Miba Bearing Group

Bearing damage
 1

Preface

When evaluating bearing damage, the following points are

important:

Nature of the damage

Appearance
Cause
Failure mechanism
Consequential damages

The task of damage analysis is, of course, always a diagnosis of

the causes for the failure.

Frequently an exact diagnosis is not possible based on

appearance of the bearing alone but only under consideration of
circumstantial evidence. Determining the cause(s) requires a
case history, including:

■ Operating time
■ Operating conditions
■ Servicing
■ Oil supply
■ Load (overload)
■ Damage to other components

Therefore, when evaluating the damage, the supplier of the

bearings depends on the cooperation of the engine
manufacturer or reconditioner and on unbiased information from
the engine operator.

Much experience is required to exactly pinpoint the cause(s) of

bearing damage.
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Contents

1. Foreign particles:
scoring and embedding 4

2. Edge loading by incorrect shape

and alignment 6

2.1. Unilateral edge loading 6

2.2. Diagonally opposed edge loading 8
2.3. Edge loading on both ends 9
2.4. Overloading of bearing center 10

3. Out-of-round housing bore 12

3.1. High oval bore 12

3.2. Wide oval bore 13

4.Wear 14

4.1. Wear in loaded area 14

4.2. Wear in the bearing center area 15
4.3. Unworn areas near the bearing ends 17

5.Corrosion 18
 Contents 3

6. Cavitation erosion 19

6.1. Oil flow cavitation beside grooves 19

6.2. Oil flow cavitation near oil groove runout 20
6.3. Cavitation due to pressure fluctuation
(partially grooved bearings) 21
6.4. Cavitation due to vibration 22

7. Fatigue rupture 23

7.1. Fatigue of the electroplated overlay 23

7.2. Fatigue of the lining material 24

8. Insufficient interference fit 25

8.1. Fretting corrosion on bearing back 25

8.2. Weld marks on bearing back 26
8.3. Rupture of the steel support shell 27

9. Incorrect assembly 28

9.1. Misaligned bearing cap 28

9.2. Improper matching of oil ducts 29
9.3. Deformation of shell under dowel pin 30
9.4. Locating lug misaligned 31

10. Failure mode analysis 32

4

1. Foreign particles:
scoring and embedding

Appearance:

■ Scratches in circumferential direction (Fig. 1)

■ Indentations on the running surface with foreign matter
embedded in the center (Fig. 2)

Causes:

■ Contaminated lubricating oil

■ Inadequate cleaning of the engine parts prior to assembly
(oil ducts of engine block, crankshaft, conrod, …)
■ Insufficient servicing of oil filter

Foreign particles

Lining material
Steel shell
 1. Foreign particles:scoring and embedding 5

Fig. 1

Fig. 2
6

2. Edge loading by incorrect

shape and alignment

General Appearance:

■ Shiny traces along bearing edges

■ Excessive wear along edges
■ Possibly rupture and smearing of overlay along edges

2.1. Unilateral Appearance:

edge loading
■ Shiny traces and excessive wear on one side
of one or both bearing halves

Causes:

■ Conical grinding of journal (a)

■ Conical housing bore (b)
■ Crankshaft fillet or axial clearance too large (c)
■ Crankshaft unbalanced: tumbling (d)
 2. Edge loading by incorrect shape and alignment 7

a c

b
d
8 2. Edge loading by incorrect shape and alignment

2.2. Diagonally Appearance:

opposed edge
loading ■ Excessive wear at the opposite end of the two bearing
halves: in mild cases only in loaded area, then not
distinguishable from 2.1.

Causes:

■ Misalignment of journal and/or

housing bore (a)
■ Deflections of housing
■ Bent or twisted conrod (b)

a
 2. Edge loading by incorrect shape and alignment 9

2.3. Edge loading on Appearance:

both ends
■ Excessive wear at both ends of one or both bearing halves

Causes:

■ Concave grinding of journal: hourglass shape (a)

■ Convex housing bore: barrel shape (b)
■ Excessive journal fillets (c)
■ Excessive axial clearance of crankshaft
■ Tumbling of conrod

a b c
10 2. Edge loading by incorrect shape and alignment

2.4. Overloading of Appearance:

bearing center
■ Excessive wear in bearing center area, possibly cracks in the
running surface due to overloading (Fig. 1)
■ Dragging (smearing) of the overlay (Fig. 2)

Causes:

■ Convex grinding of journal; barrel shape (a)

■ Concave housing bore: hourglass shape (b)
■ Lubricating oil shortage

a b
 2. Edge loading by incorrect shape and alignment 11

Fig. 1

Fig. 2
12

3. Out-of-round housing bore

3.1. High oval bore Appearance:

■ Heavy wear, smearing of overlay or overlay fatigue near the

parting lines of the bearing

Causes:

■ Deformation of the housing due to mechanical or thermal

load
■ Bolt overtightening during housing bore rework
 3. Out-of-round housing bore 13

3.2. Wide oval bore Appearance:

■ Area of excessive wear very narrow in circumferential

direction, possibly accompanied by overlay smearing,
in extreme cases in both loaded and unloaded half

Causes:

■ Excessive plastic deformation (settling) of the housing

mating faces or serrations
■ Bolt not adequately tightened during housing bore rework
14

4. Wear

4.1. Wear in Appearance:

loaded area
■ Wear over a wide area, mainly in most highest loaded zone

Causes:

■ Normal wear after long running time

■ Oil starvation caused mixed friction between journal and
bearing shell
■ Increased surface roughness of the journal
■ Waviness of journal in circumferential direction
 4. Wear 15

4.2. Wear in the Appearance:

bearing center
area ■ shaped wear in the non-grooved shel in continuation of the
oil groove of the counter shell

Cause:

■ Oil hole of crankshaft inadequately blended

wrong right
16 4. Wear

Appearance:

■ Heavy, strip-shaped wear in the non-grooved shell

in continuation of the oil groove of the counter shell
■ In severe cases, fatigue rupture of the overlay

Causes:

■ The lower side of the crankpin wears only locally where it

contacts the bearing surface. A ridge remains in its center.
This causes overloading and local wear in the loaded region
of the bearing.
 4. Wear 17

4.3. Unworn areas Appearance:

near the
bearing ends ■ No running traces in a narrow strip on one or both sides of
the bearing
■ Possibly excessive wear next to these areas

Cause:

■ Incorrect grinding of journal width; undercuts too large (a, b)

a b
18

5. Corrosion

Appearance:

■ Rough, porous or velvety running surface, most often

darkened
■ Removal of overlay over wide areas with discoloured
transition zones
■ In extreme cases, attacked lead bronze

Causes:

■ Chemically aggressive oil or additives

■ Contamination of the lubricating oil with alkaline
(e.g., antifreeze) or acidic substances
■ Aggressive combustion residues (heavy fuel oil) in
lubricating oil
■ Exceedingly long oil change intervals
■ High water content of oil
 19

6. Cavitation erosion

6.1. Oil flow cavitation Cavitation is generally caused by a local drop of the oil pressure
beside grooves below the vaporization pressure, leading to the formation of oil
bubbles. These bubbles collapse when carried into a higher pres-
sure region, initiating a shock wave.
Cavitation is generally promoted by low oil pressure, by high oil
temperatures, by the presence of substances having a low boi-
ling temperature (e.g., fuel) in the oil and by vibrations.

Appearance:

■ Lance-shaped erosion with sharply defined fringes at the oil

groove

Cause:
■ Turbulence in the incoming oil flow, in particular in areas
where flow direction in groove is opposite to pin rotation
20 6. Cavitation erosion

6.2. Oil flow cavitation Appearance:

near oil groove
runout ■ Mushroom-shaped erosions after groove runout in pin
rotation direction
■ Possible erosion of groove edges

Cause:

■ Turbulence due to unfavorable transition from groove

to bearing surface
 6. Cavitation erosion 21

6.3. Cavitation due Appearance:

to pressure
fluctuation ■ Kidney-shaped or circular erosions distinctly offset from
(partially grooved groove runout in direction of rotation. Mostly found at main
bearings) bearings.

Cause:

■ Pressure wave in the oil hole of the crankshaft because of

alternating oil flow direction

Detail
22 6. Cavitation erosion

6.4. Cavitation due Appearance:

to vibration
■ Punctual or kidney-shaped erosion of the overlay mainly at
conrod bearings (Fig. 1)
■ At main bearings mostly lance-shaped erosion of the overlay
at the upper shells (Fig.2)

Causes:

■ Deflections of the conrod large end because of the bearing load

■ Excessive bearing clearance
■ Vibration caused by cyclic, rapid motion of pin

Fig. 1

Fig. 2
 23

7. Fatigue rupture

7.1. Fatigue of the Appearance:

electroplated
overlay ■ Fine cracks or a network of cracks in the overlay

Causes:

■ Local overloading due to high bearing forces, often in

connection with high temperature
■ Edge loading or increased mixed friction (e.g., high oval bore)

Detail
24 7. Fatigue rupture

7.2. Fatigue of the Appearance:

lining material
■ Cracks, a network of cracks, „cobblestones“ in the material
■ Parts of lining material broken out

Causes:
■ Local overload due to high bearing load
■ Local overload by uneven loading

Mechanism:
■ Fine cracks develop at first on the bearing surface (1)
■ They propagate towards the steel support shell (2)
■ Ultimately, parts of the lining material break out (3)
1

3
 25

8. Insufficient interference fit

8.1. Fretting corrosion Appearance:

on bearing back
■ Dark, rough areas on the bearing back and in the
housing bore
■ Steel surface is attacked already

Causes:

■ Insufficient crush height of the bearing shells caused by

oversize housing bore
■ Bolts not tightened according to specifications
26 8. Insufficient interference fit

8.2. Weld marks on Appearance:

bearing back
■ Pittings on bearing back and in housing bore typically found
near the parting lines

Causes:

■ Insufficient crush height of the bearing shells caused by

oversize housing bore
■ Bolts not tightened according to specifications
 8. Insufficient interference fit 27

8.3. Rupture of Appearance:

the steel
support shell ■ Broken steel support shell
■ Lines of rest indicating a transient stop of rupture
■ In severe cases, battered fracture surfaces

Causes:

■ Fretting corrosion and/or welding marks lead to increased

notch effect
■ Loose bearing shells
■ Improper press fit
28

9. Incorrect assembly

9.1. Misaligned Appearance:

bearing cap
■ Excessive wear areas near the parting lines on
diagonally opposite sides of upper and lower bearing shell

Causes:

■ Mismatched bearing cap

■ Bearing cap turned by 180°
■ Damaged cap guides
■ Improper sequence of bolt tightening
 9. Incorrect assembly 29

9.2. Improper Appearance:

matching of
oil ducts ■ Overheated running surface, bearing seizure
■ Imprint of housing bore visible on bearing back

Cause:

■ Improper bearing installation caused blocked oil ducts

30 9. Incorrect assembly

9.3. Deformation Appearance:

of shell
by dowel pin ■ Heavy wear and seizure on the running surface.
Pin markings in or beside the slot on bearing back.

Causes:

■ Dowel pin too long, debris in pin hole

■ Dowel pin misaligned

Running surface Bearing back

 9. Incorrect assembly 31

9.4. Locating lug Appearance:

misaligned
■ Deformed locating lug, heavy wear and/
or seizure in lug area

Cause:

■ Locating lug misaligned

32 10. Failure mode analysis

10. Failure mode analysis

Orientation guide to determine the cause of bearing damage (checklist)

Function Characteristics Parameters to check

Operating conditions – particular load cases or applications
Breakage of adjacent parts
Failure of piston
External Piston pin
conditions Piston pin bushing
Engine design, vibrations
Failure of lubrication – reason?
Assembly/dirt in the system
Oil analysis, additives, oil aging
Single or multiple viscosity oil
Viscosity
Viscosity
Water content
Foaming
Oil treatment
Running surface and housing, transitions,
Lubricant Impurifications
evaluation of bearing set (conrod, main)
Hot operation Standard temperature
Cooling condition Temperature under specific operating conditions
performance Temperature measurement before failure
Overheating
Metallurgical analysis of the components
Mixed friction Running in/before stop/lubrication in advance
condition Specific appearance of the bearing
Specific surface load 1)
Pin orbital path/limits 1)
Bearing design
(Engine’s own) vibrations
Comparable engines
Installation Latest data from assembly test
situation Available geometric measurements
Installation situation
Bearing/load Housing
Condition of bearing back
Corrosion
Bearing Cavitation 2)
Metallurgy
Cavitation 2)
Pin
Metallurgy
Manufacturing records
Housing
Measurements of geometry, surface roughness, etc.
Manufacturing records
Quality Bearing
Detailed geometry, including spread, crush height,
wall thickness, bearing clearance, back contact
Manufacturing records
Pin
Measurements of geometry, surface roughness, etc.
1)
Relevant for the design and testing of new engines
2)
Individual types of cavitation are not considered here in detail
3)
Probability on a scale of 1 (highly probable) to 5 (improbable) to assess the overall results and influences on the bearing performance
 10. Failure mode analysis 33

Checked 3)
Probability Comments
(Yes/No)

s
Miba Bearing Group/Headquarters:
Miba Gleitlager GmbH
Dr.-Mitterbauer-Straße 3
4663 Laakirchen, Austria/Europe
Tel.: +43/7613/2541-0
Fax: +43/7613/2095
e-mail: bearinggroup@miba.com
http://www.miba.com