Been told my turbo is passing oil into inter cooler pipes and if I don't get it sorted there is a risk of a diesel runaway situation happening - where oil in the intercooler feeds the engine, engine revs uncontrollably ruining on its own engine oil, clouds of smoke and engine death.

I realise this is worst case and mechanic didn't quantify likelihood, or amount of oil leaking through.

Question is, does anyone know of this ever happening when FL2 turbos fail like this.

Looking at 1300 - 1400 bill for new not refurbed garrett turbo fitting.

Someone more technical may know but I can't see how you would get oil into the turbo in the first place and surely that would wreck the turbo?

It's a possibility, albeit unlikely, but I've never heard of it happening to an FL2.

If it does happen you obviously need to shut down the engine asap, before it causes any damage. There are various ways you can do that, including:

* Use the stop/start button to turn off the engine. This not only shuts off the diesel fuel supply (reducing the total amount of fuel reaching the engine), it also closes the flap in the throttle body cutting off the engine's air supply. Without air the engine can't run.

* Stall the engine, by engaging the clutch with the car in a high gear and the foot brake hard on. (If the car is moving just bring it to a halt using the brakes, but don't disengage the clutch.)

* Block the engine air intake to cut off the air supply.

Obviously, if the car is moving at the time make sure you are safe before trying the above!

RichP wrote:

I can't see how you would get oil into the turbo in the first place

Video here of a Defender . But no reason why a Freelander should not do this too. Turbo seal blows, oil pump pushes oil into turbo, engine keeps going.
Slightly off the subject, if you turn a diesel over it will also keep running, but chances are the big ends will seize fairly soon due to lack of lube.
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I would want more between me and the defender than that caravan!

that looks scary  Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

This a Mercedes engined UPS vehicle suffering the same.

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More common cause is faulty injector allowing neat fuel to dilute engine oil and raise oil level too high. All FL2's (3) Gone
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1. Engine ECU, through the electric throttle, will prevent engine runaway. Of course, if the throttle system is functioning properly.
2. My opinion, if the turbo is functioning properly without strange sounds and if the oil level, in time, is not dropping too quickly, the oil in the pipes is from the PCV system and not from turbo. In that case, enjoy your car and forget about it.

There is also a vid of a freelander 1 self destructing in the same way.

Oh the symptoms that my mechanic saw were just oil seeping out of the pipe where it goes onto inter cooler. He knows his stuff I think being an independent LR specialist. He said he wasn't trying to freak me out but said worst case it could happen!

I have only ever heard of a FL 1 being a runaway due to bad service of the PCV filter.

RichP
the oil is supplied to the turbo bearings, once the bearings wear or of the turbo seals fail that's how oil passes either into the intake system or exhaust.

Once a turbo is leaking oil it only ever gets worse. if you drive gently then oil will just build up in the intercooler.
one big gulp and you can either hydraulic lock the engine, bend rods & crank or have a runaway.
More frequently caused by oil dilution and raised oil levels causing runaway. Yes they are real and yes it happens.

without seeing just how oily the inlet side is its difficult to judge, I normally remove an intercooler and drain it. if a puddle of oil comes out then its time for a turbo. Jaguar x-type sport gone
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Hi, I’m trying to find more info about diesel runaway on freelander2. Because I had a over speed condition on my FL2 2011. I believe it was my fault. I had this car as non runner not starting after investigation I found 2 leaky injectors. I got 2 used injectors and replaced them then the car started fine but was heavily smocking. After five minutes dpf warning on dashboard, I tried just to rev to 3000 to allow the engine to push the ash from dpf but suddenly the rev goes very high and goes over speed. I pushed stop button and maybe after 15 seconds car engine stopped. My mistake I didn’t change the oil before trying to start it as I’m sure there was too much diesel in oil because of the leaky injectors. Next day I checked visually every thing seems to be fin. I drain oil new oil and trying to start not starting. Cranking fine but not starting. Now I will remove the cylinder head to check for valve bouncing. But can’t find the cause for overspeed condition to occur. No oil in inter cooler throttle body and intake manifold are clean. Turbo no oil leak.I think it’s the crank case valve on the top of the engine. And suspect diesel rail pressure valve it might stuck close causing diesel pressure very high. I will follow with updates as tomorrow I will remove the cylinder head

Do a compression test, don't pull the head off for no reason, as the chances of valve damage is unlikely. The valves are designed to run at engine speed well above that of a diesel can reach, even if it's in a runaway condition. Hyundai Ioniq 5 Ultimate. The family car.
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