FAILURE ANALYSIS OF A DIESEL VEHICLE PISTON

DİZEL BİR TAŞIT PİSTONUNUN HASAR ANALİZİ

Metehan EMİRZEOĞLU
Graduate Student, Akdeniz University Institute of Science and Technology, Mechanical Engineering Department,

metehanemirzeoglu@hotmail.com

Tuğçe TEZEL
Asst. Prof. Dr., Akdeniz University Engineering Faculty, Mechanical Engineering Department, tugcetezel@akdeniz.edu.tr

Volkan KOVAN
Prof. Dr., Akdeniz University Engineering Faculty, Mechanical Engineering Department, kovan@akdeniz.edu.tr

ABSTRACT
Although new engineering materials and mechatronic systems are integrated into the engines during the
engine development process, the observed failures in the existing engines should also be investigated.
In the failure investigations, it was observed that the failure of the basic components such as piston,
cylinder block, connecting rod, and crankshaft left the engine completely dysfunctional. In this study,
the failure analysis of the piston of a diesel vehicle with abrasive wear damage was carried out
systematically. As a result of microscopic observations, detailed images of abrasive wear at the piston
head perpendicular to the pin slots were obtained in light of the findings obtained, and two basic
mechanisms that may cause damage have been determined. When the failure mechanisms were
examined, undesirable expansions occurred in the pin due to heating and insufficient lubrication. As a
result, excessive piston expansion resulted in abrasive wear damage due to friction. Another possible
failure mechanism is that the fuel was sprayed on the cylinder wall due to the fault in the injection
nozzle, and the combustion took place in the cylinder wall, and then the oil burned and lost its function.
As a result of the oil-free operation, abrasive wear damage was observed on the piston.
Keywords: Diesel Engine, Piston Failure, Abrasive Wear, Failure Analysis
ÖZET
Motor geliştirme sürecinde motorlara yeni mühendislik malzemeleri ve mekatronik sistemler entegre
edilse de mevcut motorlarda gözlemlenen hasarlarının da araştırılması gerekir. Yapılan hasar
araştırmalarında ise motorlarda hasarların piston, silindir bloğu, biyel, krank gibi temel bileşenlerdeki
hasarlarının motoru tamamıyla işlevsiz bıraktığı gözlenmiştir. Bu çalışmada üzerinde abrasif aşınma
hasarı görülen dizel bir taşıtın pistonun hasar analizi sistematik olarak yürütülmüştür. Mikroskopik
gözlemler sonucunda piston başında perno yuvalarına dik doğrultudaki abrasif aşınmanın detaylı
görüntüleri elde edilmiştir. Elde edilen bulgular ışığında hasara sebep olabilecek iki temel mekanizma
belirlenmiştir. Hasar mekanizmaları incelendiğinde eksik yağlamadan ötürü pernoda ısınmaya bağlı
istenmeyen genleşmeler meydana gelmiş ve bunun sonucunda ise pistonu aşırı genleştirerek sürtünmeye
bağlı abrasif aşınma hasarı görülmüştür. Diğer bir muhtemel hasar mekanizması ise yakıtın enjeksiyon
memesindeki hatadan ötürü silindir duvarına püskürtülmesi sonucunda yanma silindir çeperinde
gerçekleşmiş ve akabinde yağ yanarak işlevini yitirmiştir. Yağsız çalışma sonucunda pistonda abrasif
aşınma hasarı görülmüştür.
Anahtar Kelimeler: Dizel Motor, Piston Hasarı, Abrasif Aşınma, Hasar Analizi
1. INTRODUCTION
The piston is a critical component of the Crank-Connecting Rod Mechanism (CCM), which converts
chemical energy from fuels into mechanical energy in internal combustion engines. In CCM, the piston
can move in the cylinder in the direction of the cylinder axis as long as the stroke length equals the
diameter of the crank circle. The pistons' dimensions, material, number, and positions in an internal
combustion engine are related to the nominal power that the machine will produce at the rated speed.
Regardless of engine type and timing, pistons are exposed to high end-of-combustion temperatures and
pressures. Cast iron, steel, or Al-Si alloys are used to manufacture pistons. Generally, after casting, the
suitable surfaces of the parts are machined by removing sawdust to fulfill the desired functions or
subjected to a series of mechanical and heat treatments to harden them. Pistons are divided into two
main parts, the ring region and the skirt region (Figure 1). The rings used in the ring area are divided
into a compressor, oil, and pin. Compressor rings (top rings) prevent the fuel-air mixture in the
combustion chamber from leaking into the crankcase and the injected engine oil from reaching the
combustion chamber. The oil ring lubricates the cylinder walls by distributing the engine oil from inside
of the piston, thus reducing friction and allowing the piston to transfer its heat. Gas in pistons force is a
function of in-cylinder pressure. Since the pressure in the cylinder varies, the piston is exposed to fully
variable stresses. In addition, since the temperature in the cylinder changes instantaneously, the piston
is exposed to a temperature of 2300 K at the end of the combustion on its upper surface; the piston's
bottom surface is cooled with oil and brought to the outdoor temperature (295 K~315 K). Thermal
stresses occur in the piston head due to the high-temperature difference between the lower and upper
surfaces of the piston head. Mechanical and thermal stresses create a fully variable thermomechanical
stress at the piston head.

a) b)

Figure 1. a) Crank-Connecting Rod Mechanism in an Inline Four-Type Engine [URL 1] b) Partial Section of Piston and Its
Components [URL 2] [1]

Engines are complex mechanical systems where tribological, thermodynamic, kinetic, electronic, and
mechanical phenomena occur simultaneously; the slightest mistake in all engine processes can cause
material and moral losses. For this reason, scientists and researchers have carried out comprehensive
analyses on engine damage and prepared reports containing the formation of damage mechanisms, their
results, and the measures that can be taken, bringing them to the literature. Deulgaonkar et al. (2021),
by conducting failure analysis on fifty defective engines, collected damage data from the components
of the engines, such as the crankshaft, cooling system, piston, cylinder block, connecting rod, bearings,
valves, camshaft, and determined that the cylinder block and piston were the most frequently damaged
parts in engines [2]. Caldera et al. (2017) analyzed the pitting damage from the upper surface of the
piston to the bottom of the socket. During the analysis process, in addition to the damaged piston and
solid pistons in the engine, a new piston was subjected to different studies and measurements such as
microstructural morphologies and transformations, hardness, fracture surface analyses, and chemical
composition. According to the analysis results, a decrease in hardness was observed due to excessive
aging due to piston operating conditions. It has been determined that after primary cracks occur on the
upper piston surface with thermomechanical fatigue, crack propagation mechanisms and fatigue effect
cause failure [3]. In Traubert et al. (2010) study on a wholly shattered aluminum piston, overheating
was observed in the pin bearings as a result of the friction of the piston with the cylinder from the bottom
of the housing. The continuous high temperature caused excessive aging and loss of hardness around
the bearing. As a result, the piston was cut from the pinhole and suffered direct damage [4]. Bao et al.
(2017) investigated the failure mechanism caused by combustion disorder in aluminum alloy pistons.
After the first wear, the Al matrix on the surface of the piston reacts with the carbon in the upper region
of the piston and the air in the combustion chamber, forming Al4C3 and Al2O3 brittle phases. As a
result, the extent of the damage increases [5]. Rampolla et al. (2013) investigated the damages in Al
alloy pistons used in high-speed diesel engines. It was determined that the not fully atomized fuel melted
the edges of the upper piston region. As a result of the other pistons examined, it was determined that
the injection timing error in the engine was the main damage mechanism [6]. Other components of CCM
are also standard in the literature. Witek et al. (2019) made damage and stress analyses of the connecting
rod of a turbocharged diesel engine. They determined that the tightening torque of the bolts in the
connecting rod heads is higher than the average value, and it causes crack initiation in the areas close to
the bolt slot under tension [7]. He et al. (2013) examined the cracks on the gear coupling surface of the
diesel generator connecting rod and determined that overloading was the primary mechanism of the
damage [8]. Griza et al. (2009) examined the engine that failed six months after its rectification and
observed that the malfunction occurred in the fourth connecting rod. It was determined that the bolts
were subjected to fatigue and damaged due to the assembly without sufficient pre-stressing [9].
Aliakbari et al. (2022) investigated the damage to the crankshaft of a heavy-duty truck, which occurred
much earlier than expected. It was observed that non-metallic surface defects turned into cracks around
the trunnion lubrication hole. Studies have determined that improper downshifting puts excessive strain
on the crankshaft [10]. Aliakbari et al. (2019) examined a truck crank's failure after 955000 km of use.
As a result of the examinations, it was observed that the cracks in the third crank pin grew and resulted
in the final breakage at the edge of the fourth crank pin. By computer analysis and accurate data, the
growth of scratches on the crank pin under the effect of fatigue was determined as the main mechanism
of damage [11].
Damage analysis, in general, is to prevent the recurrence of the said damage by investigating the facts
that cause the damage. When the damage reports and articles in the literature are examined, it has been
observed that the damage in a system can be brought under control with preventive measures and
maintenance activities in the early stages. For this reason, early wear detection is as important as damage
analysis. Studies are carried out on preliminary damage detection systems in thermal machines,
especially internal combustion engines. In internal combustion engines, it is vital to detect piston-
cylinder failures. In addition, the condition of wear in the piston and cylinder block is a critical indicator
in determining the engine's performance characteristics. However, it is the main engine overhaul or
partial repair condition.
Zhou et al. (2017) referenced that the piston and cylinder wear causes additional vibration in the engine.
The Teager operator has been adopted to improve the characteristics of the vibration signals received
from the probes placed at the top left of the cylinder when the diesel engine is idling and better determine
the instantaneous pulse signals. The maximum energy value extracted by the teager operator was used
to diagnose the presence and severe levels of piston-cylinder failures. Analysis results of accurate
vibration signals for two different types of Diesel engines and other faulty cylinders showed that the
proposed method is simple and effective [12]. Lin et al. (2015) stated in their study that they could detect
the first and most definite signs of damage to the engine from the crankshaft at the initial stage. Thanks
to the sensors connected to the crankshaft, it detected the sudden angular velocity changes due to the net
momentum change in the crankshaft, caught further damages in the engine, and showed that this method
could be used to detect simulated exhaust valve damage [13]. Lago et al. (2017) saw the beginning of
wear in the engine by collecting particles thanks to an innovative device placed in the exhaust [14].
Mendonça et al. (2017) developed the Electrical Signature Analysis method based on the imbalance in
electricity generation for diesel engines used in electric generators. They successfully tested it in diesel
engines of different scales [15]. Zhao et al. (2014) suggested that dynamic and continuous signals
produced in diesel engines and instantaneous and intense signals can be analyzed by local wave time
frequency. The effective applicability of his proposal has been proven in the experiments [16].
2. MATERIAL-METHOD
In the study, first of all, information was collected by making preliminary research about the damaged
part. As a result of the serial codes on the damaged piston and the information obtained from the
authorized service, it has been determined that it belongs to the Fiat Doblo 1.3-D Multijet model.
According to the lot number, the piston was manufactured in the 42nd week of 2009.
Although there is no clear data for the piston material, no metallurgical data equivalent was found due
to the literature review of the codes, which are considered clues. HB10 measurement method was used
for hardness measurement. Damaged surfaces were examined with an MShot MD50-type optical
microscope.
3. RESULT and DISCUSSION
Visual inspection of the damaged part (Figure 2) revealed wear marks on the piston head parallel to the
working direction. On the inner surface of the piston, color changes were observed as a result of
combustion. The part was cleaned with acetone to examine the wear surfaces better and read the codes
and symbols containing clues about its manufacture. The stuck pin was conveniently removed to discuss
it with a hardness tester and an optical microscope.

Figure 2: Damaged parts in the piston ring area and pin stuck in its seat and with burning traces on its surface

As a result of the measurements made at different points on the part, it was revealed that the damaged
part had a Rockwell B hardness value of 72.8. These results concluded that the piston head and ring set
were subjected to precision surface treatment after the part was manufactured from a single casting alloy.
After visual inspection and hardness measurement, an examination was performed under a microscope
to learn more about the wear on the piston (Figure 3).
 (a)

(b)

(c)

Figure 3: A Microscopic Observation of Piston (a) Damage to the right surface of the piston (b) Damage to the left surface of
the piston (c)Penetrant particles left surface of the piston
Under normal operating conditions, wear occurs on the pistons due to the friction force on their skirts.
The piston skirts are subjected to additional surface treatment to reduce the effects of this wear. In
contrast, the wall thickness of these surfaces is produced thinner than the other surfaces in order not to
be adversely affected by the expansion due to high temperature. Primary defects in the ignition,
lubrication, and cooling system that may occur inside the engine can cause secondary defects such as
wear damage observed at the piston head. In addition, chain damage may occur in the mechanisms since
the engines contain co-mechanisms connected. When considering the damaged part, it is first necessary
to confirm whether there is damage due to insufficient lubrication. Lubrication in engines not only
creates an anti-wear oil film between the rings and the cylinder but also acts as a coolant so that the
piston and pin are not adversely affected by high temperatures. There are four main causes of insufficient
lubrication, which can often be seen in internal combustion engines.
Failure of the oil spray nozzle to function or its breakage
• Insufficient or non-existent oil pump pressure
• Not using oil suitable for the operating conditions of the engine
• Engine being subjected to excessive stress
As a result of insufficient lubrication, the pin and hub become extremely hot. When the burning traces
on the pin are considered in the spectrum, it is determined that the pin burned at 290-315 °C (Fig 2c).
Under normal operating conditions, a thin-walled and flexible piston skirt can compensate for the higher
thermal expansion on the pressure and counter-pressure sides, but the thick-walled pin core expands
more. As a result, space narrowing occurs, which will prevent the oil film from performing its function.
As a result of the deterioration of the oil film, abrasive wear damages, called a seizure, are seen at the
piston head. This failure mechanism between the piston and the cylinder is explained in Figure 4.

(a) (b)

Figure 4. (a) Thermal Expansion Between Piston and Cylinder Under Normal Operating Conditions (b) Additional Thermal
Expansion Caused by Uncooled Pin

Apart from insufficient lubrication, piston head damage can also be seen as a result of errors that can be
seen in the ignition system. In compression engines, combustion occurs in the cylinder wall because the
fuel is sent to the cylinder wall due to a fault in the injection nozzle. Due to the high end-of-combustion
temperature, the oil layer weakens until oil-free operation occurs. As a result, intense seizures occur due
to friction between the ring set and the cylinder wall [17].
 (a) (b)

Figure 5: Normal (a) and faulty (b) combustions in the combustion chamber

Apart from these failure mechanisms, personnel errors in the repair or renewal process of the piston may
also cause failure. Required and sufficient tight fit tolerances are not exceeded during the pin installation
to the piston. Axial misalignment occurs during the assembly of the small connecting rod head to the
pin; Factors such as hitting the metal ring with a casting mallet during the piston assembly in the
cylinder, etc., can be counted as personnel-related errors.
The following measures can be taken to prevent piston head damage or further damage to the engine.
•Engine maintenance should be done periodically at authorized services. Single personnel should not be
responsible for solving the problems of the vehicle repaired in the authorized service.
•The user should regularly check the amount and decrease the rate of fluids, such as oil coolant required
for the engine.
•If white smoke, a sign of oil burning in diesel engines, comes out of the exhaust, it should go to the
authorized service without wasting time.
•The machine should be tested when the user observes a performance that does not match the engine
characteristics.
4. CONCLUSION
In this study, the failure analysis of the piston of a diesel vehicle with abrasive wear damage was carried
out systematically. In the first examination of the piston and pin, the color changes seen in various parts
were evaluated in the spectra. It was revealed that the materials in question burned at specific
temperatures. After the signs of wear and burning were recorded, the piston was cleaned according to
metallurgical inspection standards and micro-scale observations. As a result of the metallurgical
examinations, it was revealed that the piston was produced from a single material. As a result of
microscopic observations, detailed images of abrasive wear at the piston head perpendicular to the pin
slots were obtained. In the light of the findings obtained, two basic mechanisms that may cause damage
have been determined. When the failure mechanisms were examined, undesirable expansions occurred
in the pin due to heating and insufficient lubrication. As a result, excessive piston expansion resulted in
abrasive wear damage due to friction. Another possible failure mechanism is that the fuel was sprayed
on the cylinder wall due to the fault in the injection nozzle, and the combustion took place in the cylinder
wall, and then the oil burned and lost its function. As a result of the oil-free operation, abrasive wear
damage was observed on the piston.
To prevent this damage, the vehicle should be used in the dimensions recommended and limited by the
manufacturer, and regular maintenance should be done at authorized services. The fluids required for
the operation of the engine should be checked regularly. Components of the Crank-Connecting Rod
mechanism must be assembled or disassembled, following the manufacturer's instructions. In addition,
tolerances must be observed when assembling parts.
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URL2. https://learnmech.com/piston-parts-piston-ring-types-piston/
Last Viewed: 24.06.2022
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