Fairbanks 38D

[Michael Hopper]

We are, once again, gearing up for an attempt at a start-up on number one.  One of our former throttlemen asked if we had everything we need for hand cranking the engine.  This was news to us.  Not sure any of us realized there was a procedure for hand cranking one of those big boys.  Has anyone else ever heard of this being done?

Michael 

[emeacho]

The only hand-cranking that I am aware of is jacking.  The engine lube oil system must be run and the engine jacked using a handcrank in ERLL periodically to keep the crankshafts from bowing.  I am an ET, so a EN will have to give you specifics.

[Darrin]

Chief Mike is right on it as usual, please go and look for your 38 1/8D FM manuals, hopefully you have them onboard.. The reason why you have to hand crank the engines is due to the crankshaft warping like Chief Mike has brought up and he also brought up another good point is that the Lube Oil system needs to be running first so that the bearings do not lock up and spin on the crankshaft.

The procedure if I remember is in the manual under preservation/storage or it maybe in the maintenance section. The only reason why I know this is because I was lucky enough to borrow one of the Torsk's F/M manual a few years ago when I was trying to work on a restoration plan for her FER

Another thing to look at is that IF your engines havent ran in a few years you may want to check out your thermistors and the govenors and the overspeed/underspeed circuits and low oil pressure circuits amongst others.

Darrin