Piston failure analysis www.efco.

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Piston failure check list

a. Bad fuel-oil ratio: insufficient quantity of oil (1) Sparkplug thermal grade too hot (f)
Carbon
deposit (m) Dirty particles in the internal carburettor mesh filter
b. Incorrect oil: bad oil or oil for outboard, diesel, 4-stroke engines; or between main passages (l)
does not lubricate enough the engine (2) Air leaks in inlet boots or manifold,
fuel line intake gasket,
fuel system (g)
c. Lean carburettor adjustment: incorrect air/fuel ratio (4)

d. Worn, damaged or missing air filter: dust particles and water go

through the engine causing faster wear or components failure (6) Worn, damaged
or missing air
filter (d)
e. Overheating: obstructed cylinder fins, blocked air cooling flow (5)

f. Pre-ignition, detonation: fuel with low octane level or old fuel, wrong
sparkplug thermal grade, defected ignition system and carbon deposit
(7) Obstructed cylinder
fins (e) Damaged impulse tube (g) Wrong carburettor adjustment (c)
g. Air leaks: from engine, crankshaft seals, crankcase gasket, impulse
tube, leaning fuel mixture and make the engine work over speeding, as
Air leaks in engine, crankshaft seals, Dirty fuel filter (l)
a wrong carburettor adjustment does (3) crankcase gasket (g)

h. Oxygenated fuels or with alcohol/ethanol content: clean fuels are

Error in mixing ratio, fuel with low octane level,
formulated with higher levels of oxygen, which can increase combustion high level of alcohol (a, b, h, i)
chamber temperatures and pressure, the consequences are similar to
a unit which has very lean setting (3, 4, 7) New piston profile
i. Old fuel or fuel with low octane level: it does not burn properly creating
an excessive pressure on internal components (7)

l. Dirty fuel filter: it stops the fuel going inside carburettor and the
engine works using too much air. Carburettor inspection and cleaning
is suggested (3)
Intake side Exhaust side
m. Carbon deposit: excessive carbon deposits can build up and seize
the piston. The rings can stick because of oil carbon allowing gases to Diamond marks are easily noticeable.
pass the piston and cause exhaust side seizures (2) These are important to use as reference for further description

1. Bad fuel-oil ratio (a) 2. Incorrect oil (b, m)

Deep scores on the piston. Excessive carbon deposit can build up and seize the piston. The rings stick because of oil carbon, allowing gases to pass the
Damaged piston caused by lack of lubrication piston and cause exhaust side seizures. The carbon deposit damages the surfaces, reducing lubrication
3. Overspeeding (g, h, l) 4. Lean carburettor adjustment (c, h) 5. Overheating (e)

Oil film break down. Damage caused by lean carburetion, ignition It causes insufficient lubrication normally associated with Overheating expands the piston skirt on the exhaust side.
coil problem (broken speed limiter), air leaks and/or dirty fuel filter overheating. Damage caused by lean carburettor adjustment Damage caused by overheating
6. Worn, damaged or missing air filter (d) 7. Pre-ignition, detonation (f, h, i)

The piston skirt material is worn off and the diamond marks The piston top shows evident impact signs and the skirt shows Damage caused by explosion: old fuel, low octane level,
disappear. Damage caused by worn air filter deep scores, caused by damaged or missing air filter excessive alcohol level, excessive compression value
001101650

Emak S.p.A. Member of the Yama Group • 42011 Bagnolo in Piano (RE) Italy • Tel. +39 0522 956611 • Fax +39 0522 951555 • service@emak.it • www.emakgroup.it

Piston_failure_analysis_EN_finalSez4:1 Sez4:1 22/04/2008 9.06.53