Bearings manufacturer Schaeffler is recommending that plain bearings should be replaced by rolling bearings to help reduce vehicle CO2 emissions.
It's all about reducing friction and the company suggests that engine developers need now to re-evaluate rolling bearings for everything from crankshaft main and conrod bearings to camshaft bearings.
The firm claims at least a 50% reduction in friction over test temperatures of 30—120C.
It also says that the need to supply pressurised oil to plain bearings I eliminated – resulting in fewer supply bores, reductions in oil pump capacity, as well as oil cooling requirements.
