What are the symptoms of engine cylinder scoring?
2 Answers
Automobile engine cylinder scoring manifests as reduced cylinder compression pressure and loss of power. Engine cylinder scoring is one of the common faults in automobile engines. Cylinder scoring refers to deep grooves being formed on the cylinder wall, causing the piston, piston rings, and cylinder wall to lose their sealing properties during friction. Under such circumstances, the engine will produce abnormal noises, experience a rapid decline in output power, and exhibit severe oil burning, blue smoke, or even crankcase explosion. To determine whether cylinder scoring has occurred, observe for phenomena such as abnormal engine noises, power loss, exhaust gas leakage, excessive fuel consumption with poor performance, or difficulty restarting after shutdown during driving. If these symptoms are present, cylinder scoring may have occurred. The causes of cylinder scoring are highly complex, including design-related factors such as material selection, determination of clearance size, proper installation of components, rational structural arrangement, appropriate surface roughness, and adequacy of lubrication and cooling system layout.
I've been driving for decades and have encountered engine cylinder scoring several times. When this happens, the car's acceleration becomes particularly sluggish, with little response when stepping on the gas pedal, like an old ox pulling a broken cart, making it difficult to climb hills. The engine also emits a knocking sound, like banging on an iron barrel. After stopping, blue smoke comes out of the exhaust, indicating oil burning, and fuel consumption also rises sharply. This problem is mostly due to insufficient lubrication or dirty engine oil, causing the piston to get stuck and scratch the cylinder walls. If not repaired in time, it can destroy the entire engine. I suggest stopping driving immediately upon noticing symptoms and towing it to a professional repair shop for cylinder inspection. Changing the oil more frequently in daily use can help prevent this.
