PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-595
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 595
JUNE 2002
PS 595
JUNE 02
23
S
tuck rounds can ruin your M16 rifle or M4 carbine and injure you. In other words,
HANDLE WITH CARE when it comes to stuck rounds.
If you hear an unusual pop while firing your M16
or
have reduced recoil
or
your
rifle won’t chamber a new round, it probably has a stuck round.
Carefully follow the procedure for clearing stuck rounds that begins on Page 0008
00-21 in TM 9-1005-319-10 (Oct 98). But when you come to the part about running
a cleaning rod down the barrel, do this:
Lock the bolt to the rear. Look for the end
of the cleaning rod as you run it down the bar-
rel. If you see the end of the rod, you know
you’ve pushed the rod all the way through to
the chamber and there is no stuck round.
If you cannot see the end of the rod, you
know there
is
a stuck round.
Air Cleaner
Your engine will lose
power and overheat if
the air cleaner element
is choked with dirt. If
the air cleaner restric-
tion indicator shows red
in the window, clean or
replace the element.
Belts
The fan and generator belts can contribute to engine overheating, too.
When the belts get too loose, the fan and the coolant pump can't operate fast
enough to keep the engine from overheating.
Check the belts by pushing
on them halfway between the
pulleys. If you can push either
belt more than
5
∕
8
inch, get your
mechanic to adjust them.
Check the idler adjuster
rod, too. If the rod is not
between the operating range
marks, tell your mechanic.
Radiator Fins
Your radiator can't do a good job
of conducting heat if its fins are
clogged with dirt, oil, leaves, grass
or twigs. Anything that restricts air-
flow through the radiator keeps the
coolant hot and overheats the engine.
Keep your equipment—packs,
water
cans,
tents,
camouflage
screening, poles, etc—off the air
intake and the air exhaust grilles.
Make sure both are clean and free of
dirt, twigs, leaves and other debris.
If you use protective covers over
the grilles, make sure they're rolled
up and strapped in place before you
operate your vehicle.
I thought
the barrel
was empty!
I ran a
cleaning rod
down the
barrel… and
didn’t find
any round!
you didn’t
run it
all
the way down
the barrel,
SPECialist
dudd.
Make sure
you can
see end of
cleaning
rod
Is the
indicator
rEd?
Then it’s
time to
clean or
replace the
element.
Get loose
belts adjusted
Keep radiator
fins cleaned
Keep
equipment
off grilles
M16-Series Rifle, M4/M4A1 Carbine…
595. 20-23 (C)
4/27/02
12:01 PM
Page 3
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