During maintenance, what action is required if metal is found on a chip detector?

During maintenance, what action is required if metal is found on a chip detector?

• A. An investigation should be made to find the source of the metal on the chip.
• B. Ignore the metal and continue operation.
• C. Replace the engine immediately.
• D. Discard the chip detector and continue.

Answer: (A)

Metal in the oil detected by a chip detector means abnormal wear or damage inside the engine is shedding particles into the lubrication system. The proper maintenance action is to investigate to locate the source of the metal. This involves stopping and inspecting the lubrication path, cleaning and examining the chip detector, checking the oil filters and screens for trapped metal, and performing a more thorough inspection (such as borescope inspection or disassembly) of components that are common wear points to identify the exact part failing. Once the source is found, take the necessary corrective actions—repair or replace the damaged component, service filters, and verify the system before returning to service. Ignoring the indication, replacing the engine without diagnosis, or continuing with the detector discarded would miss the warning and risk a more serious failure.

Metal in the oil detected by a chip detector means abnormal wear or damage inside the engine is shedding particles into the lubrication system. The proper maintenance action is to investigate to locate the source of the metal. This involves stopping and inspecting the lubrication path, cleaning and examining the chip detector, checking the oil filters and screens for trapped metal, and performing a more thorough inspection (such as borescope inspection or disassembly) of components that are common wear points to identify the exact part failing. Once the source is found, take the necessary corrective actions—repair or replace the damaged component, service filters, and verify the system before returning to service. Ignoring the indication, replacing the engine without diagnosis, or continuing with the detector discarded would miss the warning and risk a more serious failure.