CAUTIONDo not add cold water to a hot engine whenit is not running.Rapid cooling of anoverheated engine will cause severe damage tothe cylinder head and block. To cool anoverheated engine down, leave the enginerunning and add water slowly. Watch for thesteam that may be produced when adding water.Should a radiator hose burst, secure the enginebefore the temperature gets too high.Oil Pressure GaugeThe oil pressure indicator is one of, if not, the mostimportant gauges to watch. Every vehicle or equipmenthas an oil pressure warning light or a gauge. Should youstart to lose oil pressure and the warning light comes on,secure the engine immediately. Operating equipmentwithout proper oil pressure causes severe damage to theengine.Check the oil level in the engine. If the oil levelis low, add oil until it is at the proper level. Start theengine; if oil pressure does not register on the gaugeor the light stays on for 30 seconds, secure the engine.Then document and report the problem.Should the oil level be correct and no pressureregisters on the gauge or the warning light stays on,secure the engine. Then document and report theproblem.NOTE: A rule of thumb is that after starting anengine, the oil pressure gauge should show 30 poundsof oil pressure after the engine runs for 30 seconds.Should the oil level be correct but no pressureregisters on the gauge, secure the engine. Thendocument and report the problem.Air Pressure GaugeThere is an air pressure gauge on each vehicleequipped with an air-brake system. The air pressuremust be maintained within a range of 100 pounds persquare inch (psi) to 120 psi. A warning light or buzzershould come on if the air pressure drops below 60 psi.If there is a rapid loss of air pressure, an air unit mayhave burst. A slow leak may sometimes be repaired bytightening a fitting.WARNINGDo not operate any equipment with airbrakes if there is an air leak.With the engine at operating rpm, the air pressuresystem should build from 85 to 100 psi within 45seconds in dual-air systems. In single-air systems(pre-1975), the pressure should build up from 50 to 90psi within 3 minutes.Hydraulic Pressure GaugeMost types of construction equipment areequipped with hydraulic pressure guages. Whenoperating this equipment, you must watch for leaks.Consult the operator’s manual for the pressure atwhich the equipment should be operated. Should thepressure not reach the operating range or should youdetect a leak, be sure to document and report either orboth.Hydraulic Temperature GaugeMost types of construction equipment are alsoequipped with hydraulic temperature gauges. In mostcases, if the hydraulic temperature exceeds therecommended temperature, it is because the fluidlevel is 100 low.Should the fluid level be correct and theequipment overheats, you are overworking thehydraulic system. Stop your machine and check thehydraulic fluid level.Be careful because thehydraulic fluid is hot and the hydraulic system maybe pressurized. If the fluid level is normal, let themachine sit at idle to cool the hydraulics.Fuel Level GaugeWhen prestart inspecting a piece of equipment,you should visually check the fuel. During the day,watch the fuel gauge to ensure it shows a slowdepletion of fuel. Should the fuel gauge not movein a reasonable amount of time, assume the fuelgauge is broken.In this case, check the fuelvisually from time to time to ensure that you do notrun out of fuel.HYDRAULIC SYSTEMSHydraulic systems on equipment are used totransmit power for steering and controlling the operationof mechanical components. The basic components of a4-7
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