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What Could Survive an (EMP) Electro Magnetic Pulse Bomb

10K views 32 replies 32 participants last post by  VegasJetta 
#1 ·
Watching the video below made me wonder, what cars would survive an EMP blast besides ones that are completely disconnected from a power source?

Edit: Mods, can you stick "Survive" in my title? I missed that one.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=389_1251668464
 
#4 ·
Re: (Air and water do mix)

Quote, originally posted by Air and water do mix »
Well, if it had any processors/microelectronics in critical areas, it's dead. My Beetle would require a return to points from it's hall switch electronic ignition, but that's putting it back the way it was!

Then, that means that....after a worldwide EMP war, Cuba would take over the world!

 
#7 ·
Wow.. crazy stuff.
 
#8 ·
Re: What Could Survive an (EMP) Electro Magnetic Pulse Bomb (chucchinchilla)

Quote, originally posted by chucchinchilla »
Watching the video below made me wonder, what cars would survive an EMP blast besides ones that are completely disconnected from a power source?

Edit: Mods, can you stick "Survive" in my title? I missed that one.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=389_1251668464

It wouldn't matter if they were connected to a power source. The circuits would fry via induction. They need to be in a hardened enclosure to survive an EMP.
 
#9 ·
Re: (HerrGolf)

Quote, originally posted by HerrGolf »
Any diesel engine with a mechanical injection pump... in the US, I think that'd include MkII and MkI diesels, among other late '70s and early '80s diesel cars.

Remembering the wonky workings of my old and busted '84 Rabbit Diesel, there's still a normally closed electrical solenoid that controls fuel flow through the mechanical diesel injection pump which is what actually shuts the engine off when the ignition is switched off. If power is cut to said solenoid, the engine dies.
In the off chance that that the solenoid windings get fried during an EMP blast, the engine will likely be locked into running all the time--or not at all.
 
#10 ·
Re: (Dextrobrick)

Quote, originally posted by Dextrobrick »

Remembering the wonky workings of my old and busted '84 Rabbit Diesel, there's still a normally closed electrical solenoid that controls fuel flow through the mechanical diesel injection pump which is what actually shuts the engine off when the ignition is switched off. If power is cut to said solenoid, the engine dies.
In the off chance that that the solenoid windings get fried during an EMP blast, the engine will likely be locked into running all the time--or not at all.

Easily repaired via a bypass... the car could still function with a bit of work.
 
#11 ·
Re: (Uberhare)

Quote, originally posted by Uberhare »
None unless hardened against EMP. And disconnecting the battery won't do anything to protect against the pulse. Every single electronic circuit will be fried if a EMP occurs within range.

Faraday cage? or something else is required to isolate something from an EMP?
 
#18 ·
Re: (nicoli)

There are plenty of Mil spec vehicles that could be brought to life with only minor modifications.
Air started, air controlled, mechanically injected diesel engines would be a no-brainer. Its a common set-up for petroleum transfer trucks. They wouldn't be affected at all. The gauges and lights would all be fried, but it would start and run like normal.
Similar setups with fuel shutoff solenoids (electronic) could easily be bypassed (<5min of work). Zipties or manual choke style cables would be all thats needed. I know, I've done it real-world.
Mechanically injected diesel engines with normal starters would be out of the game initially, but could be repaired quickly.
Anything with electronic injection would be out.
 
#19 ·
Re: (Crash6)

i've known so many paranoid old school gearheads that seriously believe that running a 1960's/70's carburated motor will let them get outta dodge while everyone else fries. all those guys have aftermarket ignition units like Accels.
 
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