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ME473
Cylinder Cover Stud Bolt Fracture
Technical committee

Ship type Tanker

Date of build June 12, 1991
Navigation route Japan ~ PG
Trouble machinery
Category Main engine
Name Cylinder cover clamping stud bolts
Type Sulzer 8RTA84M
Maker DU
Date of trouble April 2003

1. Outline of breakdown

During voyage, a gas leakage was discovered from the cooling guide tube at the bottom of the main
engine No. 2 cylinder. The gas leak was judged to be due to failure of the cylinder cover soft iron
packing. The main engine was stopped and a cylinder cover overhaul inspection was carried out. An
oil pressure jack was attached, and loosening of the oil pressure nut was confirmed at the point where
100K oil pressure was applied. Furthermore, the stud bolt moved by about 10mm and it was found to
be broken.

2. Causes

As the screw was fractured in a conchoidal (shell shaped) pattern, the break is surmised to be fatigue
fracture.
Normally, a rubber ring is inserted into the internal thread of the stud bolt to prevent entry of water.
When this rubber ring was inspected, it was discovered to be hardened and its waterproofing effec-
tiveness had been nullified. Consequently, water infiltrated into the internal thread, rust formed at the
beginning of the screw thread and resulted in fatigue fracture.
Furthermore, the broken bolts were brought back to the maker for examination.
<Maker's opinion>
1) The broken surface showed signs of fatigue fracture extending from the root between the first and
second crests of the bolt screw.
2) The crack was extending from a singular direction, and the breaking load which was applied to
the imbedded part of the bolt indicated bending or repeated offset tension.
3) Rust was adhering to the fractured part of the screw surface and the initial crack surface was
fringed by conchoidal pattern red rust. Judging from its condition, it was surmised that the envi-
ronment in which the screw was situated at time of crack formation induced rust corrosion.
4) It is surmised that the fracture of the bolt originated from pitching (oxygen corrosion) on the
screw surface which then induced corrosion cracking or corrosion fatigue cracking.
5) As the rust corrosion was forming at the top of the imbedded part of the bolt at the 1st and 2nd
screw crests where tightening load is highest, it is surmised that this induced stress corrosion and
corrosion fatigue cracking at the part of maximum stress during engine operation.

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3. Repair

Special tools were manufactured during voyage with which the remains of the fractured bolt was re-
moved. After carrying out a collar check on the engine side internal thread and confirming the absence
of abnormalities, a new cylinder cover was affixed and stud bolts were attached.
After completing unloading on Japan, we pulled out to offshore and the following construction work
was carried out by the maker:
1) Ultrasonic examination of all cylinder cover stud bolts.
2) No. 2 cylinder cover overhaul and packing replacement
3) Engine side internal thread inspection
In the present case, as the stud bolt thread was fractured at an angle, the crests of the opposing inside
thread were broken. Although 5 crests were no longer usable, considering the number of thread crests
remaining, it was judged that there would be no strength problems so new cylinder cover stud bolts
were installed.
Furthermore, as for the water resistant treatment to the stud bolt internal thread, oil was removed, and
after thorough cleaning, silicon coating was applied.

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