Tell tale signs

By :-
S.K.Sethiya, DyCME (D)
IRSME,
West Central
Railway,Jabalpur
 TELL TALE SIGNS
•The symptoms of an existing abnormality or
defect in a component or a system.

•The equipment/ component exhibits its

distress & never fails instantaneously,
without giving any distress signals.

• If these distress signals could be identified,

understood and due attention is paid,then
failure rate could be brought down.
 TELL TALE SIGNS
• Indicators like gauges,meters, alarm gongs ,
LED display panel etc have already been
provided in locomotives for monitoring the
condition of the various systems of the
locomotives.
• Apart from above there are certain signs/
symptoms which could be observed during
running/testing of locos during maintenance
schedules, by interpretation of which defects
/faults with subassembly/systems could be
known.
• TELL TALE SIGNS can be understood by
our eyes, ears, nose, and by feeling with our
hands.
 OBJECTIVES
It helps in :-
• Predictive maintenance
• Controlling failures
• Reliability of locomotives
 Tell Tale Signs
Classified into four Categories :-
• VISUAL
• AUDIO
• TOUCH /FEEL
• SMELL
MECHANICAL

ELECTRICAL
 MECHANICAL

POWER PACK

EXPRESSOR

UNDER TRUCK
 POWER PACK

•BY VISUAL INSPECTION :-

1.Black Smoke from chimney
2.Bluish white Smoke from chimney.
3.White Smoke from chimney.
4.Water coming from tell tale hole of Water
pump.
5. Water coming from after cooler tell tale
hole.
6. C/Case Examination
 POWER PACK

BY VISUAL INSPECTION
7.Pink marks on water cooling system joints
8. Water is coming from Cylinder head leak off pipe.
9. Smoke from Cylinder head leak off pipe.
10. Oil throw from CC exhaust
11.Intermittent smoke from engine exhaust
12.Lube oil mixed in cooling water
13. Radiator compartment Oily
14. Copper particles near ECC drum
15. Oil throwing TSC chimney
 POWER PACK

BY VISUAL INSPECTION
16.Hyd.motor Indicator of Moatti filter

BY AUDIO/HEARING
1. Unusual sound from Cylinder head
assembly.
2. Unusual sound near cam gear cover.
3. Unusual sound from FIP base.
 POWER PACK

BY TOUCH/ FEEL

1. Excessive Vibration in Lube oil , water

cooling or charged air system pipe lines.
2. Excessive Vibrations in FIP housing.
3. Excessive Vibrations/shocks in HP line
 EXPRESSOR

BY VISUAL INSPECTION

1. Discoloration (Overheating marks) in HP

cylinder as well as joining pipes.
2. smoke emitting through expresser
exhaust and oil throw.
3. Wobbling of Kooper coupling
4. Expresser shivering as a whole while
cranking the engine.
5. Expresser Breather Valve Worked Out.
6. Efficiency spindle not projecting
 EXPRESSOR

BY AUDIO/HEARING

1. Unusual beating sound from expresser

cylinder
2. Inter Cooler Safety Valve / MR safety valve
blowing.
3. Unusual sound from fast coupling.
 EXPRESSOR

BY TOUCH/ FEEL
1. Efficiency spindle projecting – but going
inside while pressing it.
 UNDER TRUCK
BY VISUAL INSPECTION
Hot axle box cover plate
Brass particles over suspension bearing cap
Discoloration of gear case cover
Equalizing Beam Sagging
Spreading of grease over rim back of Axle Box
Battery box resting on br. Cyl. foundation
Compressed Outer coil spring
Shine marks on Washer
 ELECTRICAL

Rotating Machines

Relays Contactors

Cables wiring
 Rotating Machines

BY VISUAL INSPECTION
• Loose fasteners. (A)

• Commutator condition ( A ) & (B)

• Carbon condition.

• Leakage of oil
 Rotating Machines

By TOUCH /FEEL
1. Temperature of Rotating machine

BY HEARING
1. Unusual Sound from machines
 Relays Contactors

BY VISUAL INSPECTION

1. Flashing on Tips Contacts & shunts

2. Over Heating Mark.
 Relays Contactors

By Touch
1. Excessive Temperature.
2. Loose connection.

By Hearing
1. Leakage of Air.
 Cables wiring

BY VISUAL INSPECTION
• Punctured insulation

• Discoloration of cable insulation &

Lugs
 Cables wiring

By Smell

1. Burning smell of insulation.

2. Smell of acid fumes.

A
Thick black smoke from TSC
Reasons
 Bluish white smoke
• Reasons Reasons
White smoke
Reasons
Crank case Examination
Reasons
Pink marks on water cooling system joints

.
Water coming from Cylinder head leak off pipe

• .
Smoke from Cylinder head leak off pipe.

Reasons

• .
 Copper particles near ECC
drum

• ..
Intermittent smoke from engine exhaust

Reasons
Inter Cooler Safety Valve / MR safety valve blowing.
 Oil throw from CC exhaust
• ..
Reasons
Unusual sound from FIP base.
Reasons
• ..
 Efficiency spindle projecting – but going inside
while pressing it.

• ..
Reasons
Unusual sound from fast coupling.

Reasons

• .
Unusual beating sound from expresser cylinder

• .. Reasons
 Hot axle box cover
• ..
Brass particles over suspension bearing cap
Reasons
COMMUTATOR SOLDER WORKED OUT
Flashed TM commutator
Carbon condition
Loose Fasteners A
Loose Fasteners B
Temperature of rotating machine
Unusual Sound from machines
Loose Fasteners. RC
Flashing on Tips Contacts &
shunts
Over Heating Mark.
Loose connection
Leakage of air
Cable rubbing
Punctured Insulation
Flashing / over heating marks on strands
Discoloration & broken insulation
Main bearing saddle nuts for temp
Excessive vibration in FIP HSG
Wobbling of Kooper Coupling
COMPRESSED OUTER COIL SPRING
Lube oil mixed in water
Unusual sound from tappet
Water pump tell tale Hole
After cooler tell tale Hole
Radiator room dirty
Leakage of oil from TG gear case

Leakage of oil
Battery Leakage
Eng Block Foundation wedges
Beam Sagging
Moatti Filter
Discoloration of HP
discharge Pipe
Cam Roller &Cam lobe worn-out

Flattened cam roller

Damaged cam lobe

Battery box resting on brk cyl.
Foundation
 Reasons for thick black smoke from
engine exhaust are:

• After cooler gasket cut

• Leaky air inlet elbow

• Leaky exhaust manifold

• Choked air filters and carbody filters

•
Reasons for Bluish White Smoke From Exhaust
Entry of lube oil into the combustion chamber.The
reasons for the entry of lube oil are

1) Excess bore of the cylinder liner.

2) Worn out piston rings.
3) Excessive piston ring gap.
4) Excessive side clearance.
5) Excessive Exh.Valve Guide Clearance
6) Piston Rings Gap comes in one line
7) Turbo also contributes for this defect.
 Reasons for White Smoke From Engine Exhaust

mainly due to water contamination in fuel oil.

Sources of contamination are
• Fuel filling depot.
• Cracked cylinder heads.
• Defective nozzle sleeves
• After Cooler tube puncture

Cracked
Crank case examination
Siezure of main Bearing
Siezure of conn rod bearing
Broken/unlocked snap ring
Smoke from Cylinder head leakoff pipe

Injector not seated properly in cylinder head sleeve

No blue seating
mark
Oil throwing from CC exhaust
Less Engine sump vaccum
Defective CC Exh.motor
Choked drain pipe
Intermittent Smoke from engine exhaust

Injectors dribbling

Dribbling injectors
Oil throwing from TSC chimney

1) Excess bore of the cylinder liner.

2) Worn out piston rings.
3) Excessive side clearance.
4) In line position of all piston ring gap.
5) Excessive clearance in the turbo and oil
seal.
 UNUSUAL NOISE FROM CYLINDER HEAD

Excessive tappet
clearance.
Less tappet clearance

Tappet clearance

a) Defective yoke, yoke-guide and springs.

b) Bent push rods.
Discoloration (Overheating marks) in HP cylinder as
well as joining Pipe

1.Carbonized, stuck up or broken HP discharge valve.

HEAVY CARBON DEPOSIT

2. Oil throw due to worn out LP piston rings & liner. oil will burn
in the HP discharge pipe resulting in discolouration.
3.Continuous loading due to mal-functioning of compressor
governor followed by oil throw.
White smoke emitting through expressor exhaust
and oil throw.

Crank case vacuum is less due to the following

reasons:- Copper washer

Broken or stuck up expressor oil seals.

Worn out LP & HP liner and piston rings STUCK OIL SEAL

Stuck up or blocked LP and HP discharge valves

Mal-functioning of breather valves
Blockage of the joining pipe lines.
Heavy leakages in the train pipe SCORED LINER
CAUSING OIL
THROW
 Wobbling of Kooper coupling

DEFECTIVE RUBBER WORN BUSH

ROLLERS
INLET / DISCHARGE VALVE SLEEVE
SLACK

Slack Sleeve
 Inter Cooler Safety Valve Blowing:

Blowing of the safety valve shows entry of HP side air to the LP side

During Loading Cycle:

HP un-loader stuck up.
Ingress of oil and dust between un-loader body and plunger.
Un-loader valve with packing ring sticking.
Warpage of un-loader plunger pin.
Low pressure setting of inter cooler safety valve.

During Un-loading Cycle:

HP discharge valve slack resulting in HP side air returning to
LP side.
 Unusal Sound from Fast Coupling

BROKEN OR WORN
COUPLING HUB DRY COUPLING

Broken
tooth
WORN PUMP Worn

Strainer
blocked

Pipe damaged by chain

DEFECTIVE BRASS SPINDLE

 Uneven wear

Burnt face
 Appearance of greyish,
blueish and reddish hues.
But of importance is the
evenness of the skin
formation and not its
colour.
Out of round
commutator, Bar Burning
vibrations of the motor
caused by badly
adjusted shaft or
damaged bearings

Sparking caused by commutation problems

L2 • Protruding segment L10 • Copper
drag
L4 • Low segment Causes: Bumps or
vibrations
L6 • Raised mica from various causes
L8 • Ridge on the segment edge
Causes: Faulty commutator
segments
 Electrical overload,interruption of contact

Problem free operation

leaving or trailing edge heavy sparking,

Underloaded, influence of dust,
oil or grease interruption of contact due to out of
round of commutator or insufficient
brushholder spring pressure

High raised lamination,commutator

seriously out of round,brush
chatter
Discoloration of Gear Case
Grease on Rim
Vibration on HP Pipe Line
Shine marks on washer
CCEM Pipe choke
Breather valve
TM Brg Temperature
Axle box Temperature
FLASHED REVERSER CONTACT
Unusual sound from cam gear
 Conclusion

The signs shown in the slides

may be helpful in judging the
indication of faults. Further
efforts should be made in the
direction of upgrading the
skills of the technicians through
training in sheds.