Engine downsizing, improving fuel efficiency while satisfying the environmental legislations are one of the main driving forces in developing new solutions for passenger cars.Engine main bearings, are journal bearings which support the crankshaft and operate principally in full film lubrication. Defining the optimum design parameters of the bearings which can provide low friction and high durability for automobiles represents a multi-variable problem.Being the supporters of the main shaft driven by the internal combustion engine, main bearings are subjected to strenuous operating conditions. These include high loads and pressures amongst others. The trend in lubricant selection for these components is shifting towards choosing engine oils with lower viscosity to further reduce fuel consumption. Simultaneously with the shift in oil, new solutions for controlling the geometry and the topography on the micro-scale are becoming available. Three main bearing top layers plated on a conventional aluminum alloy containing tin and silicon were selected for the study. The top layers, one bismuth based and two newly developed polymer based, were investigated for their frictional and wear performance.In order to study experimentally the influence of different design parameters on bearing performance a test rig and a methodology was developed. The selected engine main bearings were tested in lubricated condition with two oils having different viscosity. Pre - and post test analysis of the shaft surface roughness was performed using white light interferometry. The wear performance of the bearings was measured both as mass loss and surface topography.The results suggest that the developed test rig can be used to simulate close to running condition testing. The measurement method and set up shows good consistency at a load of 2000 N, but indicates inconsistency in set up at 500 N.It is found that the newly developed engine main bearing top layers have promising frictional and wear performance, providing a reduction in friction by up to 20%.

Improving vehicle efficiency and complying to stricter exhaust emission legislations are some of the driving factors to advancement in technology of engine components. The main bearings in an internal combustion engine contribute significant amount of friction. These bearings support engine loads and allow free rotation of the crankshaft. The bearings consist of a steel backing, a lining material and an optional overlay. The overlays help to minimize friction and enhance seizure resistance during adverse operating conditions. The aim of the thesis is to study the friction and wear performance of five multi-layered bearings with various overlays. A bi-metal bearing is used as the reference for comparison. Additionally, influence of two shaft surface textures are also studied comparing to the standard shaft surface finish. A modified twin-disc test rig is used to evaluate tribological performance of the bearing system. Forced misalignment tests were also performed to simulate edge contact conditions, which occur in an engine due to shaft deflection, asymmetrical loading and other factors. The bearing surface profiles were measured using an optical interferometer. The test setup showed good repeatability and consistent results. Relative friction and wear performance are compared and the bearings are ranked accordingly. One bearing type with a polymer and MoS2 overlay showed the best overall performance. This bearing combined with a plateau textured shaft further lowered the friction coefficient by 3 % in boundary and mixed lubrication regime.