I was watching a video on Dunkirk and was told that soldiers would run truck engines dry to cause them seize and rendering them useless to the Germans. What is an engine seize? Can those engines be salvaged? Or would the Germans in this scenario know it’s hopeless and scrap the engine completely?
In: Technology
Running an engine dry (of oil) causes moving parts to overheat, warp and bind (seize). Essentially the crankshaft no longer turns. It is sometimes possible to recover but it requires a LOT of work, replacement parts and a good workshop – it isn’t something that can be done in the field so it renders a vehicle stuck on the road useless.
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