ORIGINAL: Charley
Not true. The film strength of the oil prevents the metal-to-metal contact. The oil pressure keeps fresh oil flowing through the bearing.
In a connecting rod bearing in an automotive/truck engine, there's nothing but residual oil pressure most of the time.
CR
That would only be true for the wrist pin. The oil pressure indeed prevents metal to metal contact even on the con rod which has pressure. Actually there is occasional metal to metal contact but mostly on start up. On racing engines the bearing clearance is opened up and the oil pump pumps more oil at a higher pressure. However, the larger clearance does cause more contact at low speeds, the intiial acceleration, and startup. Oil clearances in bearings vary from as little as .0005 thousanths of an inch.Film thickness of oil is much smaller about 200 nanometers.