Key Takeaways
The following are the key takeaways from this article:
- Cylinder liners are thin cylindrical surfaces that form an effective sliding surface for piston movement.
- The cylinder liners can be wet or dry liners with their advantages.
- Cylinder liners are usually made up of graphite/cast iron and added elements of vanadium, molybdenum, etc., to increase the corrosive and heat-resistant properties.
- Common cylinder liner problems can be frictional wear, corrosion, and abrasion.
- The cost to replace the cylinder liner can be around $30-70.
Introduction
Cylinder liners are thin cylindrical surfaces fitted within the engine cylinder. They are designed to form an effective sliding surface for piston movement. Further, the cylinder liners help heat conduction within the engine and keep airtightness for effective engine performance.
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The cylinder liner is manufactured from a material offering great thermal conductivity, greater resistance, and easy maintenance (1). This article will further shed light on the types, characteristics, and common problems of cylinder liners.
Types of Cylinder Liners
There are two types of cylinder liners within an engine:
Wet Liners
These liners are called wet liners as they are washed with the liquid flow used for cooling. Wet liners usually do not directly contact the cylinder wall (5). So, wet liners maintain a thin coolant film between the cylinder walls. As a result, wet liners have better heat dissipation properties, preventing the piston from overheating during rapid movement.
The advantage of the wet liner is that it is easy to manufacture, and the longitudinal stress is alleviated due to the thermal expansion of the liner.
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Dry Liners
These are thin bushing-type liners fitted within the engine. Dry liners have their outside wall in direct contact with the engine cylinder (3). This liner is sturdy compared to the wet liner and protects the piston from impurities and wear.
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The advantage of the dry liner is that it is easy to replace, and due to no contact with the water jacket, it has an increased lifecycle.
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Characteristics of a Typical Cylinder Liner
As discussed above, a typical cylinder liner should have higher resistance, so they are made of materials such as cast iron, graphite, etc. Both cast iron and graphite have natural lubricating properties assisting in the piston movement. Some other elements, such as vanadium, molybdenum, etc., are added with cast iron and graphite to increase the anti-corrosion properties (1). Adding molybdenum also increases the ability of liners to sustain high-temperature without deforming. Another characteristic/advantage of liners is that it prevents the engine cylinder from wear and tear (2). Resultantly, the rapid sliding motion of the piston will impact the cylinder liners instead of the cylinder surface. Therefore, replacing a cylinder liner is cheaper than the engine cylinder. Both graphite and cast iron have expansion properties at high temperatures. So, cylinder liners are not tightly pressed within the cylinder.
Hence, they can expand in length and width to sustain the heat without fracturing the engine cylinder. The criss-cross grooves on the cylinder liner also maintain adequate oil, ensuring effective lubrication within the engine.
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Common Problems of Cylinder Liners
Following are some common problems of cylinder liners:
Frictional Wear
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Although cylinder liners are made up of material supporting the sliding movement of the piston. Yet, cylinder liners can be subjected to frictional wear when the pistons slide over the cylinder liners.
The frictional wear depends upon the elements such as the piston surface health, temperature of the piston head, engine load, pressure, lubrication oil maintained within the cylinder liner grooves, and the combustion efficiency of the engine (2).
Corrosion
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The cylinder liners can also be subjected to corrosion for several reasons. Firstly, burning heavy fuel oil within the combustion space can result in corrosion mainly because fuel oil has sulfur content.
Cylinder oil neutralizes the acidic effect of sulfur. However, if the fuel oil burns more, it will form more sulfuric acid, impacting the liner surface (5). Similarly, if the lubrication oil quantity does not match the engine operating conditions, it can also lead to corrosion of the liners.
Abrasion
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Abrasion of the cylinder liners can occur due to hard particle formulation within the combustion chamber. These hard particles can be ash, metal swarf, and dust accumulated in the lube oil.
This can cause surface abrasion. The abrasion rate can be near the TDC/BDC of the liner. Abrasion of the liner can lead to an increased corrosion rate (4).
Common Signs indicating that the Cylinder Liner needs to be replaced
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The common signs of a bad cylinder liner include a low compression rate. In addition, when the liner has gone bad, the piston will face difficulty sliding against its surface, adversely impacting the compression rate.
You will face a drop in the engine efficiency, so it is a clear sign that the cylinder liner needs to be replaced (3). The onboard diagnostics will also indicate a malfunctioning cylinder liner that should be replaced soon to avoid any complex engine problems. Liner scoring will also leave marks on the piston. However, to visually inspect the piston/cylinder, you must take the car to a professional service center for engine disassembly.
Conclusion
To conclude, the cylinder liner is a small engine part. Yet, it has increased importance in facilitating piston movement, reduced friction, and high thermal conductivity. It is usually made of graphite/cast iron providing natural lubrication properties along with criss-cross grooves maintaining an optimum oil layer. However, due to certain problems, the cylinder liners can be subjected to frictional wear, corrosion, and abrasion that can reduce engine compression and illuminate the check engine light.
FAQs
There can be certain signs, such as low engine performance and knocking sound indicating that some broken particles in the engine result in this sound. You should act promptly if you hear the knocking sound to avoid complex engine problems.
A typical cylinder liner is designed to sustain around 50000-70000 miles, given the driver’s driving style and lubrication level. So, you should replace the engine oil at regular service intervals to avoid cylinder liner problems. Some other problems, such as more fuel burning, can also impact the lifespan of the cylinder liner.
You need to consult the vehicle’s instruction manual to check the type of cylinder liner within the engine. Then you can check the online websites and the local service center for the availability of the cylinder liner. A typical cylinder liner is usually available commonly in the market.
