RNLI Atlantic 85, Manual

Page: 112 / 122

112
Activity 11 - Unplanned Maintenance
B Class Atlantic 85 Manual – First Issue, June 2017
Activity 11 - Unplanned Maintenance
Defective spark plugs
If the arm of the spark plug has broken off completely or
is bent to the extent that it is touching the electrode, no
spark will occur and therefore the engine will not start.
Any defective spark plugs must be replaced. Ideally, if one
spark plug needs replacing, all should be replaced as a
matter of course.
Engine rough idling
If you find the engine is not running smoothly when idling,
there could be a number of reasons why for this. Some
things to consider are a:
• poor fuel supply
• blocked/water contamination in fuel filters
• fuel system leak
• defective spark plugs
• defective temperature sensor (the alarm will sound)
• loose battery leads.
Engine poor performance
Loss in power could be due to the engines’ in-built
protection system cutting in to prevent damage to the
engine due to a serious defect. Divisional Base must be
informed.
Other causes can include:
• Damaged propeller blade.
A damaged propeller will effect acceleration, increase
wear and tear and torsional vibration. Damaged of
this magnitude as shown above will require a propeller
replacement.
• Damaged gear box/skeg.
Damage to a skeg like this can lead to exposure of the
mechanical parts of the gear box which can leak gear box
oil. This would damage the integrity of the casing and
eventually the gear the box itself.