© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
• Cylinder block construction
• Piston construction
• Piston ring construction
• Piston pin construction
• Connecting rod construction
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
• Crankshaft construction
• Engine bearing construction
• Rear main bearing oil seal construction
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Engine Bottom End
Includes the block, crankshaft,
connecting rods, and piston assemblies
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
• Engine cylinder blocks are normally
made of cast iron or aluminum
• Cast iron is very heavy and strong
• Aluminum is relatively light and
dissipates heat well
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Cylinder Block
Cylinders may be integral parts of the
block or formed by pressed-in liners
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Cylinder Sleeves
• Metal, pipe-shaped inserts that fit into the
cylinder block
– act as cylinder walls
• Cast iron sleeves are commonly used in
aluminum cylinder blocks
• Sleeves can also be installed to repair badly
damaged cylinder walls in cast iron blocks
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Cylinder Sleeves
• There two basic types of sleeves:
– dry sleeves
– wet sleeves
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Dry Sleeve
• Presses into a cylinder that has been
bored oversize
• Made from relatively thin material
• Not exposed to engine coolant
• The outer surface touches the walls of the
cylinder block
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Wet Sleeve
• Exposed to the engine coolant
• Thicker construction than a dry sleeve
• Designed to withstand combustion
pressure and heat without the added
support of the cylinder block
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Sleeve Installations
Dry sleeve Wet sleeve
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
• Pistons are normally made of
aluminum alloys, as these are light in
weight and radiate more heat
efficiently than any other material.
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Piston
Transfers the pressure of combustion to the
connecting rod and crankshaft
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Piston Dimensions
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Piston Taper
• Used to maintain the correct piston-to-
cylinder clearance
• The top of the piston is machined
slightly smaller than the bottom
• Since the piston head gets hotter than
the skirt, it expands more
• The piston is almost equal in size at the
top and bottom at operating
temperature
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Piston Taper
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
• Automotive pistons normally use three
rings:
– two compression rings
– one oil ring
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Compression Rings
• Prevent pressure leakage into the
crankcase
• Wipe some of the oil from the cylinder
walls
• Usually made of cast iron
• An outer layer of chrome or other metal
may be used to increase wear resistance
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Piston Rings
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Oil Rings
• Keep crankcase oil out of the
combustion chambers
• Available in two basic designs:
– rail-spacer type (three piece)
– one-piece type
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Oil Rings
A. Rail-spacer
ring (most
common)
B. One-piece
ring made
from cast iron
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Piston Ring Gap
• Distance between the ends of the ring
when installed in the cylinder
• Allows the ring to be installed on the
piston and to “spring” outward in its
cylinder
• Allows the ring to conform to any
variation in the cylinder diameter due
to wear
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Piston Ring Gap
Most piston rings use a butt joint
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
• Piston pins are normally made of case-
hardened steel, which increases the
wear resistance
• A hollow piston pin is machined and
polished to a very precise finish
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Piston Pins
• Piston pins are held in the piston by
one of two means:
– snap rings (full-floating piston pin)
– press-fit
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Full-Floating Piston Pin
Secured by snap rings
Free to rotate in both the rod and piston
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Press-Fit Piston Pin
Forced tightly into the connecting
rod’s small end and free to rotate in
the piston pin hole
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Piston
Assembly
The piston
notch(mark) indicates
the front of the piston
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Piston
Assembly
This piston has a
full-floating piston pin
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
• Most connecting rods are made of steel
• Connecting rods normally have an
I-beam shape for a high strength
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Connecting Rod Features
A. Oil jet
holes
B. Drilled rod
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Connecting Rod
Numbers
Ensure that each
connecting rod is in the
proper location and that
the rod cap is installed
on the corresponding rod
body correctly
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
• Engine crankshafts are usually made of
cast iron or forged steel
• Forged steel crankshafts are needed for
heavy-duty applications in order to
good wear resistance
– turbocharged or diesel engines
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Crankshaft Oil Passages
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Crankshaft Oil Flow
• Oil enters the crankshaft at the main
bearings and passes through holes in
the main bearing journals
• Oil then flows through passages in the
crankshaft and out to the connecting
rod bearings
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
• There are three basic types of engine
bearings:
– crankshaft main bearings
– connecting rod bearings
– camshaft bearings
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Engine Bearings
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Bearing Construction
Steel is used for the body
Alloys are plated over the backing to form the
bearing surface
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Standard Bearing
• Has the original dimensions specified for a
new, unworn, or unmachined crankshaft
• May have the abbreviation “STD” stamped
on its back
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Undersize Bearing
• Used on a crankshaft journal that has
been machined to a smaller diameter
• Available in undersize of 0.010",
0.020", 0.030" and sometimes 0.040"
• Undersize is normally stamped on the
back of the bearing
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Undersize Bearing
This bearing is for a journal that has been
machined 0.010" undersize
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Bearing Oil Holes and Grooves
• Holes allow oil to flow through the block
and into the clearance between the bearing
and the journal
• Grooves provide a channel so oil can
completely encircle the bearing before
flowing over and out of it
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Bearing Oil Holes and Grooves
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Main Thrust Bearing and Washers
• Main thrust bearing
– limits crankshaft end play
– thrust flanges are formed on the main bearing
sides, almost touching the thrust surfaces
machined on the crankshaft
• Thrust washers
– used instead of a thrust bearing to limit crank
end play
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Thrust Washers
Washers slide into
place between the
crankshaft and block
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
The rear main bearing oil seal prevents
oil leakage around the back of the
crankshaft
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
