Quote:
Originally Posted by thom4782
...
The IMS Solution is the highest level of protection for the following reason. If the flat design fails, no bearing debris is spread throughout the engine. Moreover, the timing chains don't jump sprockets, which would lead to pistons and valves banging into each other. It's the one option that eliminates one of the possible causes of catastrophic engine failure.
...
|
Since it is widely accepted that lack of lubrication is the main cause of IMS bearing failure, providing a solution which provides adequate lubrication should solve the problem. Then there is no need to unnecessarily be alarmist about pistons and valves banging into each other.
The above also ignores the additional unknowns that may be introduced by a new design with new parts. All of those parts add a level of complication which is simply not necessary to solve the problem, namely lack of lubrication.
Finally, from my limited understanding of bearings I know that journal bearings don't fare as well as roller element bearings (ball bearings) at the time when most engine wear occurs...at initial startup.
If there are any bearing engineers amongst our members, perhaps they could edify us further.
More time and more real world testing will provide the answer to the question of which approach solves the only problem that we should be considering... lack of lubrication.
In practical terms, I'm not so much interested in the "art", but more in the result. "Art for art's sake" is a good motto for MGM, but not for bearings. This would not be the first time that a less expensive, simpler solution proves to be the best solution.
Regards, Maurice.