When performing multiple motoring compressor washes, what limitation must the technician observe?

• A. They should be performed to the extent permitted by the starter operating limitations.
• B. They should be performed regardless of starter limits.
• C. They should never be performed on aircraft with salt exposure.
• D. They should be performed only during engine shutdown.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that multiple motoring washes must stay within the starter’s allowed limits. When you use the starter to rotate the compressor for washes, you’re putting electrical and mechanical load on the starter. Repeated energizing generates heat and stresses the starter components. The engine and starter have a specified duty cycle and maximum duration per activation to prevent overheating or damage. So you perform the washes only up to what the starter’s operating limitations allow, including any required cooling intervals between cycles. If more washes are needed than those limits permit, you must pause or use a method that stays within those limits.

The other options aren’t the controlling rule here: exceeding starter limits without regard to duty cycle risks overheating and damage; salt exposure isn’t the limiting factor for this procedure; and doing it only during engine shutdown isn’t the limiting requirement—the constraint is staying within the starter’s rated duty and cooling limits.