Question 42 UFIV02 - Assistant Engineer - UFIV

The Correct Answer is A **Why Option A is Correct:** Option A ("Bring the throttle and clutch control to the stop position, then investigate the cause of low clutch air pressure.") is the appropriate and safest immediate response because: 1. **Safety and Damage Prevention:** A low clutch air pressure alarm, especially when combined with the odor of burning rubber (indicating overheating or slippage in the clutch/reduction gear), signals a critical and imminent failure. Continuing to operate the engine while the clutch is slipping or disengaged under load can cause catastrophic damage to the transmission, gearbox, and engine components in a very short time. 2. **Immediate Action:** The primary goal is to immediately remove the load from the system and stop the movement (slipping) of the failing component. This is achieved by bringing the throttle and clutch control to the "stop" or "neutral/stop" position. This action isolates the power train before investigating, preventing further damage and ensuring the vessel is safely taken out of propulsion. **Why the Other Options are Incorrect:** * **B) Reduce the load and speed on the engine, then investigate the cause of low clutch air pressure.** This is incorrect because merely reducing the load is insufficient. If the clutch is actively slipping, reducing the load may slightly slow the rate of damage but will not stop it. Immediate disengagement (stopping the clutch/throttle) is mandatory when slippage is indicated by low pressure and burning odor. * **C) Investigate the cause of low clutch air pressure, then bring the throttle and clutch control to the stop position if necessary.** This is incorrect because investigation takes time. In a critical scenario involving low clutch pressure and burning rubber, the time spent investigating allows the catastrophic damage to continue or worsen. The immediate priority must be to stop the failing mechanism *before* investigating. * **D) Investigate the cause of low clutch air pressure, then reduce the engine load and speed if necessary.** Similar to C, prioritizing investigation allows damage to continue. Furthermore, reducing speed (as opposed to outright stopping the clutch) is inadequate when critical failure is imminent.