Hi,I have heard that on a big ship an engineer goes inside the clylinder of a ships engine to oil and inspect.

Question

Is this a fact or myth? My boss said he used to watch his grandfather do this in Muskegan Mich. Where can I find out more?? Thanks Jack W.

Answer 1

Yep. I have done many times. Dont really go in to oil unless changing out a piston, but do go in the inspect and take readings. Go into the crankcase as well.

Answer 2

He may have been referring to some of the reciprocating steam engines.  There were catwalks that you would travel to oil bearings while the engine was running.  They ran quite slowly, 50 to 90 rpm but it was amazing to be that close while it was turning.  Loved the old steam days.

Answer 3

Its a fact.

Check out this link, its one big engine!

http://people.bath.ac.uk/ccsshb/12cyl/

Answer 4

It is in fact... a fact.  Very true...

The standing crew's joke which every engineer hears before stepping into one of those big round cylinders is "that the last engineer to do that went stark raving crazy - trying to find a corner to pee in".    

The Wartsila-Sulzer RTA96-C (as one example) is a turbocharged two-stroke diesel engine acclaimed to be the most powerful and most efficient ship-mover in the world today. It is built in Japan. They have 6 through 14 cylinder versions, all are inline engines. These engines were designed for very large container ships.  The cylinder bore is just under 38″ in diameter and the stroke is just over 98″.

You can check it out your self and see pics at:

http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/tag/ch...

And... just for your information... (since I am a sternwheeler enthusiast, and in fact own one) Robert Fulton's sternwheeler "New Orleans" which launched in 1911 - was of course a "steam engine" powered vessel... it too, had a cylinder with a 36" diameter.

Answer 5

FACT