Abstract: A safety arrangement for diesel engines to respond to an abnormal change of the ratio of the useful torque delivered by the diesel engine and the fuel quantity per power stroke. The latter is defined by the position of control rod of the injection pump. A transducer converts the control rod displacement into a mechanical or electrical control variable which is at least approximately proportional to the fuel quantity per power stroke. The control rod displacement is converted by a crank drive into a rotation of a correcting element, and the ratio of connecting rod length to crank radius is in the range between 6:1 and 8:1. The rotation angle of the correcting element is less than 90.degree. in the range between zero and full useful torque. The rotation angle range on either side of the crank position is 90.degree.. An electrical control variable may be generated by a transducer which is free of contacts and supplies a direct current signal proportional to the rotation angle of the correcting element.