Modern diesels running without battery?

[Rock Trol]

I have a question regarding modern day diesels. When ever I read a petrol vs diesel discussion (not saying on this forum) one of the diesel pro's is that if you are out in the bush and your battery dies, you can get it started (tow or jump start) and the engine will run without electricity to get you out of trouble. I don't think this would work with a CRD as they need the ECU to run the system and tell the injectors when to fire. CRD injectors also require an electric current to open so can't see that working at all.
What about non CRD modern diesel's like the earlier Di ZD30's?

I am just wondering if the info I am reading is just stuff posted a decade ago or if people are still thinking that diesels are somehow a simple motor that just runs if there is fuel and air?

[the evil twin]

Best of luck with any ZD30
The stuff you are reading is probably 20 years old or more

You could get a TD42 going... they are 30 years old
You would need a few things going your way and a bit of Mcgivering tho

[happygu]

Another reason for dual batteries .......

[Rock Trol]

That's what I thought.
Quite often this comes up in car reviews etc where they are talking about modern 4wd's and which option to chose. I read it again today on the Tough Toys web site that was giving advice between the two fuels.

[4bye4]

I don't think you could start any of these motor without a battery, as there are very few motors now that don't have some sort of engine management requiring electricity. I recon you would be looking a pre 70's vintage at least before you could find a motor that would push or tow start. Even then you would have to tow or push fast enough to get enough volts to spin the alternator enough to operate the fuel shutoff solenoid.
I guess if you could tow fast enough to get the alternator to provide enough to operate the ECU you may get it going theoretically, but I think I'll make sure I have a second battery and jumper leads when I'm off the main drag. Incidentally, the Di ZD 30's still have an ECU.

[the evil twin]

... and an Electronic Control Injection Pump and a MAF, Crank position, Boost sensors and an Electronic Throttle.

Any diesel with a mechanical pump all you need is to bypass the fuel shutoff and away she will go.
TD42 pre NATS would be harder but possible I guess.
The TD42T in the GU's you need to get past the NATS coded solenoid inside the Injection Pump... best of luck with that

[BigRAWesty]

Yep. Td42, easy. Once it's running, it's running.
Tb42 carby?? Possible but would still need the alternator producing some sort of charge for the spark plugs.

Efi, crd etc forget it. Just to much power needed.

[taslucas]

I guess there's a difference between a flat battery and no battery at all. If it's flat it may only need a tiny bit more help in the form of roll starting to help it. It may nearly have enough power to work the electrics but just not enough to crank the engine over. Also if a battery is real low and/or stuffed it will try to gobble up any electricity in the system