Sprocket1
Bronze Member
In a well designed engine there is no actual metal to metal contact between any two moving parts. I was told this many years ago. Never really thought about it.
True or false ?
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bgott
Veteran Member
True. The parts ride on an oil film.
DavidJ
Gold Member
In a perfect world; True
In the real world; Not so true
There should always be a film of oil between all metal to metal points but in the real world when it's stopped it sometimes gets squeezed out and a fraction of a second upon starting you have contact.
In the real world; Not so true
There should always be a film of oil between all metal to metal points but in the real world when it's stopped it sometimes gets squeezed out and a fraction of a second upon starting you have contact.
BubbaJr
Platinum Member
If everything was absolutely perfect, that would be true. However in reality that doesn't happen. That's why the engines come with oil filters to capture the minute metal and other particles. That's also why they make aftermarket magnetic drain plugs so the stray metal particles are attracted to it.
slowrev
Elite Member
Bubba has it right. If no contact no shavings or metal fuzz on the magnetic drain plug.
No engine that I have heard of is engineered well enough to eliminate all metal to metal contact.
No engine that I have heard of is engineered well enough to eliminate all metal to metal contact.
bgott
Veteran Member
It's a theory, guys! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif If it worked perfectly you'd never have an engine wear out. Except for the valve seats wearing out and tetraethyl lead theoretically stopped that from happening. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
the basic theory is that oil around a spinning part makes the oil around it spin and the spinning part like a cam or crank or rods ride on the top just like when you hydroplane or spin out on water it creates enough inertia to ride on top.
However the oil films in areas are so small at times the peaks and valley of the metal does hit from time to time. There's a brochure from amsoil that has info on it and some bypass filter makes have info.
However the oil films in areas are so small at times the peaks and valley of the metal does hit from time to time. There's a brochure from amsoil that has info on it and some bypass filter makes have info.
Junkman
Super Member
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Bubba has it right. If no contact no shavings or metal fuzz on the magnetic drain plug. )</font>
Bearing material isn't made with a iron base material, hence it will not be attracted to the magnet. When you start to see the fuzzy material on the drain plug magnet, it is time to do an engine overhaul..... that is, if it isn't too late. Something else is wearing out and at a fast rate. Usually the magnet will pick up material that is left behind when the engine is assembled and that is where the benefit lies..... in later engine life, it just tells you it is time for a rebuild if you find metal filing on the magnet. Just my opinion.... your may differ.
Bearing material isn't made with a iron base material, hence it will not be attracted to the magnet. When you start to see the fuzzy material on the drain plug magnet, it is time to do an engine overhaul..... that is, if it isn't too late. Something else is wearing out and at a fast rate. Usually the magnet will pick up material that is left behind when the engine is assembled and that is where the benefit lies..... in later engine life, it just tells you it is time for a rebuild if you find metal filing on the magnet. Just my opinion.... your may differ.
I just got a lubrication magazine that has the same topic on magnetic plugs and using them to determine problems in otr trucks on drive axles.
They indicated fine material was normal when you had flakes of a certian size it indicated exessive wear and another shape had where the bearing had failed.
It had approx. 25 pictures and information on it. So i guess you can get a microscope and determine problems. No mention of material i'm assuming if you went tight enough you could determine material of the particle you were looking at?
They indicated fine material was normal when you had flakes of a certian size it indicated exessive wear and another shape had where the bearing had failed.
It had approx. 25 pictures and information on it. So i guess you can get a microscope and determine problems. No mention of material i'm assuming if you went tight enough you could determine material of the particle you were looking at?