A steering column may include a steering spindle that is surrounded by a casing tube and is connected to a steering wheel, a guide clamp in which the casing tube is guided displaceably along a longitudinal axis of the steering spindle. The guide clamp may be mounted pivotably about a pivot axis in a holding part that is connectable to a chassis of the motor vehicle. The position of the casing tube may be adjustable relative to the holding part, and a blocking device may be arranged between the casing tube and the holding part. The blocking device may comprise a threaded rod engaged with a spindle nut. The spindle nut may be mounted in a rolling bearing. Rolling bodies of the rolling bearing may be at least partially surrounded by a magnetorheological fluid, and the blocking device may comprise an electromagnet.

A bearing cap according to one embodiment of this disclosure includes: a concave part that supports a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine; first bosses that are disposed one on each side of the concave part and each have a first bolt hole; and second bosses that are disposed one on each side of a bearing cap main body having the concave part and the first bosses so as to flank the bearing cap main body and each have a second bolt hole. The bearing cap is fixed to a first member of the internal combustion engine by first bolts inserted into the first bolt holes, and to a second member of the internal combustion engine by second bolts inserted into the second bolt holes. At least the pair of second bosses have higher rigidity than a frame.

A bearing cap according to one embodiment of this disclosure includes: a concave part that supports a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine; first bosses that are disposed one on each side of the concave part and each have a first bolt hole; and second bosses that are disposed one on each side of a bearing cap main body having the concave part and the first bosses so as to flank the bearing cap main body and each have a second bolt hole. The bearing cap is fixed to a first member of the internal combustion engine by first bolts inserted into the first bolt holes, and to a second member of the internal combustion engine by second bolts inserted into the second bolt holes. At least the pair of second bosses have higher rigidity than a frame.

A main bearing cap construction far a dual-crankshaft, opposed-piston engine has two sets of bolts in a cross-bolted configuration. In a dual-crankshaft opposed-piston engine with at least four main bearings, at least one of the main bearings will have a cap with two sets of bolts in a cross-bolted configuration. In addition to having a cross-bolted configuration, the main bearing cap configuration can have flanges to receive blind bolts and/or additional surface area to interface with the cylinder block.

A steering column may include a steering spindle that is surrounded by a casing tube and is connected to a steering wheel, a guide clamp in which the casing tube is guided displaceably along a longitudinal axis of the steering spindle. The guide clamp may be mounted pivotably about a pivot axis in a holding part that is connectable to a chassis of the motor vehicle. The position of the casing tube may be adjustable relative to the holding part, and a blocking device may be arranged between the casing tube and the holding part. The blocking device may comprise a threaded rod engaged with a spindle nut. The spindle nut may be mounted in a rolling bearing. Rolling bodies of the rolling bearing may be at least partially surrounded by a magnetorheological fluid, and the blocking device may comprise an electromagnet.

A sliding engine component may include a plastic polymer-based composite layer on a substrate. The composite layer may include a matrix of plastic polymer-based material, and functionalised graphene nano platelets distributed throughout the matrix.

A rolling-element bearing assembly includes an inner race and an outer race and a plurality of rolling elements between inner and outer races, the rolling elements being mounted in pockets between axial bridges of a cage having first and second axial side rings. One or both of the side rings has at least one corrugated surface, and the corrugations project axially and/or radially.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of method for detecting degradation of a connecting rod big end bearing within an internal combustion engine including a crankshaft and an exhaust manifold included on a vehicle. A method includes providing an electronic control unit connected with the engine, a first set of sensors for detecting crankshaft acceleration connected located adjacent the crankshaft, a second set of sensors for detecting engine exhaust manifold pressure located adjacent the engine exhaust manifold, and a display component and an auditory component connected with the electronic control unit. The display component and/or the auditory component is activated when the first set of sensors detects diminished crankshaft acceleration during a power stroke compared to prior acceleration of the crankshaft during a power stroke and the second set of sensors detects exhaust manifold pressure that does not vary statistically significantly from expected exhaust manifold pressure.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of method for detecting degradation of a connecting rod big end bearing within an internal combustion engine including a crankshaft and an exhaust manifold included on a vehicle. A method includes providing an electronic control unit connected with the engine, a first set of sensors for detecting crankshaft acceleration connected located adjacent the crankshaft, a second set of sensors for detecting engine exhaust manifold pressure located adjacent the engine exhaust manifold, and a display component and an auditory component connected with the electronic control unit. The display component and/or the auditory component is activated when the first set of sensors detects diminished crankshaft acceleration during a power stroke compared to prior acceleration of the crankshaft during a power stroke and the second set of sensors detects exhaust manifold pressure that does not vary statistically significantly from expected exhaust manifold pressure.

A semicircular tube-shaped bearing has a bearing main body formed from a resin, an inner circumferential surface that slides over an opposing shaft, and an outer circumferential surface contacting a housing. The semicircular tube-shaped bearing may have a laminated structure including a resin layer and includes at least a portion of the inner circumferential surface, and a reinforcing layer that is in close contact with the resin layer. In this case, the bearing main body has a resin layer that includes the inner circumferential surface, and a reinforcing layer that is in close contact with the resin layer. The reinforcing layer has a higher rigidity than the resin layer, and raises the rigidity of the resin layer by being in close contact with the resin layer. The material forming the reinforcing layer is a metal such as iron, aluminum, or stainless steel.