Preventive Maintenance and Inspection Flashcards

During a pre-trip inspection, a technician notices the steering wheel has more than 2 inches of free play on a vehicle with a 20-inch steering wheel. What action is required?

Answer: Place the vehicle out of service immediately

Excessive steering wheel free play exceeding FMCSA limits requires placing the vehicle out of service until repaired.

When inspecting air dryer cartridges during a preventive maintenance service, which condition indicates the desiccant must be replaced?

Answer: Oil contamination is visible in the desiccant bed

Oil contamination saturates and destroys the desiccant's ability to remove moisture, requiring immediate cartridge replacement.

A coach technician is performing a Level I CVSA inspection and finds one brake lining worn to the wear indicator. What is the correct determination?

Answer: Vehicle must be placed out of service

Any brake lining worn to the wear indicator meets the CVSA out-of-service criteria and prohibits continued operation.

What is the correct method for checking wheel bearing adjustment on a steer axle equipped with tapered roller bearings during a PM inspection?

Answer: Torque to 50 ft-lb while rotating hub, back off to nearest castellation, then re-torque to 50 ft-lb

The standard tapered roller bearing adjustment procedure seats the rollers by torquing while rotating, then backs off to the nearest castellation to achieve proper end play.

During a PM inspection of a coach's automatic transmission, the fluid appears dark brown and has a burnt odor. What is the MOST appropriate action?

Answer: Flush the transmission and inspect the torque converter for damage

Dark, burnt transmission fluid indicates severe overheating and potential internal damage, requiring a complete flush and torque converter inspection.

A truck's power steering pump is being inspected. Fluid in the reservoir appears milky white. What does this condition indicate?

Answer: Water or coolant contamination in the power steering system

Milky or white fluid in the power steering reservoir indicates water or coolant intrusion, which can damage the pump and rack seals.

When performing a PM inspection on a diesel engine, the technician finds the crankcase ventilation tube heavily coated with thick black sludge. What is the MOST likely cause?

Answer: Engine oil overdue for change or severe ring blow-by

Heavy sludge in the crankcase ventilation system indicates either severely degraded oil or excessive combustion blow-by past worn piston rings.