Drawer Cards http://www.marinediesels.co.uk/members/Theory/drawcard.

htm

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Engine Assessment
Indicator Diagrams: Out of Phase or Draw Cards

The conventional power card as used for measuring indicated power in the cylinder has its limitations. Because it is a
pressure/volume diagram, the piston piston movement and therefore volume change is very small either side of Bottom
Dead Centre and Top Dead Centre (i.e. each end of the diagram), and so what is happening at the end of compression and
start of combustion is squeezed into a very small area.

In the example shown, which is a powercard

for an engine of 2.5m stroke with a conrod
length of 2.88m, the piston displacement per
degree of crank angle is greatest at about 70
ATDC where the displacement is almost
24mm/degree. Compare this with the
movement at 10 ATDC where the piston
displacement is only 5mm/degree.

This means that because the indicator drum

movement is in direct relation to the piston
position, between about 50 and 90 of crank
angle represents the largest change in volume
on the diagram, and it is here that the drum on
the engine indicator equipment is moving at its
fastest. Note also that the mid point on the
diagram is not at 90 because on an engine of
this stroke and conrod length, the mid stroke is
reached at about 77ATDC.

If the drive to the indicator drum is moved 90

out of phase with the piston position, then the
drum will be moving at its fastest as the piston
comes over TDC and BDC. This means that the
pressure rise in the cylinder about TDC is shown
over a wider horizontal axis and because of this,
faults with timing and injection can be identified.

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Drawer Cards http://www.marinediesels.co.uk/members/Theory/drawcard.htm

Instead of advancing the cam by 90, conditions in the

cylinder around TDC can be assessed by rotating the
drum by pulling on the cord at the the critical moment as
the piston comes over TDC. This is known as a draw
card.

As can be seen from the above diagrams, a draw card can show up faults such as early or late combustion of the fuel. This
could be due to incorrect timing or because of varying ignition delays.

Other faults which can be seen are a leaking or blocked fuel injector and afterburning.

Not all engines are fitted with the equipment to take power cards. However, a draw card can be taken on any engine fitted
with an indicator cock. A competent engineer, with practice, can take a draw card on an engine running at up to 450rpm

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2 of 2 06-02-2017 23:03