The effect of clearance between tappet insert and camlobe on the tribological and tribochemical performance of cam/follower surfaces

This paper examines the effect of tappet insert clearance on the tribological and tribochemical performance of the camlobe/follower tribopair when lubricated in a fully-formulated oil containing 1 wt% of Molybdenum Dialkyl Dithiocarbamate (MoDTC). Tests were performed on a Single Cam Rig (SCR), taken from 1.25 l FORD Zetec (SE) engine. White Light Interferometry and Talysurf contact profilometry were used to characterise the wear scar on the tappet inserts and camlobes respectively. In addition, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used on both (i.e. camlobes and tappet inserts) for wear mechanisms assessment as well as to access the durability of coatings used on tappet inserts. Energy-Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and Raman spectroscopy analyses were also used to understand the tribochemical interactions between oil additives and the cam/follower interface. Results show that the chemistry of the tribofilm derived on camlobes and tappet inserts vary as a function of tappet insert clearance and cam profile. Also, regardless of the type of coating, the smaller clearance of tappet inserts exhibited higher friction and wear. Therefore, based on this work, the use of the thicker tappet insert would be inadvisable as this possibly can cause higher fuel consumption and inefficient performance of the intake/exhaust valves of the engine.