What Causes Bearing Seizure and Crankshaft Locking?
1 Answers
Bearing seizure and crankshaft locking occur due to: 1. Poor quality of crankshaft and bearings with inadequate surface finish on journal and bearing surfaces: During cold starts under heavy load, the engine oil's high viscosity at low temperatures prevents sufficient lubrication, causing metal fusion and seizure. 2. Improperly rebuilt engines: Incorrect installation of main or connecting rod bearings may lead to improper clearance adjustment, resulting in bearing seizure. Additional information about bearing seizure: 1. Overview: Bearing seizure represents one of the most severe engine failures. 2. Mechanism: This phenomenon occurs when severe wear develops between the crankshaft and main/connecting rod bearings due to absent oil film protection, causing extreme surface temperatures that lead to mutual sintering and locking between crankshaft journals and bearings, rendering the engine inoperable.