Minecraft – Can BuildCraft’s Redstone Engines Explode in Minecraft Java Edition?

Instead of attaching the engines directly to the quarry, use conductive pipes to pipe engine energy into the quarry. I have a VERY nice setup using plain steam engines powered by coal from a self feeding glowstone dust generating system using equivalent exchange.

You put a wooden conductive pipe above the steam engine with the engine pointed up, then use stone conductive (or gold) pipes to pipe the energy into the quarry. By piping the energy off the engines, you will never run the risk of them overheating if you're using steam engines, and if your combustion engines have water then they'll be fine too.

The confusion lies in the fact that there are two different types of power a block can emit. These are sometimes referred to as strong and weak power.

Weak power is given to a block under the conditions mentioned in the question, by having wire on top of the block or pointing into it. This will unpower torches, extend pistons, play note blocks and turn on lamps & repeaters.

Strong power is given to a block by having a lever on it, a torch underneath it or a repeater pointing into it. In addition to the abilities weak power has, it will also power redstone dust in an adjacent block.