When using Plastigauge, which observation indicates a smaller oil clearance according to the source material?

• A. Plastigauge becomes wider indicates smaller clearance
• B. Plastigauge becomes wider indicates larger clearance
• C. Plastigauge becomes narrower indicates smaller clearance
• D. Plastigauge width is not related to clearance

Answer: (A)

Plastigauge shows oil clearance by how much the plastic strip is crushed between the journal and bearing when you torque the assembly to spec. The width of the crushed band directly corresponds to the clearance: a narrow band means the gap is small, while a wide band means the gap is larger. Therefore, to indicate a smaller oil clearance, you look for a narrow plastigauge width. Read that width against the scale on the plastigauge and compare to the manufacturer's clearance chart for the exact value.