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ME761
Main Engine Fuel Injection Valve Damage
Technical Committee
Type of Ship PCC
Date of Completion 2010
Navigation route Atlantic
Damaged machinery
Category Main Engine
Name Fuel Injection valve
Type MAN B&W 7S60 ME-C
Maker KHI
Date of trouble July,2012

1. Damage Description
While the ship was underway, a duty engineer noticed that gas was leaking from the forward fuel injection
valve of the No.7 cylinder. The engine was stopped immediately and this injection valve was removed. It
was found that the atomizer end part of the fuel injection valve was damaged.

2. Damage Condition
The fuel injection valve holder tip was severely damaged and detached. The injection valve was replaced
with a spare one and the ship resumed her voyage. The damaged injection valve was shipped to the
manufacturer to identify the cause of the damage.
A circumferential crack had developed all around the injection valve at the position about 7 9 mm from
the end of the injection valve holder. A longitudinal crack was also found. (See Photo. 1)
At the root end of the fuel injection valve holder, a small dent was found that may have been caused by a
pin making contact. This was located at about 45 degrees off the position where the pin should be. (See
Photo. 2)
The positioning pin was crushed flat on the fuel injection valve flange for fixing the fuel injection valve
hold.
In addition to the longitudinal large crack, two secondary cracks were found on the seating surface of the
injection valve tip. They started from the inner surface that the penetrating atomizer touches, and they both
ran in the longitudinal direction. (See Photo. 3)
On the fracture surface of the circumferential crack were found shell-shape beach marks that originated
from the longitudinal crack, indicating that the crack originated from the longitudinal crack and developed
along the perimeter. (See Photo. 4)
Although the fracture surface of the longitudinal crack was somewhat damaged, it was nonetheless possible
to identify the beach marks originating from the inner surface where the atomizer touches.
Since there were striations on the circumferential crack advancing from the longitudinal crack along the
perimeter and dimples were found at the opposite end of the longitudinal crack, it appears that the fatigue
crack propagated in two directions along the perimeter and met at the opposite end, at which point the tip of
the injection holder was broken off rapidly.

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3. Cause of Trouble
The fuel injection valve holder had been installed with the positioning pin at a wrong position, which tilted
the whole injection valve holder. This may well have caused the fuel atomizer to be firmly pressed against
the injection valve holders inner surface. The repeated bending stress from the engine vibration acted
upon the injection valve holder and created a longitudinal crack, which further propagated horizontally in
two directions along the perimeter and eventually met at the opposite end, leading to the breaking off of the
injection holder tip.

4. Countermeasures
Engine Technical Information was sent to all ships to emphasize the importance of following instruction
manuals. They were also reminded that positioning pins must be properly aligned and placed in their holes.

(1) Entire View (2) Enlarged View of the Damaged Part

(With Broken Tip in Place)

Photo1: Damaged Fuel Injection Holder

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Fuel Injector Holder End(View line a-a) Holder Side Inner Surface(View line b-b)

Pin Dent(Enlarged) Positioning Pin(Enlarged)

(1) Fuel Injector Holder End (2) Damaged Fuel Injector Flange Pin

Photo 2: Fuel Injector Holder and Positioning Pin

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(1) View Line A-A (2) View Line B-B

(Cylinder Cover Side Seating Surface) (Body Side Fracture Surface)

Photo 3: Fuel Injector Holder, Holder Tip Seating Surface and Holder Body Fracture Surface

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(1) Circumferential Crack Fracture Surface (2) Longitudinal Crack Fracture Surface
(Broken Tip, View line C-C) (View Line D-D of (1))

[Macro-view of the circumferential [Macro-view of the Longitudinal

Crack Fracture Surface] Crack Fracture Surface]

Photo 4: Macro-view of the Crack Fracture Surface of Fuel Injection Valve Holder

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The Marine Engineer.Dec.2013