Service Letter SL2024-757/ALS

Action code: AT FIRST OPPORTUNITY

Reconditioning of exhaust
valve spindles
Spindle reconditioning by re-welding
will not be offered for selected spindle
types

This SL replaces SL2023-735

SL2024-757/ALS
May 2024

Dear Sir or Madam Concerns

Owners and operators of MAN B&W
Reconditioning by re-welding on exhaust valve spindle seat or two-stroke marine combustion engines.
spindle combustion surface will not be offered in the following – All 35-98 bore engines with valve
spindle segment: spindles of the material DSA760
– All 35-95 bore engines with exhaust
– All exhaust spindles for 35-98 bore engines with valve spindles of valve design type XV3 and of the
the material DSA760. spindle material DSA760 or
– All type XV3 exhaust spindles for 35-95 bore engines regardless Nimonic80A.
of the spindle material being either DSA760 or Nimonic80A.
References
We have found that the structural integrity of the valve spindle Service Letter SL2023-735/AGC
cannot be upheld at sufficient level if re-welding is done on these Reconditioning of exhaust valve spindles
spindles. Furthermore, we have not found a valid business case Service Letter SL2022-729/AGC,
supporting the continued development work on this re-welding Preventive grinding of exhaust valve seats
business. Service Letter SL2013-573/JAG,
Exhaust valve condition
This Service Letter describes for which spindles reconditioning is
still possible, and how to establish which exhaust valve type is
installed on the engine in question.

We recommend using the flow diagram in Fig. 3 and Table 1 to

evaluate whether or not spindle reconditioning is possible.

Yours faithfully

Susanne Kindt Kim Blichfeldt Kirkeby

Vice president, Two-stroke Senior manager, Engine Support
Engineering

Head office (& po. address) PrimeServ Production Forwarding & Receiving MAN Energy Solutions
MAN Energy Solutions Teglholmsgade 41 Teglholmsgade 35 Teglholmsgade 35 Branch of MAN Energy Solutions
Teglholmsgade 41 2450 Copenhagen SV 2450 Copenhagen SV 2450 Copenhagen SV SE, Germany
2450 Copenhagen SV Denmark Denmark Denmark CVR No.: 31611792
Denmark Phone: +45 33 85 11 00 Phone: +45 33 85 11 00 Phone: +45 33 85 11 00 Head office: Teglholmsgade 41
Phone: +45 33 85 11 00 Fax: +45 33 85 10 49 Fax: +45 33 85 10 17 Fax: +45 33 85 10 16 2450 Copenhagen SV, Denmark
Fax: +45 33 85 10 30 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] German Reg.No.: HRB 22056
[email protected] Amtsgericht Augsburg
www.man-es.com
Service Letter SL2024-757/ALS

How to proceed Nimonic80A spindle will experience a degrade in

toughness compared to the original fully-forged
We recommend starting any necessary planning work as Nimonic80A spindle and, as regards heat load, will
soon as possible. Pay extra attention to measurements of perform like the less heat-resistant Dura-type alternative.
wear on existing spindles. Extra spare valves should be – Maximum two times re-welding regardless of bore size.
considered to mitigate the missing reconditioning option • Three times re-welding, as allowed since
and long lead times on delivery of new fully-forged SL2013-573/JAG August 2013, no longer applies.
spindles. • Service experience has shown that three times
re-welding is rarely applied, and spindle cracks in
Currently, we see prolonged lead times of up to 10-12 re-welded spindles has shown that three times
months on delivery of spindles made from DSA760 and re-welding cannot be allowed.
Nimonic80A type materials.

If you have spindles on stock awaiting reconditioning, How to establish the valve spindle type
these should be sold for recycling of the material.
To distinguish between the spindle types, see Fig. 1.

Spindles of non-XV3 design All XV3 type spindles have:

– Smaller stem diameter below the vane wheel compared
Spindle reconditioning of non-XV3 design is still possible to above the vane wheel.
provided the spindle is of the DuraSpindle or Nimonic type. – 18° degree angle between the spindle disc bottom and
the spindle disc top.
The following applies for non-XV3 design only:
– DuraSpindles in all bore sizes can be reconditioned All non-XV3 spindles have:
with IN718 on the seat and IN625 on the disc bottom. – Approximately same stem diameter above and below
– Nimonic80A spindles in all engine sizes can be the vane wheel.
reconditioned with IN718 on the seat and IN625 on the – 24° degree angle between the spindle disc bottom and
disc bottom. Note that an IN718/IN625 reconditioned the spindle disc top (see Fig. 1).

Non-XV3 XV3

Approximately same stem

diameter above and below
the vane wheel Reduced stem diameter
below the vane wheel

*A few non-XV3 spindles,

L/S35MC and G95ME-C10.5, *
will have an 18-20 degree angle,
but the stem diameter below the
vane wheel will not be reduced
compared to the stem diameter
above the vane wheel.

Fig. 1: Exhaust valve spindle types

Reconditioning of spindles. Page 2 of 3 pages

Service Letter SL2024-757/ALS

If the spindle marking was performed in accordance with

MAN Energy Solutions guidelines, the following marking Start:
should clarify which spindle material was utilised originally Establish spindle type
and reconditioning
when the spindle was new and prior to any reconditioning, possibility
see Fig. 2.

Spindle marking: Is the spindle stem

diameter below the vane
– SEAT wheel smaller compared to
– HEAT RESISTANT LAYER above the vane wheel? Yes XV3 type
& spindle
Is the angle between
the spindle disc bottom and
Spindle maker and recon-shop marking the spindle disc top 18°?
position indicated with red colour
No

Non-XV3
Type spindle

Check spindle marking: End:

Yes
Is the spindle marked Reconditioning is
RDSA or DSA/R? not allowed

No Yes

Check spindle marking:

Is the spindle marked
FM53MD?

No

End:
Check spindle marking:
Dura-type reconditioning
Is the spindle marked
with IN718 on seat, and IN625
IN718, NIM or RNIM?
on bottom is possible

Fig. 2: Spindle marking position Fig. 3: Flow diagram – spindle types

Spindle marking Definition Consequence

RDSA or DSA/R Seat made of rolled DSA760 No reconditioning available regardless of the spindle type
FM53MD Spindle bottom corrosion layer made of FM53MD No reconditioning available regardless of the spindle type
RNIM or NIM/R Seat made of rolled Nimonic80A No reconditioning available if the spindle type is XV3

DuraSpindle-type reconditioning is available if the spindle type is

non-XV3
NIM Seat made of Nimonic80A without rolling applied DuraSpindle-type reconditioning is available if the spindle type is
(older-type spindles) non-XV3
IN718 Seat made of rolled Inconel 718 DuraSpindle-type reconditioning is available

Table 1: Spindle marking translation

If you have any questions or inquiries regarding this

Service Letter, contact our Engine Support
department: [email protected]

For questions or a quote on new spindles, please

contact: [email protected]

Reconditioning of spindles. Page 3 of 3 pages