The sump covers the bottom of the engine block and holds oil that is not circulating around the engine . There were also leaks coming from the rear flywheel housing , which is bolted onto the engine early during production and so is difficult to access once the engine is put into the containerised genset .
The FFR sites use generators produced by various OEMs . This means that the company would need to invest in various software licenses , training , cabling kits and other equipment to confidently service every type of machine . Together , these costs could add up to tens of thousands of pounds . Recruiting engineers that specialise in a particular model of engine would have been another false economy because of the wide range of engines that the service team are required to work with .
Many of the company ’ s generators are stored on remote sites that are not regularly monitored — if the leaks were left unattended , they could cause ground contamination at the facility . The engines would shut themselves down due to low oil pressure and the customer could lose money because the machines are unable to provide supplementary loads . Tariffs are also stringent and the client or energy company could be penalised if the FFR sites were unable to deliver the necessary power .
The company first approached Perkins , the engine manufacturer , who sent an engineer to the site . Perkins liaised with the generator OEM and both concluded that the repairs would be difficult while the genset was containerised . Eventually , the OEM contacted DiPerk because of its knowledge of Perkins engines and experience in generator maintenance . DiPerk began working on the repairs in late August 2020 and the project is still ongoing .
A PARTICULAR SET OF SKILLS
Space was the main barrier — there were only a couple of inches under each engine , where the sump is located . To overcome this limitation , DiPerk unmounted the engines and used a pair of air jacks to lift them up . After securing the engines on taller mounts , its engineers could change the sub gaskets while the machine was still inside the container . It has since repaired six engines on one site and three from another .
Both the OEM and the generator installation and maintenance company wanted to avoid removing the gensets from their containers , because this would require hiring expensive cranes , transporters and low loaders . Transportation would also be difficult — roads would need to be closed if the generators had to be removed and delivered to a specialist facility . By using air jacks , DiPerk could fix the leaks inside the container , causing minimal disruption .
EVERYONE ’ S A WINNER
Because DiPerk is carrying out the sump repairs , the generator company can instead focus on routine maintenance , including daily checks , oil and filter changes . Therefore , it has more time and its in-house engineers can play to their strengths , while continuing to deliver the best possible service for customers .
Because generator servicing companies work with various OEM machines , every project is different . DiPerk is a Perkins specialist and will partner with the company to diagnose and fix complex issues that engineers may not have encountered before . This means it can supplement the skills of in-house teams , who can benefit from having this specialist knowledge onboard .
Like a heptathlete , many engineers have a broad skill set . When the need arises , be it for a javelin coach or a Perkins engine repair , sometimes , nothing can beat a specialist ’ s eye .
Looking to work directly with a Perkins specialist ? DiPerk can act as a generator servicing partner and will work closely with you to maintain your Perkins engines .
For further information , please visit / www . diperk . com /
Issue 52 PECM 15