The Effects of Roughness on Piston Ring Lubrication—Part II: The Relationship between Cylinder Wall Surface Topography and Oil Film Thickness

In this investigation, a theoretical piston ring/cylinder wall model has been utilized to study the dependence of the oil film thickness on surface roughness shape and amplitude, as well as on engine operating conditions. For a given roughness, a plateau honed cylinder wall surface was found to produce a thinner oil film. It has also been shown that the small crosshatch angle used when honing the cylinder wall produces surfaces that enhance hydrodynamic action.