Piston to Wall Clearance Calculator

Calculate Piston to Wall Clearance



Formula

The formula to calculate the piston to wall clearance is:

\[ \text{PTWC} = \frac{\text{PD} - \text{CD}}{2} \]

Where:

What is Piston to Wall Clearance?

Piston to wall clearance refers to the small gap between the piston and the cylinder wall in an internal combustion engine. This clearance is crucial for the proper functioning of the engine as it allows for thermal expansion of the piston, prevents seizing or excessive wear, and maintains a thin layer of lubricating oil.

The clearance typically varies based on engine type and materials but is generally measured in thousandths of an inch or millimeters.

Example Calculation

Let's consider an example:

Using the formula to calculate the piston to wall clearance:

\[ \text{PTWC} = \frac{85.00 - 85.10}{2} = -0.05 \text{ mm} \]

This means that the piston to wall clearance is -0.05 mm, which indicates that the piston is slightly smaller than the cylinder.