Originally Posted By: Shannow
It's a great question.
The hydrodynamic oil film is created primarily by surface speed difference (diameter and RPM), and viscosity, with bearing width and clearance playing a part as well...as well as providing the oil film, these things increase frictional drag.
Low RPM cruise is designed to reduce drag, and increase throttle opening to reduce pumping losses...which increases applied load on things like bearings.
So for a given cruise, the engine running at 3,000 RPM will have a significantly greater film thickness, lower pressure load (but higher inertial loads).
Low RPM cruising IS pushing bearings in an undesirable direction regarding lubrication, but the manufacturers are intimately aware of their designs, and it will still get the job done.
Couple of myths popped up in this thread.
* oil pressure does not, and lever has lubricated an engine. It is the delivery mechanism of the oil to the bearings, and nothing else...the oil pressure = lubrication myth is rampant on BITOG and needs to die.
* diesel low RPM is not pertinent to the discussion unless you also bring in the bearings diameters, widths, clearances, lubricant HTHS etc. all of which are markedly different.
I thank you and others who have put my mind and right foot at ease, and to the suggestion that I should rev out the engine to prevent the cylinders from becoming glazed...not to worry, I have been faithfully exercising the tach needle as traffic and mood permits ;o)