Some Phenomena of Engine Wear as Revealed by Radioactive Tracer Technique

BECAUSE of its effect on oil consumption and power, piston-ring and cylinder-wall wear has been made the subject of special research tests conducted by the four authors of this paper. They used the Oak Ridge facilities now available to industry, and secured radioactivated piston rings for installation in the test equipment.

As the rings wear, the wear debris is picked up by the lubricating oil. The amount of iron from the activated ring that is present in the oil at any given time may readily be determined with a Geiger counter.

The results discussed are classified under three broad divisions: the effect of operating conditions, lubrication, and fuel on engine wear.