Engine lubrication

In an internal combustion engine, the moving parts need to be

lubricated to reduce friction that would other wise cause overheating
resulting in engine seizure.
 Function of Lubrication

• To reduce friction and wear between the moving parts

• To provide sealing action
• To cool the surfaces by carrying away the heat generated in engine
components
• To clean the surfaces by washing away carbon and metal particles
caused by wear
Lubrication System

• The function of Lubrication system

• Is to provide sufficient quantity of cooled & filtered oil to give
positive and adequate lubrication to all the moving parts

• The various lubrication system used for IC engine:

• Mist Lubrication
• Wet sump Lubrication
• Dry sump Lubrication
 Mist Lubrication System

• This system is used where crankcase lubrication is not suitable

• In 2-stroke engine as the charge is compressed in the crankcase, it is not
possible to have the lubricating oil oil in the sump
• In such engines the lubricating oil is mixed with the fuel, the usual ratio being
3% to 6%
• The oil and the fuel induced through the carburetor the fuel is vaporized and
the oil is in the form of mist goes via the crankcase in to the cylinder
Mist Lubrication System

• Advantage of this system:

• Simplicity, low cost (does not required oil pump, filter)
• Disadvantages:
• Causes heavy exhaust smoke
• Get contaminated with acids and result in the corrosion of bearings
surface 
• Calls for through mixing for effective lubrication.
• The engine will suffer from insufficient lubrication as the supply of
fuel is less
 Wet sump lubrication system
• This system consists of a large storing capacity of oil at base
of the crank chamber.
• From the sump the oil is drawn by the pump and applied to
various parts of the engine.
• Excess oil after serving the purpose will gradually return to
the sump.
• It should be the aim of a good designer to reduce friction
and wear of the parts subjected to relative motion.
• This is achieved by proper lubrication system
 Wet Sump lubrication System

• The bottom of the crankcase contains an oil pan or sump from which
the lubricating oil is pumped to various components by a pump
• After lubricating the parts the oil flows back to the sump by gravity
• There are 3 varieties in wet sump lubricating system
• The splash system
• The splash and pressure system
• The pressure feed system
Splash type lubrication

• This type of lubrication is generally used in some small

four-stroke engines.
• In its construction a cap is present on the big end of the
connecting rod which consists of a scoop.
• When the connecting rod is at the lowest position, the
scoop gets dipped into the oil, thus it directs the oil into
the holes present in the bearing.
• Due to the splash of the scoop oil reaches the lower
position of the cylinder walls, crankshaft and other parts
which requires lubrication.
• Oil level inside the pump is maintained a pump which
takes oil from the sump through a filter.
Splash type lubrication

This type of lubricating

This system does not serve
system is suitable for low
properly for high speed
and medium speed
engines, which normally
engines, which is
operates at high bearing
generally having moderate
pressure.
bearing load pressure.
 Splash & pressure
lubrication system

• The lubricating oil is supplied under

pressure to main and camshaft
bearings
• The oil is also supplied under pressure
to pipes which direct a stream of oil
against the dippers on the big end
connecting rod bearing cap
• The crankpin bearings are lubricated
by the splash or spray of oil thrown up
by a dipper
 FULL PRESSURE
SYSTEM

• In this system oil is pumped from the oil

sump and it is distributed to various parts
requiring lubrication.
• The oil is drawn from the oil sump through
a filter and it is pumped by means of gear
pump.
• Here oil is delivered at a pressure of 1.5
bar to 4 bar.
Pressure feed system

Oil hole is drilled from

the center of each
Pressure relief valve is
The oil is forced to all the crankpin to the center of
fitted to maintain the
main bearings of an adjacent main journal
predictable pressure
crankshaft through which oil can
values
pass from the main
bearing to the crankpin
 Dry sump lubrication system

• In this system the oil is carried in an external tank

• An oil pump draws oil from the supply tank and circulates
it under pressure to the various bearings of the engine
• Oil dripping from the cylinders and bearings in to the
sump is removed by a scavenging pump which in turn the
oil is passed through a filter and fed back to the supply
tank
• The capacity of scavenging pump is always greater than
the oil pump
• A separate oil cooler provided to remove heat from the oil
 Crankcase ventilation

• During the compression and expansion strokes the gas inside the cylinder gets
past the piston rings and enters the crankcase which is called blow-by
• It contains water vapor and sulfuric acid
• If this contamination is appreciable amount it causes corrosion of steel parts in
the crankcase
• This may also promote sludge formation in the lubricating oil
• When the amount of water vapor condensed becomes considerable, in cold
weather this may freeze and may cause damage to the lubricating oil pump
 Crankcase ventilation
• This removal of the blowby can be achieved effectively by passing a constant
stream of fresh air through the crankcase known as Crankcase ventilation
• By doing so not only all the water vapor but also a considerable proportion of
fuel in the blow-by may be removed from the crank case.
• The crankcase must have an air inlet and outlet for the effective crankcase
ventilation
• It is possible to connect the crankcase outlet to the air cleaner, where the inlet
suction serves to ventilate the crankcase and unburned fuel, gases as well as
the water vapor are then drawn in to the cylinder where the fuels has another
chance to burn
 Lubricants
• Classification of Lubricant
• Animal
• Vegetable
• Mineral
• Synthetic

• Animal Lubricants
• Lubricants with animal origin:
• Tallow & Tallow oil
• Lard oil
• Neat’s foot oil
• Sperm oil & Porpoise oil
• These are highly stable at normal temperatures  Animal lubricants may not be used for internal
combustion because they produce fatty acids.
Vegetable Lubricants

• Examples of vegetable lubricants are:

• Castor oil
• Olive oil
• Cottonseed oil
• Animal and vegetable oils have a lower coefficient of friction than most
mineral oils but they rapidly wear away steel
Mineral Lubricants

• These lubricants are used to a large extent in the lubrication of

internal combustion engines
• There are three classifications of mineral lubricants:
• Solid
• Semisolid
• Fluid
Synthetic Lubricants

• Because of the high operating temperatures of engines, it

became necessary to develop lubricants which would retain their
characteristics at temperatures that cause petroleum lubricants
to evaporate and break down
• Synthetic lubricants do not break down easily and do not produce
coke or other deposits
 Additives
• These are substances added to the lubricant to give it certain characteristics
depending on the operation conditions of the vehicle, some of these addatives are:
• Viscosity index improvers
• Detergents/dispersants
• Extreme pressure, anti wear & friction modifiers
• Oxidation inhibitors
• Rust corrosion inhibitors
• Foam inhibitors
• Pour point depressants