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ME224
Main Engine Piston, Cylinder Liner Damage from Blow By
Technical committee

Ship type Tanker

Date of build February 1980 at IHI Hanyu factory
Navigation route Tramper (North America ~ Central and South America)
Trouble machinery
Category Main engine
Name Main engine piston, cylinder liner
Type IHI S.E.M.T PIELSTICK 12PC4V
Date of trouble April 29, 1992 at round 06:30 during voyage

1. Breakdown outline

After departing from overseas A port and while sailing toward B port, a main engine oil mist high
alarm sounded. Immediately afterward, the engine room fire alarm was issued (during M0 watch,) the
main engine slowed down, and the lubrication oil pressure dropped. Emergency stop of the main en-
gine was executed.
Upon immediately rushing to the engine room to check the site, the area could be seen filled with
white smoke. Inspection of each part was carried out after the smoke cleared. Due to emission from
the crankcase attached safety valve, the port side of the main engine floor was splattered with oil and
the oil mist monitor had stopped at the No. 2 cylinder point.
When the inside of the crankcase was inspected, severe scuffing was discovered on the inside of the
No. 2 cylinder liner and the surface had become extremely rough. Severe scuffing was found on the
skirt of the piston, and the piston pin metal had also incurred burn damage and adhesion. During cool-
ing of the main engine, an overhaul inspection was carried out on the LO second filter, LO pump filter
where sludge and large amounts of iron powder were discovered.

2. Causes

This damage was surmised to have originated from blow by due to insufficient combustion. After re-
moving the No. 2 piston and inspecting each part, damage was discovered to the oil scrapped ring. The
tight ring was broken or was sticking and resulted in further damaging the piston and liner.
As this vessel frequently makes sail along North American rivers, and as it has little underwater clear-
ance, the vessel often has no alternative but sail under torque rich operations. Furthermore, it is sur-
mised that as refueling using off-quality oil continued, this lead to the build up of combustion products
and lead to oil film tearing associated with poor combustion.

3. Repair

1) Piston and piston ring

2) Connecting rod (due to burn damage to the piston pin, the rod in use could no longer be used)
3) Liner
4) Main engine system LO (as the LO second filter blocks up, all oil were replaced to new oil)
The above items were replaced.

1
After repairing, in dealing with torque-rich operation, the CPP blade angle was decreased and opera-
tion recommenced.

Fig. 1 Main engine piston and cylinder liner damage drawing