Roll over this AM

hwcurtice · Jan 5, 2010

So, I'm driving to work and there's a car on it's top at the top of the hill from Bothell on 405.

What I thought was interesting about this was that the engine was still running! Shouldn't the car have shut off when it rolled? How I knew it was still running? Because of the thick smoke pouring out of the exhaust! So I was thinking, yep, the engine is upside down, so all the engine oil, instead of being in the pan, is now in the head, or at least the top of the cylinders. But still, how was the engine still running? All that oil should have killed the plugs, right?

It was funny, seeing the people just standing within about 5 feet of the car. No one was trying to crawl in and shut the thing off...

The things you see during a commute...

Not Jobless · Jan 5, 2010

Nope, doesn't seem abnormal, my 5.0 in the Jeep runs just fine upside down.

WHITE TRASH1 · Jan 5, 2010

If the pump can pick up fuel the engine doesn't give a rats what it's orientation is.

Once upon a time Oldgreen had a 2.5 cherocar he was thinking of making into a jeep speed rig. The engine was WASTED, basically NO compression, shot bearings etc. He dropped the fuel tank as it was getting a fuel cell anyway and decided to run the fuel system dry by letting the heep run till it died.

He started the rig and let it idle smoking as it ran, after a few minutes he was laughing and wondering how the rig was still running so he called a buddy telling him of the tale... The buddy immediately told him to shut it off.. Oldgreen was puzzled until it dawned on him that the rig was running on it's own oil and one good spark could seriously fawk up his house that is attached to the garage. :haha:

War-Jeeper · Jan 5, 2010

Puss-N-boots said:
Nope, doesn't seem abnormal, my 5.0 in the Jeep runs just fine upside down.

No wonder it wouldnt run at walker:fawkdancesmiley:It wasnt upside:haha:

JOOP · Jan 6, 2010

What kind of car was it?

hwcurtice · Jan 6, 2010

JOOP said:
What kind of car was it?

A greenish Sebring, I think. 2004 or so...

For sure a Chrysler product.

Glenn · Jan 6, 2010

It would seem that it should take time for the oil to seep past the piston rings. Shouldn't happen very quickly.

mxracer124 · Jan 6, 2010

Ya i drove past it on my way to work wondering what the hell was up...i HATE commuting down 405, luckly i'll be off that job site for awhile.

junkyard jim · Jan 9, 2010

My J4000 ran upside down till I crawled in and shut it off (actually, I yanked the door open rather than crawl back in)

86tuning · Jan 9, 2010

Glenn said:
It would seem that it should take time for the oil to seep past the piston rings. Shouldn't happen very quickly.

No, the oil sits in the head, then goes into the PCV/breather system via the valvecovers and directly into the intake, then gets burned. Hence the big billows of smoke.

Any car that goes shiny side down is an instant total loss. They won't be driving it again. However, after the wreckers buy it and sell the engine the next unlucky SOB that buys it will find that the bearings are shot.