Charlie, one of our project engineers was carrying out routine servicing recently and found himself discussing the checks and test runs carried out by the site engineers.
During those conversations, it became clear that they hadn’t been taking readings from the fuel rack indicator and when he dug into it further, it was apparent that they were unaware of what this was or where it was located.
Now, in this case – on the MTU 396 engine in question – it is quite well hidden so if you didn’t know about it, it’s no surprise for it to stay that way.
And in case you ever experience the same issue, I’ll just explain that it’s in the ‘V’ of the engine, under the silver transducers you can see in the picture below – if you don’t know where it is on your engine, whatever the make or model, just let us know.
When should you be reading your fuel rack indicators?
Fuel Rack Indicators should be read along with the other usual routine data – like pressure and temperature – and recorded during your test runs.
Connected to the fuel pump racks, these indicators tell you how much fuel the pumps are using for the engine to run at the required speed.
There is no OEM spec for what the reading should be – they’re based on engine operation – so it’s vital to record these often so you can set a baseline for your particular setup.
For example, if you consistently monitor your engine when running at a certain load and speed and the reading is 10, you know that when doing test runs, if the reading is above 10, but the engine is at the same speed and load – something has changed – your engine is using more fuel to produce the same power.
It could be something as simple as servicing required, or it could be a developing problem.
With this vital information, you can quickly spot when there’s an issue with the equipment the engine is driving, especially if your engine does not have any exhaust temperature probes fitted.
It’s also really helpful if you cannot easily access the equipment the engine is driving – a remote fire pump for instance.
These fuel rack indicators are often on the governor but can sometimes be on the fuel pump.
Do you monitor yours? Do you know if your engine has one or where it is located?
If you would like any advice on where to find the Fuel Rack Indicator on your engine or require an investigation after a change in readings, get in touch, we’d be happy to help.
