Regular
engine maintenance is very important to prolong the service life of a diesel
generator. In this article, we mainly introduce the seasonal maintenance checks
of Cummins generator.
Clean Cooling System (Autumn)
The cooling system must be clean
to do its work properly. Scale in the system slows down heat absorption from
water jackets and heat rejection from the radiator. Use clean water that will
not clog any of the hundreds of small passages in the radiator or water
passages in the block. Clean the radiator cores, heater cores, oil cooler and
block passages that have become clogged with scale and sediment by chemical
cleaning, neutralizing and flushing.
Chemical cleaning
If rust and scale have collected,
the system must be chemically cleaned. Use a good cooling system cleaner and
follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Pressure Flushing
When pressure flushing the
radiator, open the upper and lower hose connections and screw the radiator cap
on tight. Use the hose connection on both the upper and lower connections to
make the operation easier. Attach a flushing gun nozzle to the lower hose
connection and let water run until the radiator is full. When full, apply air
pressure gradually to avoid damage to the core. Shut off the air and allow the
radiator to refill; then apply air pressure. Repeat until the water coming from
the radiator is clean.
Caution: Do not use excessive air
pressure while starting the water flow. This could split or damage the radiator
core.
Sediment and dirt settle into
pockets in the block as well as the radiator core. Remove the thermostats from
the housing and flush the block with water. Partially restrict the lower
opening until the block fills. Apply air pressure and force water from the
lower opening. Repeat the process until the stream of water coming from the
block is clean.
Replace Hose (As Required)
Inspect the oil filter and
cooling system hose and hose connections for leaks and/or deterioration.
Particles of deteriorated hose can be carried through the cooling system or
lubricating system and restrict or clog small passages, especially radiator
core, and lubricating oil cooler, and partially stop circulation. Replace as
necessary.
Check Shutterstats and Thermatic
Fans (Fall)
Shutterstats and thermatic fans
must be set to operate in the same range as the thermostat with which they are
used. Table 2-8 gives the settings for shutterstats and thermatic fans as
normally used. The 180 to 195°F [82 to 91°C] thermostats are used only with
shutterstats that are set to close at 187°F [86°C] and open at 195°F [91°C].
Check Thermostats and Seals
(Fall)
Remove the thermostats from the
thermostats housings and check for proper opening and closing temperature.
Most Cummins Engines are equipped
with either medium 170 to 185°F[77 to 85°
C] or low 160 to 175°F [71 to 79°C] and in a few cases high-range 180 to
195°F[82 to 91°C] thermostats, depending on engine application.
Steam Clean Engine (Spring)
Steam is the most satisfactory
method of cleaning a dirty engine or piece of equipment. If steam is not
available, use an approved solvent to wash the engine.
All electrical components and
wiring should be protected from the full force of the cleaner spray nozzle.
Checking Mounting (Spring)
Tighten Mounting Bolts and Nuts
(As Required)
Engine mounting bolts will
occasionally work loose and cause the engine supports and brackets to wear
rapidly. Tighten all mounting bolts or nuts and replace any broken or lost
bolts or capscrews.
Torque Turbocharger Mounting Nuts
(As Required)
Torque all turbocharger mounting
capscrews and nuts to be sure that they are holding security. Torque the
mounting bolts and supports so that vibration will be at a minimum. Fig.2-24.
Check Fan and Drive Pulley
Mounting (Spring)
Check the fan to be sure it is
securely mounted; tighten the capscrews as necessary. Check the fan for wobble
or bent blades.
Check the fan hub and crankshaft
drive pulley to be sure they are securely mounted. Check the fan hub pulley for
looseness or wobble; if necessary, remove the fan pilot hub and tighten the
shaft nut. Tighten the fan bracket capscrews.
Check Crankshaft End Clearance (Spring)
The crankshaft of a new or newly
rebulit engine must have end clearance as listed in Table 2-9. A worn engine
must not be operated with more than the worn limit end clearance shown in the
same table. If the engine is disassembled for repair, install new thrust rings.
Caution: Do not pry against the
outer damper ring.
The check can be made by
attaching an indicator to rest against the damper or pulley, while prying
against the front cover and inner part of the pulley or damper. End clearance
must be present with the engine mounted in the unit and assembled to the transmission
or converter.
Check Heat Exchange Zinc Plugs
(Spring)
Check the zinc plugs in the heat
exchanger and change if they are badly eroded. Frequency of change depends upon
the chemical reaction of raw water circulated through the heat exchanger.
We supply multiple brand of diesel generator sets such as Cummins, Perkins, Volvo, Deutz, Ricardo, Doosan Daewoo, Yuchai, Shanchai, Weichai, Wuxi, etc.
The genset style is varied, such as silent type, trailer type, portable type and so on.
Contact us at: sales@dieselgeneratortech.com
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