PRODUCT INFORMATION IC-C-D-25-005e_E DATE November 2023 Dep.

DESCRIPTION OF LUBRICATION SYSTEM FOR “V” ENGINES

INTRODUCTION
The purpose of the engine lubrication system is to:
l Provide pressurized oil for hydrodynamic lubrication, minimizing friction between parts moving in relation to
each other (crankshaft, connecting rods, etc.).
l Regulate the oil pressure so as to ensure correct lubrication.
l Filter oil adequately in order to maintain its lubricating properties.
l Cool the engine.
l Protect the engine parts, like the filters, seals, etc., against oil overpressure by means of relief valves.

DESCRIPTION
The lubricating system comprises the following elements:
l Wet oil pan, suction tube and oil level indicator.
l Geared oil pump with overpressure safety valve.
l Lube oil pressure regulating valve.
l Oil temperature thermostatic regulation.
l Oil cooler.
l Clogged filter valve.
l Safety oil pressure switch.
l Oil filters.
l Jet pressure regulation valve.
l Centrifugal filter (diesel, biogas, low methane number gases and propane engines).
l Blow-by gas exhaust system: crankcase breathers.

OIL PAN

An oil pan or oil tank encloses the bottom of the crankcase. The amount of oil it contains depends on the engine
model. A threaded drain plug is fitted to the lowest point in the pan.

Located in the crankcase is the oil suction tube which is fitted with a grille, preventing the suction of foreign
material into the oil circuit.

The dipstick, which allows visual control of the oil level, is also located in the pan.

OIL PUMP

This is a gear type positive displacement pump driven through the timing gears, which ensures the pump operates
when the engine is running.

It is the oil pump function to supply oil to the other components of the engine. The pump consists of: a pump body,
cover or suction hood, two gears (a driving gear and an idler gear), and an overpressure safety valve.

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DESCRIPTION OF LUBRICATION SYSTEM FOR “V” ENGINES

Fig.1 - Oil Pump

OVERPRESSURE SAFETY VALVE

The overpressure safety valve or relief valve lies at the outlet of the oil pump. Its function is to control pressure and
discharge oil directly to the pan if the impulse pressure exceeds the rated pressure (8 bar / 116 psi), thus
protecting engine components from failure. The valve is fixed to a bracket attached to the ribs of the oil pan. (See
Fig.1).

LUBRICATING OIL PRESSURE REGULATING VALVE

Its function is to regulate the lubricating oil pressure of the engine. It is located at the inlet to the oil filters and is
rated at 4.5 bar (65 psi). Its function is to discharge the surplus oil when the rated pressure is exceeded, ensuring
that the oil pressure is constant under all the engine operating or load conditions.

THERMOSTATTED OIL VALVE

Its function is to control the minimum oil temperature. It is located at the inlet to the oil cooler. It operates in such a
way that when the oil temperature drops below a preset value (75º C), it prevents oil from going through the cooler,
allowing oil to heat up quickly. Once the minimum oil temperature has been reached, all the oil will flow through the
cooler.

OIL COOLER

These engines have an external oil cooler, which in its standard version, is the pipes type, housed in a casing. The
design of the oil cooler can be adapted to the application requirements.

CLOGGED FILTER VALVE

Situated upstream of the filters, this valve would divert oil to the pan in order to avoid damage to filter cartridges,
should pressure exceed the set limit of 6 bar due to the clogging of the filters.

SAFETY OIL PRESSURE SWITCH

All V- engines have a low oil pressure switch in the main lubrication gallery. If the lubrication pressure is
insufficient, the alarm will go off as a warning about the need for service or activate the engine shutdown.

When oil flows back into the pan due to the clogging of the filters, it is normal that pressure drops after the filters
and this pressure switch activates the alarm.

It is possible to have a high oil pressure switch. This will be placed at the inlet to the oil filters. It will operate,
activating an alarm, when the oil pressure rises due to the clogging of the filters or if the oil flow is blocked.

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DESCRIPTION OF LUBRICATION SYSTEM FOR “V” ENGINES

OIL FILTERS

The filters are of the interchangeable and full flow cartridge type, oil being entirely cleaned in a set of three parallel
filters. They have no bypass or non-return valve. Filtering efficiency is 99% at 30µm and >50% at 15µm.

JET PRESSURE REGULATION VALVE

On a V-engine, this valve lies at the end of the main lubrication gallery (side opposite the oil inlet to the engine
block). It is rated at 3 bar (43.5 psi) and its function is to allow oil to pass to the jet gallery and to the piston coolant
jets themselves when the rated pressure is reached.

CENTRIFUGAL FILTER

Combustion in diesel engines produces a large amount of soot or very fine-grained pulverised carbon particles
that are absolutely not retained in the oil filter.

In the case of gas engines, the problem is the presence of oil-borne contaminants in fuel gas (mainly biogas)
rather than the production of soot.

Centrifugal filters are not so common as the oil filters; their underlying principle is the heavier weight of solids
compared to oil. A centrifugal filter comprises a rotating circular body on the wall of which the solid particles settle,
while purified oil flows through a central duct to the oil pan.

BLOW-BY GAS EXHAUST SYSTEM

Guascor Energy engines can come with a passive or an active blow-by gas exhaust system.

OPEN OR PASSIVE SYSTEM (FOR DIESEL AND GAS ENGINES)

The commonest standard blow-by gas exhaust system is the open system with an oil separator followed by an
exhaust pipe to the outside. These are the components of such an open gas exhaust system:
l The crankcase, which finally collects the gases that escape from the combustion chamber through the interstice
between the piston rings and the cylinder liner.
l The blow-by gas breather. It is made of one wire-mesh separator which separates the gas-borne thick liquid
drops and feeds them back to the crankcase by gravity.
l An exhaust pipe.

ACTIVE O BLOW-BY GAS RECIRCULATING SYSTEM (ONLY FOR GAS ENGINES)

The blow-by gas recirculating system aims at introducing the crankcase gases, in a clean and effective manner,
into the intake air stream.

In the blow-by gas recirculating system, there is a filter that cleans the gases before they flow into the engine.

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DESCRIPTION OF LUBRICATION SYSTEM FOR “V” ENGINES

OPERATION
l Oil is drawn from the pan through the grille in the suction tube by means of the oil pump.
l The pump supplies a specific flow of oil at a certain pressure. If the pressure exceeds 8 bar (116 psi), oil is
drained in the safety valve directly to the crankcase.
l Oil flows from the pump to the thermostat valve unit, reaching first the lubricating oil pressure regulating valve.
This adjusts the oil flow to maintain a pressure of 4.5 to 5 bar in the gallery under normal working conditions.
l If the oil is cold (less than 75º C), it flows through the thermostat valve, avoiding the cooler. Under normal
operating conditions (hot oil), it flows through the cooler.
l Afterwards oil arrives at the filter access gallery where the clogged filter valve is to be found. If, for this reason
(filter clogging), the pressure exceeds 6 bar, oil will be diverted to the oil pan.
l Once filtered, a small amount of oil flows to a distributor that lubricates the auxiliary water pump as well as:
o The right injection pump, on diesel engines.
o The turbocharger, on G-HM gas engines.
l The other portion of oil flows to the main lubrication gallery and is distributed in parallel towards:

The right camshaft, cylinder heads, rocker arms and injection pump drive.

Oil flows inside the camshaft, from end to end, along the longitudinal direction of the engine block. Also, oil is
distributed through individual passages to the bearings and the auxiliary rocker arm shaft. Holes in the rocker arm
shaft bushing allow oil to lubricate the camshaft rollers.

Part of the oil that flows through the camshaft flows into an external channel which is machined on the engine
block and cylinder head and conveys oil to the main rocker arm shaft. From this point, oil passes through the shaft
orifices to the oiling holes of the intake and exhaust valve rockers and to the valve stems. The rest of the cylinder
head is spray-lubricated.

Finally, on diesel engines, oil will lubricate the injection pump drive.

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Then, oil lubricates the timing gears.

Next, oil reaches a distributor that guides the oil stream to the turbocharger (except for the G-HM engine) and to
the regulator.

Now, ahead of the oil distributing point to the crankshaft, oil reaches another distributor that directs oil partly to
lubricate the left injection pump (on diesel engines) and the water pump drive and partly to proceed to the
centrifugal filter, if any.

Afterwards, oil passes through a hole to the crankshaft, bearing caps, big and small ends of the connecting rods.

On reaching the crankshaft, oil flows through internal channels which lead it to the bearing caps and big-end
bearings. Oil circulates through ducts inside the connecting rod to reach the upper part of the conrod, i.e. the small
end bushings and the pin, which are coated with a lubricating film.

The cylinder walls and the piston pins are lubricated by the amount of oil that leaks out from the ends of the
bearings and is splashed by the rotating action of the crankshaft. Excess oil is removed from the cylinder by the
scraper ring and fed back into the crankcase.

Thereafter, oil reaches the lubricating point of the camshaft on the left-hand side of the engine. It lubricates the
camshaft, rocker arms and cylinder heads on the left bank as well as the drive of the left injection pump.

At the end of the main lubrication gallery, side opposite inlet, oil arrives at the jet pressure valve that directs oil to
the left and to the right of the engine, through the jet gallery that leads it to the piston coolant jets.

Finally, oil returns to the oil pan.

(1) L-FN, L-FT and L-ST diesel engines.

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DESCRIPTION OF LUBRICATION SYSTEM FOR “V” ENGINES

(2) G-SL, G-SR and G-SM gas and engines.

(3) G-HM engine.

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