What Causes Bearing Seizure and Crankshaft Locking?

2 Answers
MiguelDella
07/29/25 1:26pm
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.
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Hector
08/14/25 3:56am
I've personally experienced engine bearing seizure once. The car suddenly locked up while driving, which really scared me. After inspection, it turned out to be due to insufficient engine oil - not changing it for a long time combined with high-speed driving caused the bearings to overheat and fuse together. Simply put, bearings need oil film lubrication. When oil is insufficient or dirty, friction increases dramatically, generating extreme heat that can weld the metal together. Owners who frequently drive heavy loads or neglect maintenance should be careful - regularly checking oil level and pressure is crucial. This experience cost me over ten thousand yuan in engine repairs, a painful lesson indeed. Now I always check the dipstick before every trip to avoid surprises. On details, hot weather or frequent braking increases the risk, so maintenance habits must keep up.
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