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Service, Wärtsilä Finland Oy
Engine section Engine type Ref. Date Issue Document No. Page
10, 11 & 14 Vasa 32 WFI–S 31.8.2005 01 3210Q042 1(8)

Bearing assessment for Vasa 32 based engines

General The purpose of these instructions is to define assessment criteria for the
main bearings, big end bearings, small end bearings and camshaft bearings
of the WÄRTSILÄ® Vasa 32, 32LN, 32LNGD, WÄRTSILÄ® 32DF, 32GD,
12V34SG and 18V34SG engines.
Recommendation See the engine manual for further information:
- Maintenance schedule (chapter 4)
- Clearances and wear limits (chapter 6)
- Bearing assembly instructions (chapters 10 and 11).
Contact your Wärtsilä Service office if in doubt of bearing types or for
further information.

Bearing types Bearing types for the engine are shown in figure 1. The type of the bearing
has an influence on the visible wear pattern.

Figure 1. Bearing types.

Inspection intervals Bearings are to be inspected according to the maintenance schedule. See
chapter 4 in the engine instruction manual.

Bearing lifetime Bearing lifetime will be influenced by:

- Engine load profile and operating conditions
- Fuel and lube oil properties
- Adequate prelubrication before starting and sufficient lubrication during
operation
- Proper oil maintenance including regular and optimized separation
routines
- Proper maintenance of lube oil filters
- Clean working conditions while working inside the engine
- Regular draining and cleaning of lube oil tanks

Wärtsilä Finland Oy P.O. Box 252 (Tarhaajantie 2) Telecop. +358 6 356 7355 Tel. +358 10 709 0000 Business ID 0773744-3
Service, Vaasa FIN-65101 Vaasa, Finland Telecop. +358 6 356 7339 Registered Office: Vaasa
Wärtsilä Finland Oy P.O. Box 50 (Stålarminkatu 45) Telecop. +358 10 709 3279 Tel. +358 10 709 0000
Service, Turku FIN-20811 Turku, Finland Telecop. +358 10 709 3410
Service, Wärtsilä Finland Oy
Bearing designations
Figure 2. Bearing shell
Safety check
Wear pattern
Figure 5. Bearing shell.
Operating instruction
Issue Document No. Page
01 3210Q042 2(8)
It is recommended that new big end bearings and main bearings are
marked with an electrical engraving pen on the side edge of the bearing
(figure 2). See also chapter 00 of the instruction manual. The big end
bearing should be marked with the cylinder number (figure 3) and the main
bearing should be marked with the bearing number (figure 4).
Figure 3. Cylinder numbers. Figure 4. Bearing numbers.
After fitting a bearing, the bearing temperature has to be checked and
confirmed to be even between corresponding bearings:
- Run the engine for about 5 minutes up to nominal speed with no load.
- Follow the engine behaviour.
- Stop the engine and check the bearing temperatures by hand or with a
temperature measuring device.
Typical wear pattern of sliding bearings is slight polishing over broad arc on
the most loaded area. In bearings with flash layer normal wear pattern is
that the flash layer is worn off from the most loaded area. See wear pattern
of the bearing shell in figure 5.
The wear pattern on the small end bearing of the connecting rod differs
from the other sliding bearings. On small end bearing the typical wear
pattern is two parabolas closing to each other in the middle of the bearing
on the most loaded side. See wear pattern in figure 6.
Figure 6. Small end bearing.
Service, Wärtsilä Finland Oy Operating instruction
Issue Document No. Page
01 3210Q042 3(8)

Wear indication Big end bearing

Big end bearings should be replaced whenever the bearing housing is split.

Main bearing
Bimetal main bearing
Measuring is proper wear indicator only for bimetal main bearings. A ball
anvil micrometer should be used to measure bearing shell thickness.
Measure the thickness of the bearing on a few points on both sides
(A and C) as shown in figure 7. See also measurement record 3210V030.
Wear limit is found in chapter 06.2 in the engine instruction manual.

Figure 7. Measuring points on Figure 8. Free spread of the

the main bearing shell. bearing shell.

Trimetal main bearing

Visual inspection is the proper wear indicator for trimetal bearings.
If on trimetal bearings nickel-dam is exposed, the bearing has to be
changed (A nickel dam can be identified by scratching the sliding surface
with a sharp tool. The bearing overlay is much softer than the nickel dam).

Free spread of the bearing shell

Free spread of the bearing shell is shown in figure 8. The free spread of the
bearing has to be bigger than the inner diameter of the bearing housing,
see the measurement record 3210V030.

Small end bearing

The wear of the small end bearings can be indicated by visual inspection as
shown in figure 9. See Measurement record for small end bearing and big
end bearing bore:
- 3211V015GB for H-profile and O-profile connecting rod
- 3211V012GB for Marine connecting rod

Figure 9. Measuring point of the small end bearing.

Service, Wärtsilä Finland Oy Operating instruction
Issue Document No. Page
01 3210Q042 4(8)

Replacement guidelines
It is recommended that the bearing is replaced if one of the below
mentioned criteria is fulfilled:
1. The bearing has worn beyond the wear limit.
2. Nickel layer is visible (trimetal bearings)
3. Fretting on the back of the bearing.
4. Fatigue marks on the sliding surface.
5. Cavitation has penetrated through the bearing layer (minor cavitation is
allowed).
6. Rough sliding surface: More than a few scratches or cavitation has worn
the bearing on a wide area.
7. Corrosion on the bearing.
8. Recommended replacement interval of the bearing has been reached.

Notes:
- In case of doubt of the bearing condition, the bearing should be
replaced to avoid consequential damage.
- If there are minor scratches on the journal, it can be polished e.g. with a
500 grid emery paper.
- Bearings are formed to the housing. Thus unnecessary dismantling of
the bearing should be avoided.

Damage types Some typical sliding bearing damages are described below:
Smearing, wiping
Smearing and wiping is bearing damage related to adhesion. This occurs if
there is metal-to-metal contact due to failed oil film. Possible reasons are:
- Inadequate lubrication (e.g. starting without pre-lubrication)
- Low viscosity of lube oil
- High bearing load
- Small clearances (e.g. inadequate fitting of bearing housing)

Bearings as shown in figure 10 are to be replaced.

Figure 10. Wiping damage on the bearing.

Service, Wärtsilä Finland Oy Operating instruction
Issue Document No. Page
01 3210Q042 5(8)

Cavitation
Cavitation is a phenomenon related to vaporisation pressure of the lube oil.
Cavitation bubbles are formed when lube oil pressure decreases below the
vaporisation pressure. When the local pressure rises above the vaporisation
pressure, the bubbles will collapse and cause erosion wear of the material.
Cavitation phenomenon is influenced by:
- Big clearance
- Incorrect lube oil pressure
- Vaporisation pressure of the lube oil has decreased (for instance
water/air in the oil, high oil temperature or dirty oil).

Cavitation marks are shown in figures 11 and 12.

Figure 11. Cavitation marks on the Figure 12. Cavitation marks

bimetal bearing. on the trimetal bearing.

Fatigue
Fatigue in the bearing surface layer begins with micro cracks, which are
hardly visible without a microscope. These cracks will grow until the bearing
layer starts to peel off in small flakes. Fatigue is influenced by:
- Low viscosity of lube oil
- Bearing overload
- Improper bearing clearance
- High lube oil temperature

Fatigue on the bearing develops rather fast and will likely lead to bearing
failure. The bearings are to be replaced whenever fatigue marks are visible.
Fatigue damages are shown in figures 13 and 14.

Figure 13. Fatigue damage on Figure 14. Fatigue damage on

bimetal bearing. trimetal bearing.
Service, Wärtsilä Finland Oy Operating instruction
Issue Document No. Page
01 3210Q042 6(8)

Solid particles
If solid particles are bigger than the oil film thickness, they will scratch the
sliding surfaces and/or get embedded in the overlay material. See figures
15 and 16. The origin of solid particles could be:
- Dirt from overhauling
- Particles passing the filtrations
- Particles from the combustion process
- Wear particles from the engine

Note: Proper filtration is essential for lube oil cleanliness

Figure 15. Scratch and Figure 16. Scratch on trimetal

embedded particle on bimetal bearing.
bearing.

Corrosion
Corrosion is the result whenever chemical reaction with the environment
predominates. Possible reasons for corrosion:
- Lubricating oil (e.g. low BN or water in oil)
- Storage

A bearing exposed to corrosion is to be replaced.

Figure 17. Corrosion damage Figure 18. Corrosion damage on

on bimetal bearing. trimetal bearing.
Service, Wärtsilä Finland Oy Operating instruction
Issue Document No. Page
01 3210Q042 7(8)

Fretting
Fretting might occur on the back of the bearing if there is micro movement
between the housing and the bearing. Possible reasons for fretting:
- Low tightening torque of the screws
- Low surface roughness
- Improper assembly of the bearing
- Reassembling of bearing with too low free spread
- Dirt between the bearing and the housing

Note: If fretting occurs, minor fretting damages on the bearing housing can
be polished e.g. by an oil stone before mounting a new bearing.

Figure 19. Fretting damage on the back of the bearing.

Misalignment and shape errors

Misalignment and shape error wear pattern (polishing) on the bearing might
occur due to following reasons:
- Journal shape error
- Shaft misalignment
- Housing shape error

If this kind of wear pattern occurs, the reason should be investigated and
corrected if necessary.

Figure 20. Polished side edge.

Service, Wärtsilä Finland Oy Operating instruction
Issue Document No. Page
01 3210Q042 8(8)

Bearing assembly related problems

If the bearing is not properly assembled in the housing, the bearing might
be damaged (polishing, fatigue, wiping, etc.). Most of the assembly errors
are caused by:
- Incorrect mounting
- Remaining dirt or black staining (oil carbon deposit) on the housing
- Locating lug is not properly in its place

Usually this kind of error can also be identified by the contact pattern on the
back of the bearing.

Figure 21. Polished area on the bearing due to dirt between the bearing and
the bearing housing.

Letter distribution Wärtsilä Service Network and owners/operators of concerned engines.

Letter validity Until further notice.

ã 2005 Wärtsilä Finland Oy – All rights reserved

No part of this publication may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, graphic, photocopying,
recording, taping or other information retrieval systems) without the prior written permission of the copyright holder. Wärtsilä Finland Oy
makes no representation, warranty (express or implied) in this publication and assumes no responsibility for the correctness, errors or
omissions for information contained herein. Information in this publication is subject to change without notice.

Unless otherwise expressly set forth, no recommendation contained in this document is to be construed as provided due to a
defect in the engine, but merely as an improvement of the engine and/or the maintenance procedures relating thereto. Any actions
by the owner/operator as a result of the recommendations are not covered under any warranty provided by Wärtsilä and such
actions will thus be at the owners/operators own cost and expense.

NO LIABILITY WHETHER DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL, IS ASSUMED WITH

RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN. THIS PUBLICATION IS CONFIDENTIAL AND INTENDED
FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY.