries are restricted to the hands, and in some cases intially the patient is not even aware that a HPI has occurred.
Usually the injury looks very innocent, however it is damage to the tissues underneath the skin, and possible toxicity of the injected medium that cause the issues.
It has been reported that HPI injuries have travelled along the natural lines of the bodies internal structures reeking damage as it goes, causing mass trauma.

About two years ago in Port Kembla NSW, a man suffered a fatal laceration to the chest after an accident with a water blaster.

Regards
Paul

[ltd]

It is very real. Not just the cutting from the fluid jet, but diesel poisoning (diesel fuel in bloodstream) alone is enough to kill someone.

[Mad Maxine]

And slightly off topic, but only just: this is why you should never use a compressed air hose to blow paint or dust off yourself - you can force the contaminant into your skin. I used to see spray painters do this all the time in the bad old days, not so much now, so many of you probably already know this.

[wrongwaynorris]

Originally Posted by Mad Maxine

And slightly off topic, but only just: this is why you should never use a compressed air hose to blow paint or dust off yourself - you can force the contaminant into your skin. I used to see spray painters do this all the time in the bad old days, not so much now, so many of you probably already know this.

Actually more to do with creating an embolism , air under extreme pressure will permeate skin , get enough of it and you can form an embolism which if big enough will stall your heart when it reaches it .

[barra265t]

Originally Posted by wrongwaynorris

Actually more to do with creating an embolism , air under extreme pressure will permeate skin , get enough of it and you can form an embolism which if big enough will stall your heart when it reaches it .

Man, this is scary. So a water pistol can technically be a deadly weapon . Gee it sucks to be human.

[fmc351]

Originally Posted by barra265t

Man, this is scary. So a water pistol can technically be a deadly weapon . Gee it sucks to be human.

Id think it would need some significant PSI.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Mad Maxine

And slightly off topic, but only just: this is why you should never use a compressed air hose to blow paint or dust off yourself - you can force the contaminant into your skin. I used to see spray painters do this all the time in the bad old days, not so much now, so many of you probably already know this.

I've seen that done many times at work, but it seems to be the older guys who do it.

[CAMS290]

Originally Posted by wrongwaynorris

Seriously doubt the death bit but injuries yes . Try working on a Caterpillar Acert engine , injection pressures of 23,000 PSI , NO thats not a typo Twenty Three Thousand PSI .

http://www.cat.com/technology/acert-technology

And what a pile of crap they are too, nearly sent a mate of mine broke.
Piston rings in upside down from the factory, required engine rebuild.

Cat had to disconnect and by pass some electronic thingo so it would get better than 1.6kpl on B double work.

Cat shot themselves in the foot with that motor, almost as bad as the half assed 3406c back in the early 90's,

[Danny]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

I've seen that done many times at work, but it seems to be the older guys who do it.

Nope I do it a lot, so I don't get dust in the car.

[nb_351]

doing the plant mechanics course at tafe, being mainly hydraulics we get told many a story...
one was a guy who ws a firefighter, went out to an accident, got a pinhead size skin puncture using the jaws of life... ended up needing amputation of several limbs due to mieral oil being used and spreading through his whole body, causing massive reactions and severe infections, requiring amputation... not good...

[nb_351]

Originally Posted by CAMS290

And what a pile of crap they are too, nearly sent a mate of mine broke.
Piston rings in upside down from the factory, required engine rebuild.

Cat had to disconnect and by pass some electronic thingo so it would get better than 1.6kpl on B double work.

Cat shot themselves in the foot with that motor, almost as bad as the half assed 3406c back in the early 90's,

too true mate, most of our freighliners at work run the cats, and theyre rubbish... suit the rest of the truck mind you hahaha
but yeah theres always issues, blown this leaking that...
i always on breakdown calls for them lol

[dad25]

Originally Posted by ltd

It is very real. Not just the cutting from the fluid jet, but diesel poisoning (diesel fuel in bloodstream) alone is enough to kill someone.

This is very true, diesel is a strong poison,a few week's ago in Adelaide
a guy die'd from swallowing diesel thru sigphonig it , Also any oxygen bubble
injected into your'e blood stream can be fatal thats why medics remove
all air from a syringe before injecting you,its also not a good idea to blow
compressed air directly onto your'e skin,any cuts can potentally let oxygen
into the blood stream.

[music189]

I was doing some training on a Hyundai i30 diesel a while back and with the scan tool conected we saw 198 k kpa on the scan tool while monitoring the live data that equals 28000 psi !!!!! no its not a misprint!!!

so dont open any of those high pressure lines, fiestsa,mondeo,and up coming Territory diesel will all have similar pressure to that

[barra265t]

Originally Posted by fmc351

Id think it would need some significant PSI.

Isn't a simple fuel pump in let's say a compact diesel powered car quiet, small and runs on 12v and can hit around 28,000 PSI?

[kpcart]

Originally Posted by barra265t

Isn't a simple fuel pump in let's say a compact diesel powered car quiet, small and runs on 12v and can hit around 28,000 PSI?

smart reply, i want to see replies to this. is 28,000 PSI deadly? lets find out...

[fmc351]

Originally Posted by barra265t

Isn't a simple fuel pump in let's say a compact diesel powered car quiet, small and runs on 12v and can hit around 28,000 PSI?

You mentioned a water pistol. Im not aware of any such water pistol.

[barra265t]

Originally Posted by fmc351

You mentioned a water pistol. Im not aware of any such water pistol.

Haha, maybe not exactly a pistol.. hmm a water bazooka or water turret?

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by barra265t

Isn't a simple fuel pump in let's say a compact diesel powered car quiet, small and runs on 12v and can hit around 28,000 PSI?

I know with the CAT engines that the PSI isn't increased till it gets to the engine. From the tank the pressures are quite normal.