Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology Manufacturing and Assembly

Diesel Engine Maintenance for Emergency Plant Operations Training

SAQA US 253357 | NQF 4 | Credits 5 | Duration 2 Days
From $832 per delegate

Description

This course equips learners with the knowledge and skills to perform routine maintenance and inspections on diesel engines used for emergency plant operations. It ensures that emergency power systems remain reliable and compliant with safety standards, minimizing downtime during critical situations.

Learning Outcomes

  • Apply safety procedures and regulations when performing maintenance on diesel engines.
  • Demonstrate the ability to conduct routine inspections and identify potential faults.
  • Perform scheduled maintenance tasks such as oil changes, filter replacements, and belt adjustments.
  • Analyze engine performance data to determine maintenance needs.
  • Evaluate the condition of engine components and recommend corrective actions.
  • Implement record-keeping procedures for maintenance logs and inspection reports.

Target Audience

This course is designed for maintenance technicians, plant operators, and facilities engineers responsible for the upkeep of diesel generators and emergency power systems in industrial or commercial settings.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment.

Course Outline

Day 1: Diesel Engine Fundamentals and Pre-Operational Checks

Objectives:
• Identify the major components and systems of a diesel engine.
• Explain the principles of compression ignition and the four-stroke cycle.
• Perform pre-start checks and routine inspections.
• Understand lubrication and cooling system functions.
• Recognise common faults and their symptoms.

Topics:
• Diesel engine construction: cylinder block, pistons, crankshaft, valves.
• Four-stroke cycle: intake, compression, power, exhaust.
• Fuel system: injection pump, injectors, filters.
• Lubrication system: oil pump, filters, grades.
• Cooling system: radiator, water pump, thermostat.
• Pre-start checks: oil level, coolant level, fuel level, battery condition.
• Routine inspection: belts, hoses, leaks, warning lights.
• Fault recognition: smoke colour, unusual noises, vibration.

Day 2: Maintenance Procedures and Emergency Operations

Objectives:
• Perform scheduled maintenance tasks according to manufacturer guidelines.
• Diagnose and rectify common engine faults.
• Operate the engine under emergency conditions (e.g., load bank testing).
• Apply safety procedures during maintenance and operation.
• Complete maintenance records and report findings.

Topics:
• Scheduled maintenance: oil and filter change, fuel filter replacement, air filter cleaning.
• Cooling system maintenance: coolant change, hose inspection.
• Battery maintenance: terminals, electrolyte levels, charging system check.
• Fault diagnosis: starting problems, loss of power, overheating, excessive smoke.
• Emergency operation: load bank testing, fuel system priming.
• Safety: lockout/tagout, fire extinguisher use, PPE.
• Documentation: service log entries, fault reporting.

Practicals

6 hours of practicals To be conducted online or on-campus or in-house
Overview

Hands-on practicals allow learners to apply theoretical knowledge to real diesel engines. Learners will perform pre-start checks, conduct routine maintenance tasks, and operate engines under load, reinforcing safe and correct procedures.

Practical Activities
  • Pre-start Checks and Routine Inspection — Learners perform a full pre-start inspection on a diesel engine, including fluid levels, belt tension, and visual checks for leaks or damage. (2h)
  • Scheduled Maintenance: Oil and Filter Change — Learners drain engine oil, replace the oil filter, refill with correct grade oil, and dispose of waste materials properly. (2h)
  • Fault Diagnosis and Emergency Operation — Learners diagnose simulated faults (e.g., air in fuel, blocked filter) and perform corrective actions, then operate the engine under load using a load bank. (2h)

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course via daily exercises, scored practical assignments, and a final summative test at the end.

Practical Assignments — 30%

Practical assignments are observed and scored against a rubric during the practical sessions. Each delegate's practical mark is averaged into a single 100% score and contributes 30% to the final total.

Daily Exercises — 20%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 20% to the final total.

Final Test — 50%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 50% to the overall mark.

Final Total
Component Out of Weight
Practical Assignments (rubric-scored) 100% 30%
Daily Average (multiple choice) 100% 20%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) 100% 50%
Final Total 100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

Certificate of Completion

Awarded to delegates who achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher on the Final Total (Practicals 30% + Daily Average 20% + Final Test 50%).

How it works
  • Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
  • Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
  • You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
  • If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.

Upcoming Training Sessions
Online training — attend live sessions from anywhere via our virtual classroom.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Thu 10 Sep 2026 Fri 11 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $832 Register
Mon 28 Sep 2026 Tue 29 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $832 Register
Tue 20 Oct 2026 Wed 21 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $832 Register
Thu 10 Dec 2026 Fri 11 Dec 2026 Virtual Summer 2026 $832 Register
Mon 11 Jan 2027 Tue 12 Jan 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $832 Register
Tue 16 Feb 2027 Wed 17 Feb 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $832 Register
Wed 03 Mar 2027 Thu 04 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $832 Register
Thu 11 Mar 2027 Fri 12 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $832 Register
Mon 15 Mar 2027 Tue 16 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $832 Register
Tue 08 Jun 2027 Wed 09 Jun 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $832 Register
Wed 30 Jun 2027 Thu 01 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $832 Register
Thu 22 Jul 2027 Fri 23 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $832 Register
Mon 06 Sep 2027 Tue 07 Sep 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $832 Register
Tue 28 Sep 2027 Wed 29 Sep 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $832 Register
Wed 20 Oct 2027 Thu 21 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $832 Register
Thu 09 Dec 2027 Fri 10 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $832 Register
Mon 27 Dec 2027 Tue 28 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $832 Register
Tue 18 Jan 2028 Wed 19 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $832 Register
On-Campus training — face-to-face sessions at our training venues across Africa and beyond.
Showing all 498 sessions across 26 venues
Start End Venue Season Price Action
Tue 04 Aug 2026 Wed 05 Aug 2026 Pretoria, South Africa Winter 2026 $1,247 Register
Tue 04 Aug 2026 Wed 05 Aug 2026 Cape Town, South Africa Winter 2026 $2,057 Register
Tue 04 Aug 2026 Wed 05 Aug 2026 Johannesburg, South Africa Winter 2026 $1,571 Register
Thu 06 Aug 2026 Fri 07 Aug 2026 Dubai, UAE Winter 2026 $4,217 Register
Thu 06 Aug 2026 Fri 07 Aug 2026 Mauritius Winter 2026 $2,813 Register
In-House training — we bring the trainer to your organisation, tailored to your team.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Mon 14 Sep 2026 Tue 15 Sep 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,080 Register
Tue 06 Oct 2026 Wed 07 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,080 Register
Wed 28 Oct 2026 Thu 29 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,080 Register
Mon 14 Dec 2026 Tue 15 Dec 2026 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,080 Register
Tue 19 Jan 2027 Wed 20 Jan 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,080 Register
Wed 24 Feb 2027 Thu 25 Feb 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,080 Register
Thu 11 Mar 2027 Fri 12 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,080 Register
Mon 15 Mar 2027 Tue 16 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,080 Register
Tue 23 Mar 2027 Wed 24 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,080 Register
Wed 16 Jun 2027 Thu 17 Jun 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,080 Register
Thu 08 Jul 2027 Fri 09 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,080 Register
Mon 26 Jul 2027 Tue 27 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,080 Register
Tue 14 Sep 2027 Wed 15 Sep 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,080 Register
Wed 06 Oct 2027 Thu 07 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,080 Register
Thu 28 Oct 2027 Fri 29 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,080 Register
Mon 13 Dec 2027 Tue 14 Dec 2027 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,080 Register
Tue 04 Jan 2028 Wed 05 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,080 Register
Wed 26 Jan 2028 Thu 27 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,080 Register
Training Discounts
Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% off per 5 delegates, up to 40% for 100+

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