OPERATIONAL LEVEL ENGINE

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
MARITIME INDUSTRY AUTHORITY
STCW OFFICE

GUIDE QUESTIONNAIRES
for seafarers
The Annual Publication of Database of Questionnaires is mandated in Republic Act
10635 or the Act Establishing the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) as the Single
Maritime Administration Responsible for the Implementation and Enforcement of
the 1978 International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and
Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as amended and International Agreements or
Covenants related thereto and its Implementing Rules and Regulations.

These sample questions have been reviewed and validated by our respective Board
of Examiners which may serve as a guide for the review of aspiring Marine Deck and
Engineering Officers, towards the successful completion of the Theoretical
Examination.

The following sample questions do not reflect the actual set of database of questions
given during the theoretical examination. Examinees are encouraged to study the
contained sample questions and probable answers as they are intended to give an
indication of the format and difficulty level of the theoretical examination.

You may access these guide questionnaires with your smart gadgets anywhere and
anytime at your convenience. Please consider the environment before printing.

Thank you.

A Publication of the MARINA STCW Office

 OPERATIONAL LEVEL ENGINE

FUNCTION 3 Competence 9
1. Which of the following welding gas cylinder sizes is normally supplied
onboard?

2. Which of the lowest oxygen content in percent of oxygen where a crew

can work safely inside enclosed spaces?

3. The nut of the bowl assembly is confirmed tight___________.

4. What should you do FIRST to correct a condition wherein a diesel

engine is operating with excessively high exhaust temperature on all
cylinders?

5. What do you call a component used to thoroughly separate small, fine,

dust-like particulate contamination from hydraulic fluid?

6. What is the other function of a reservoir, as used in hydraulic systems

aboard ship aside from storing hydraulic oil?

7. What will be the effect of an improperly maintained filter used in a

hydraulic system?

8. What is the possible cause of a radial piston hydraulic pump fails to

deliver rated fluid volume?

9. With an increase in temperature, the volume of hydraulic oil_____.

10. Which of the following precautions should be observed concerning the

introduction of a fire resistant fluid into a hydraulic system?

11. In which of the listed hydraulic system components could an O-ring seal
be satisfactorily used in providing a seal?

12. In a typical hydraulic system, return lines to the reservoir are terminated
below the normal oil level to prevent _____.
I. foaming of the oil
II. condensation of warm oil vapors upon return

13. Modern trends show that the full flow filters used in multi-operation
hydraulic systems would most likely be located _____.
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14. An O-ring seal in a hydraulic system will begin to leak when it has lost its
interference fit due to _____.

15. Leakage of hydraulic fluid from around the shaft of a hydraulic motor
may be caused by _____.

16. What determines the amount of the cushioning effect developed within a
hydraulic cylinder?

17. Which characteristic or condition will have the greatest effect on

increasing hydraulic oils viscosity?

18. Why should a return lines in a non-pressurized hydraulic system

reservoir enter the tank well below the fluid surface level?

19. What is the use of strainers in hydraulic systems?

20. What will be the effect of obstructed suction passages in the casing or
pintle of a radial piston hydraulic pump?

21. Increased internal leakage, in addition to poor hydraulic system

response, and inadequate lubrication, is the result of _____.

22. What will happen if the flow rate to a linear actuator is reduced by half of
the original amount?

23. Hydraulic system reservoirs are often fitted with a combined

filler/breather cap. What is the effect of a fouled breather element?

24. Which of the following problems occurring in a hydraulic system can be

caused by using an oil having a viscosity lower than specified?

25. When fire safe or fire resistant fluid is to be used in a hydraulic system, it
is important that _____.

26. Why is a hydraulic linear actuator fitted with a cushioning device?

27. When normal operating pressure is applied to the hydraulic oil in a high
pressure system, the oil _____.

28. Some fluid filters used in hydraulic systems are designed to cope with
increasing pressure differentials by _____.
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29. 4/3 Way valve is a type of directional valve with ___________ .

30. After how many hours would you consider changing the turbocharger
bearings, even though all appears to be normal?

31. Which of the following statements concerning braze welding is/are

correct?

32. The size of flexible hose used in a hydraulic system is indicated by

___________.

33. If the intercooler relief valve lifts while an air compressor is operating
under load, you should check for _____.

34. What could cause air to blow out through the inlet air filter of a running
compressor?

35. Which of the following likely reason when the exhaust temperature is
increasing in all cylinders of a normally-running main engine?

36. What could be the result of uneven bolt tightening during installation of a
fuel injection pump?

37. Fusible link fire dampers are operated by _________.

38. In a closed cooling system for a turbocharged four stroke diesel engine,
fluctuating water pressure can be caused by_____.

39. Which of the following is a colorless gas with high carbon content, lighter
than air with chemical formula of C2H2?

40. Which one is an inert gas used as shielded gas in MIG and TIG
welding?

41. Acetylene should never be used at pressures in excess of 15 psig

because the _____.

42. In a Freon system, the filter drier is filled with_____.

43. The tool used to makeup connection fittings for small diameter copper
tubing is called a/an _____.
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44. If the hydraulic governor has been drained and refilled with fresh oil, the
engine should be operated until it reaches normal temperature, then the
air should be purged by_____.

45. An internal bypass is provided on some hydraulic system suction

strainers to help reduce the possibility of _____.

46. What is the proper time to take water test to obtain better chemical
results?

47. If a small auxiliary diesel engine will not crank but can be barred over,
the trouble may be due to _________.

48. Good maintenance is decisive and best be achieved in the engine room
if there is________________.

49. Engine operating conditions may be indicated by the color of the exhaust
smoke. Black smoke could indicate ________.

50. An acceptable method of temporary repairs in the vessels hulls is

__________.

51. While taking on fuel oil, the transfer hose begins leaking, causing a
sheen on the water, you should ________.

52. You should never watch the arc generated during electric arc welder
with the naked eye because _____.

53. What is used as a jointing materials for fresh and sea water pipes?

54. A welding procedure used for joining dissimilar metals used in the
construction of a MODU would be recorded in the

55. When a waste heat boiler is installed in the exhaust gas bypass would
be used _____.

56. The ventilation system aboard ships has fire dampers restrained by
fusible links that will ________.

57. The needle should ______ to its seat when reconditioning the fuel
injector nozzle.

58. Vibration testing is an integral part of what type of maintenance?

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59. When tapping holes on the radial drill, how is the tap prevented from
beaking?

60. An exhaust gas bypass is installed on a waste heat boiler in order to

______.

61. Which of the following problems would be the probable cause for the
faulty operation of a reciprocating air compressor suction valve?

62. Most common type of hydraulic pump is _____.

63. If the drive belts on an air compressor were squealing during start up,
you should _____.

64. When checking the tightness of nuts and bolts during a diesel engine
crankcase and hold-down bolt inspection, the quickest and most
effective method is ___________.

65. Safe welding practice requires ____________.

66. Which of the following will speed up the recovery process when
performing maintenance on a refrigeration system _______?

67. What procedure is advisable before a heat exchanger will be subjected

for repairs, refitting, etc.?

68. A hydraulic system where all oil goes back to the tank is termed
as____________.

69. Before carrying-out maintenance to the engine, one should __________.

70. Which of the listed interlocks stops the valve in the remote operating
valve line of air starting system from opening?

71. An aligning punch is used to_______________.

72. A reciprocating air compressor is running roughly and vibrating

excessively, indicating that the _____.

73. A squealing sound occurring from within an operating reciprocating air

compressor is an indication of _____.
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74. Which of the following two most important factors influencing the
crankshaft deflection readings?

75. When arc welding, the flux that covers the electrode is used to _____.

76. Which of the following has the LEAST part in the distribution of heat
balance in a four-stroke diesel engine?

77. Thermocouple pyrometers are sued on large, main propulsion diesel

engines to indicate the temperature of the ______.

78. One common cause of cylinder liner wear is __________.

79. What factors shorten the life of valve springs?

80. Protective equipment while carrying out oxy/acetylene welding should

include the use of ___________.

81. Which of the fittings listed should be used for the installation of piping
to permit removal of the pump for servicing?

82. The formation of a number of small holes in the weld bead is usually
caused by a_____________.

83. In order to obtain a good weld, which of the correct pointers are to be
considered?

84. Dirty intercoolers on an air compressor will cause_____________.

85. Flux is used when soldering, in order to _____.

86. A dirty intercooler in the ship service air compressor will result in _____.

87. What is the possible fault when compressor capacity is low?

88. A fixed displacement pump is a hydraulic pump in which the________.

89. Why should you avoid increased pressure on a drill as the drill point
begins to break through the bottom of the work piece?

90. In preparing the boiler for survey, the boiler should be cooled down
slowly until the pressure gauge registers zero. Which of the following
should be opened to avoid formation of a vacuum?
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91. What will be the result if the foundation bolts for a reciprocating air
compressor are loose?

92. Which of the following is the physical property of material useful in a bolt
or similar threaded metals?

93. Protective equipment to be used while carrying out oxy-acetylene

welding should always include _____.

94. Which of the following can cause crankshaft misalignment of a

crankshaft?

95. Critical speeds occurring within the operating speed range of a main
propulsion diesel engine may be changed, or have their damaging
effects reduced by a/an _________.

96. The insulation and screen of diesel engine exhaust manifold shoul be
put back after each overhaul because it _________ .

97. The leaking valves in a low pressure, reciprocating, air compressor can
result from _____.

98. Black smoke exhausting from a diesel engine may be caused by

______.

99. Which of the following material has high tensile strength and corrosion
resistance and has been used to replace steel metal in both flat plate
form and in matched-metal die processes where parts are molded in the
preformed shape?

100. Which of the following is the angular type of edge preparation for
welding process?

101. Which of the following statements is correct concerning welding

sequences?

102. In order to install piping easier and to facilitate and disconnect the pump
for servicing, which of the following fittings should be used?

103. Most bearings can only hold a few drops and excess oil runs out and is
lost when the milling machine starts to operate so it is better to
________.
 OPERATIONAL LEVEL ENGINE

104. Cylinder inlet valve failure in a low pressure air compressor can be
caused by _____.

105. When securing an oxyacetylene outfit for an extended period, you

should close the _____.

106. White smoke exhausting from a diesel engine can be caused by a

_______.

107. The following are parts of the main bowl of purifier except___________.

108. What you call the process of removing moisture from air?

109. In order to minimize distortion in a weldment due to shrinkage, you

should _____.
I. use intermittent welds rather than continuous welds wherever
possible
II. make fewer passes with large electrodes as opposed to many
passes with small electrodes
III. use restraining forces such as clamps, jigs, and fixtures

110. Careful handling compressed gas bottles should include _____.

I. stowing, to avoid them from crashing into one another
II. keeping them away from flame, high heat, and direct sunlight
III. keeping the valve protection caps in place

111. Improper maintenance of fuel oil burner in an auxiliary boiler could result
to ________.

112. What should you do, when a turbine bearing shows signs of
overheating?

113. In certain circumstances, weldments are preheated before each pass to

_____.

114. Excessive lube oil consumption by a reciprocating air compressor can be

caused by _____.

115. What fittings are usually found on the inter-coolers and after-coolers of
multi-stage air compressors?
 OPERATIONAL LEVEL ENGINE
116. Combustion knock occurring in a diesel engine can be caused by
______.

117. When welding or burning with an oxy-acetylene torch, _____.

118. When welding mild steel with a shielded metal-arc electrode but you are
getting only shallow penetration, you should _________.

119. What will happen when there is an excessive wear on a centrifugal

pump shaft?

120. A flare-type tubing connector is used in the hydraulic hatch-cover system

and has developed a slight leak. To stop the leak you should
__________.

121. Expansion valve maintenance should include which of the following

procedures?

122. What could be the result of uneven bolt tightening during installation of a
fuel injection pump?

123. Excessive lube oil consumption by a reciprocating air compressor is an

indication of _____.

124. If an electric motor driven air compressor fails to start, it may be due to a
_____.

125. If a diesel engine is smoking excessively under load, the cause could be
________.

126. The loss of a diesel engine cylinder air charge through leaky valves,
pistons rings, worn or scored liners, would be indicated by which of the
following sets of exhaust of conditions?

127. As part of a safe and effective maintenance onboard, the first valve to be
opened first after the complete assembly of a newly overhauled and
clean big lube-oil cooler is the_____.

128. What type of fits is necessary in the assembly of mating parts with the
use of hydraulic press?

129. If the intercooler of a low-pressure air compressor becomes fouled either

internally or externally, what will happen?
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130. What should you do if a leak in an oil hose coupling cannot be stopped
by tightening the coupling bolts?

131. Which liquid is used to clean the compressor side of a low speed main
engine turbo charger?

132. When welding with and oxyacetylene outfit, _____.

133. What will be the result of badly leaking refrigeration compressor

discharge valves?

134. The best way to recondition a defective fuel injector is to __________.

135. Putting additives into diesel engine cooling water is primarily designed to
prevent ___________.

136. Nozzle assembly should be rinsed in ________ after removing all

external traces of external carbon.

137. Which of the following prevents the entry of large object to the pipeline
and safeguard the internal parts of the pumps?

138. Which component of a service air compressor requires most

maintenance?

139. If during operation and the air compressor pressure will not raise, the
probable cause maybe________.

140. When a vessel fitted with gland packing stern tube is underway, a small
amount of water is allowed to leak through the stern stuffing box in order
to________.

141. A dial indicator is used to measure________.

142. One of the four basic components of hydraulic system that provides the
flow of oil in the system is called__________.

143. For any piston ring to operate smoothly without scuffing, the ring must
be________________.

144. Why is a chemical covering applied to a welding stick electrode, rather

than using a bare electrode?
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145. In hydraulic system, all machines which are consumers of hydraulic

power equipped with ________.

146. Important check to be done during overhauling of the pump is

the______.

147. Which of the following procedure must be made before making repairs
on the evaporator of a refrigeration system?

148. What should be done if localized scoring is discovered on the pump

shaft sleeve during routine maintenance inspection?

149. Routine maintenance on a Central Control Room hermetically sealed air

conditioning unit should include__________.

150. Whenever abnormality is encountered in air compressor, which of the

measures should be done?

151. Automatically closed fire dampers installed in the vessel's ventilation

system are operated by the use of a ____________.

152. What should you do if one drive belt on air compressor is found to be
worn?

153. The filter element of hydraulic oil in the system is ___________.

154. What is the fusion of two metals joined together to produce a strong bind
as one metal?

155. Which of the following practices is considered to be safe for the handling
and use of compressed gas cylinders?

156. The water cooling space on the turbocharger is damaged and you have
no spares, the cooling water must be closed, what steps would you take
to ensure least possible damage?

157. One cause of leaky valves in a low pressure air compressor may be
attributed to _____.

158. Return port of a hydraulic directional valve is designated by letter

__________.
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159. A leaking suction valve in the second stage of a two stage, high
pressure, air compressor can cause excessively high _____.

160. Where does the generator cooling water come from during dry-docking?

161. Soft solders have relatively low melting points and consist mainly of
_____.

162. Which of the following choices is/are considered as external defect/s in

welding?

163. You should fix them by_________, if the drive belts on air compressor
were squealing.

164. When an engine will not start on air, which of the following maybe the
cause of the problem?

165. What do you call a weld that is made to hold parts of weldment in
alignment until final weld is made?

166. Which of the following refers to the distance between the piston top at
BDC and TDC?

167. White smoke issuing from the exhaust of an auxiliary diesel engine could
mean _______.

168. Which of the following is true concerning the hose threads on

compressed gas oxy-acetylene regulators and torches?

169. An acetylene pressure regulator should never be adjusted to maintain

pressures exceeding 15 psig (103.4 kPa) because _____.

170. After installing a new hydraulic pump in a system, what special attention
should be given to the hydraulic system?

171. Broken piston rings on diesel engines, if not visibly broken, can be
identified because ____________

172. If a serious cavitation problem is experienced, affecting the pump casing

and impeller, the shape and design of which pump part could be altered
and why required for any given welding job?
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173. The following conditions will occur if the power element of a thermostatic
expansion valve fails.

174. An oil film of a lubricant is affected by the______.

175. In oxy-acetylene welding outfit, each cylinder has a regulator and two
pressure gages. One pressure gage indicates cylinder pressure and the
other gauge are used to indicate _____.

176. Why would you cut a hole in a boiler tube which has been plugged?

177. What is the result in a material after subjecting it to annealing?

178. What precaution should you do in using the hydraulic press to prevent
damage of parts?

179. When welding mild steel with a shielded metal-arc electrode, and getting
only shallow penetration, you should _____.

180. When welding mild steel with a shielded metal-arc electrode thus getting
only shallow penetration, you should ___________.

181. Soft solders have relatively low melting points. These consist mainly of
________ base alloys.

182. Which of the following practices is considered to be safe for the handling
and use of compressed gas cylinders?

183. Black smoke exhausting from an operating diesel engine is an indication

of poor combustion which may be caused by _______.

184. To ensure a good weld, post heating is required whenever an arc weld
repair is made ____________.