Lubrication Performance of Connecting-Rod and Main Bearing in Different Engine Operating Conditions

Abstract Only the lubrication performance at rated engine operating condition was generally analyzed in current design and research of engine connecting-rod and main bearing. However, the actual engine (especially vehicle engine) does not always operate in rated operating condition and its operating condition changes constantly. In this paper, a four-stroke four-cylinder engine is taken as the studying object, the load and lubrication of connecting-rod and main bearing in different operating conditions are analyzed. The load of connecting-rod bearing is calculated by the dynamic calculation method, the loads of all main bearings are calculated by the whole crankshaft beam-element finite element method, and the lubrication performance of connecting-rod and main bearings are analyzed by the dynamic method. The results show that there are major differences in the changes and numerical value at corresponding moment of the loads and lubrication performance of connecting-rod and main bearings in an engine operating cycle in different engine operating conditions; the most unfavorable case of the lubrication performance of connecting-rod and main bearings may not take place in the rated engine operating condition. There are also major differences between the lubrication performance of connecting-rod bearing and that of main bearing and between the lubrication performances of main bearings one another. Therefore, it will not be reasonable that the lubrication performance of a certain connecting-rod bearing or main bearing is analyzed in the design of the engine bearing. It is necessary to analyze simultaneously the lubrication performances of all bearings in different engine operating conditions.