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ME759

Generator Diesel Engine Piston Damage

Technical Committee

Type of ship Ferry

Date of completion Mar. 1996
Navigation route Domestic
Damaged machinery
Category Diesel generator
Name Piston
Type 6N280L-GN
Maker
Date of trouble Dec. 2012

1. Damage Description
The piston of the No.3 generator engines No.3 cylinder was withdrawn for periodical maintenance.
The engine was restored by installing the cylinder cover and piston that had already been prepared for
quick maintenance.
Subsequent dye penetrant test revealed a crack on the cooling oil side (Photos 1 and 2). The crack, however,
had not reached the fire side.Photo 3.
This generator engine had been overhauled during the dry docking in February in 2012, but dye penetrant
test had only been performed on the fire side and thus it is not clear when the crack developed.
During the dry docking in February, piston withdrawal was performed for all the cylinders, and the
maintenance work this time was done only on the No.3 cylinder after 3000 hours of operation (normally
after 8000 hours) to adjust the shipboard maintenance schedule.

2. Cause of Trouble
The manual does not specify how long the piston lasts. (It is generally said that it lasts 600,000 hours or 15
years.)
According to the manufacturer, this crack may have developed very slowly from a small blow hole at the
time of casting.
A large crack like the present one covering almost the entire circumference of the piston is difficult to
detect since there is little sign and the cooling oil side is blocked by the piston pin when the crankcase is
inspected.
Should the crack cover the entire circumference, a serious accident will occur, and thus, a thorough
inspection of the piston is necessary when the cylinder is overhauled.

-1-
The Marine Engineer.Nov,2013
 RETURN

Photo 1: Crack on piston cooling oil side

Photo 2: Crack enlarged

Photo 3: Piston fire side (no crack)

-2-
The Marine Engineer.Nov,2013