A Method to Determine the Two Components of the Crankshaft Load on a Bearing Cap in Firing Engines

An experimental procedure to determine the two components of the crankshaft force on the bearing cap is presented in this work. The method is based on the use of two load cells, one in each bearing cap bolt.

A system to calibrate the force transference from the bearing cap to the load cells has been used. This system allows the calculation of the two components of the crankshaft forces as a function of the load cells signals.

Some experiments have been done with this system, and the results of a firing and motored engine have been compared in order to know the influence of combustion and inertia forces on the crankshaft load in the bearing cap.

The results are compared with a model for the dynamics of the piston-connecting rod-crankshaft system.