What is cylinder scuffing?

"Scavenging" is a very common fault that occurs during the use of motorcycles. Please note that it is a very common fault. This fault mainly manifests as the adhesion between the inner wall of the cylinder and the piston, causing the originally extremely smooth working surface to develop burrs. As a result, it will lead to adverse effects such as internal combustion engine leakage, oil consumption increase, power reduction, and increased fuel consumption.

The main causes of "cylinder seizure" in motorcycles include high temperature and incomplete lubrication. In some special cases, it might also be caused by damage to the internal parts of the engine.

Therefore, the probability of engine cylinder seizure occurring in motorcycles is higher during the summer. So referring to the summer as the peak period for such failures is not inappropriate. However, in fact, the cold winter can also cause engine cylinder seizure. As mentioned earlier, the main causes of cylinder seizure include not only high temperatures but also poor lubrication. In winter, due to the low temperature of the engine oil which reduces its fluidity, cylinder seizure is also very likely to occur.

2. Causes of Cylinder Scoring

The causes of cylinder seizure in motorcycles include high temperatures, poor lubrication, and damaged components. In fact, improper use and unreasonable maintenance also have a direct relationship with this issue. For instance, intense and high-speed riding for a long time will increase the likelihood of cylinder seizure in the engine; moreover, using inferior engine oil will definitely lead to cylinder seizure because the high-temperature adhesion and lubrication effect of such products are almost zero. It is equivalent to dripping a few drops of water on a hot plate, which simply cannot achieve the effect of lubricating the cylinder wall. These are all human factors.

If we further elaborate, the causes of the motorcycle cylinder seizure also include mechanical factors such as low oil level, clogged filters, and blocked oil passages. All of these will cause the originally perfect lubrication loop to break down.

3. How to avoid cylinder seizure?

Once the cause of cylinder seizure is identified, finding the solution will become very clear, understandable and straightforward. To reduce the likelihood of cylinder seizure in motorcycle engines, one must develop good driving habits, which are specifically manifested as:

A. Regular inspection. Many of you, after completing the maintenance, basically do not check the oil level within a certain period. But in fact, this is incorrect. It is very necessary for us to regularly observe the oil level of the lubricant. We should keep it always within the upper and lower scale lines, because more than 80% of the causes of cylinder seizure are due to the lack of lubricant.

B. Choosing the oil product and selecting the lubricant is not a matter of mysticism. It doesn't have to be expensive, but it must be the right one. The structure and characteristics of each motorcycle engine are different. Expensive oil may not be suitable for your model. Therefore, in addition to choosing genuine lubricant, we also need to fully consider the vehicle's usage environment to ensure that the current oil product can achieve the function of protecting the engine. Otherwise, it's better not to change it.

C. Avoid high temperatures. In summer, the ambient temperature is already relatively high. If you ride at high speed for a long time, it will inevitably increase the engine's load. Therefore, maintaining a reasonable speed while riding and taking appropriate breaks are important measures to prevent engine cylinder damage. At the same time, ensure that the cooling system is working 100%. If there are issues such as insufficient coolant, the fan not turning, or dirty heat sinks, they should be dealt with promptly.

D. Clean the oil passages. The term "cleaning the oil passages" here refers specifically to the oil filter or filter screen. As long as these components are not damaged and the quality of the oil is acceptable, the possibility of blockage in the internal oil passages of the engine is relatively low.

However, if the oil filter screen or filter is not replaced or cleaned for a long time, or if it is installed in the wrong position, then it will cause problems. Therefore, it is particularly important to clean or replace it regularly.

E. Start the preheating process. This topic is often dismissed by some so-called experienced drivers, but in fact, the preheating before the initial start of a motorcycle is quite important. It can thoroughly lubricate all the key parts of the engine in the shortest time, including the bearing shells, piston rings, cylinder inner walls, camshafts, rocker arms, small chains, and other important components. (Text sourced from the internet. If there is any infringement, please contact for deletion.)