pretty much, which obviously is much less reliable and more viscosity/temp defendant than the other and this is a case where both scenarios are true respective to each other
That's the thing that always confused me, is just how splash lubrication works. My understanding is that pressurized oil (quote) exists, basically like you said:
1. When maintaining its film shape, and keeping one thing from touching another, i.e. a bearing from touching a rotating assembly, like at the bottom of a piston.
2. Through oil return holes.
3. In the cylinder walls. Some people still try to say that if an oil is too thick it won't fit.
All of these, you have the oil being shoved forcefully from one place to the next and it makes pressure.
Splash lubrication.. it is just waiting on gravity return? Does not seem like very good lubrication (like springs in a valve cover where there is oil in there but has no real direction. Seems like it just gets hot without doing anything.)