ENGINEMAN 1 & C
proper operating condition and to minimize the
occurrence of casualties caused by material
failure.
A comparatively minor engine malfunction,
if not recognized and remedied in its early stages,
might well develop into a major casualty. You and
your work center personnel must be able to
recognize the symptoms of any developing
malfunction by using your senses of sight,
hearing, smell, or even touch or feel
(heat/vibration).
Your personnel must be trained to pay
particular and continuous attention to the follow-
ing indicators of oncoming malfunctions:
1. Unusual noises
2. Vibrations
3. Abnormal temperatures
4. Abnormal pressures
5. Abnormal operating speeds
All operating personnel should thoroughly
familiarize themselves with the specific
temperatures, pressures, and operating speeds of
equipment that are required for normal operation,
so that any departure from the normal will
become more readily apparent.
If a gage, or other instrument for recording
operating conditions of machinery, gives an
abnormal reading, the cause of the malfunction
must be fully investigated. Normally the installa-
tion of a spare instrument, or a calibration test,
will quickly indicate whether the abnormal reading
is due to instrument error. Any other cause must
be traced to its source.
Because of the safety factor commonly incor-
porated in pumps and similar equipment, con-
siderable loss of capacity can occur before any
external evidence is apparent. Changes in the
operating speeds (from those normal for the
existing load) of pressure-governor-controlled
equipment should be viewed with suspicion. Most
variations from normal pressures, lubricating oil
temperatures, and system pressures indicate either
inefficient operation or poor condition of
machinery.
When a material failure occurs in any unit,
a prompt inspection should be made of all similar
units to determine whether there is any danger that
a similar failure might occur in other units. The
cause of the failure must also be determined and
corrected in order to avoid repeated failure of the
same or similar components. Prompt inspection
may eliminate a wave of repeated casualties.
Strict attention must be paid to the proper
lubrication of all equipment, including frequent
inspection and sampling to ensure that the cor-
rect quantity of the proper lubricant is in the unit.
It is good practice to make a daily check of
samples of lubricating oil in all auxiliaries. Such
samples should be allowed to stand long enough
for any water to settle. When auxiliaries have been
idle for several hours, particularly overnight, a
sufficient sample to remove all settled water
should be drained from the lowest part of the oil
sump. Replenishment with fresh oil to the nor-
mal level should be included in this routine.
The presence of saltwater in the oil can be
detected by drawing off the settled water by means
of a pipette and by running a standard chloride
test. A sample of sufficient size for the test can
be obtained by adding distilled water to the oil
sample, shaking it vigorously, and then allowing
the water to settle before draining off the test sam-
ple. Because of its corrosive effects, saltwater in
the lubricating oil is far more dangerous to a unit
than is an equal amount of freshwater. Saltwater
is particularly harmful to units containing oil-
lubricated ball bearings.
The information given so far relates to the
inspections that Enginemen make on operating
engines (either diesel or gasoline). Since the Navy
uses more diesel than gasoline engines the
remainder of this chapter will deal with diesel
engines and with the inspection and maintenance
procedures that are required by the planned
maintenance system (PMS) and the manufac-
turers technical manuals.
COMPRESSION AND FIRING
PRESSURES
Readings of the compression and firing
pressures must be taken every 200 hours for the
trend analysis graphs. They may also be taken at
other times when engine operating conditions
require additional monitoring such as when an
engine misfires, fires erratically, or when any one
cylinder misfires regularly. There can be many
reasons for an engine to misfire, some of these
are a clogged air cleaner/filter, an engaged fuel
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