Return to TOC

ME265
Main Engine Fuel Pump Drive Roller Damage
Technical committee

Ship type Car carrier

Date of build May 1983, Imabari Shipyard
Navigation route Tramper
Trouble machinery
Category Main engine
Name Fuel pump drive roller
Type Main engine
KHI – MAN14V
Date of trouble September 21, 1994 (during voyage)

1. Outline of breakdown

During regular voyage under M0 operation, exhaust temperature differential alarm occurred for the
main engine A-bank No. 4 cylinder. Inspections revealed that the cam case cover was bent and LO
was leaking.
The main engine was immediately stopped, and an overhaul inspection of the cam case cover revealed
fuel cam clamping bolt fracture, drop off of the cam, and fuel pump drive roller cracking among others.

2. Causes

1) The surface of the roller had significant depressions (maximum about 50 µm,) and it surmised that
this resulted from excessive abrasion.
2) As the roller was broken in 3 places, it is surmised that a crack formed on the inside periphery of
the roller and induced fatigue fracture. From external observations, as deep abrasion marks can be
seen across the entire sliding surface, it is surmised that abrasion spread quickly and severely and
reduced the design life of the product.
3) Perhaps due to the slackening of the cam attachment bolt, or due to decrease in the cam fixation
strength from permanent elongation, an impact force was inflicted when the roller and cam came
in contact, causing scuffing to occur on the surface, and making the roller surface become rough
and damaged. As an excessive force was applied to the roller, a crack formed on the roller inner
surface, and this lead to fatigue fracture.

3. Repair

The forward and reverse cams were removed, and the bending of the cam case cover was repaired.
Although grinding off of the protrusions was carried out using an oil stone, restoration could not be
accomplished given the tools at hand. Operation was continued under one cylinder cut to the destina-
tion port and the faulty parts were replaced.
As countermeasures, regular and strict inspection of the cam was carried out, which included suffi-
cient LO management and avoidance of high load operation.

1
2