🔍 Key Concepts

• Piston side thrust and how connecting-rod angle creates sideways force on the piston skirt • Effect of shorter pistons (shorter skirts) on guidance inside the cylinder and contact area • Relationship between piston design and noise, wear, and bearing loads in high‑speed engines

💭 Think About

• Picture the connecting rod at mid‑stroke: how does its angle push the piston against the cylinder wall, and what part of the piston resists that sideways force? • If you shorten the piston (shorter skirt), what happens to (a) the guidance/support area in the bore and (b) the stability of the piston as it changes direction? • Which component is most directly affected by less skirt area and potentially more rocking motion: the crankshaft bearings, the piston/cylinder interface, or side thrust forces?

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify which option is most directly linked to changes in skirt length and guidance area rather than overall engine size or speed. • Ask yourself whether shorter pistons tend to make slap/noise better or worse when clearances are similar. • Consider which effect would be slight and localized to the piston, versus which would cause large system‑wide problems like major bearing wear or big changes in side pressure.