Typically engineering surfaces are characterized with traditional roughness parameters that perform some type of height averaging over the surface. Although these parameters describe the topography of the surface none of them necessarily describe the ability of the surface to carry out its function in a tribological contact. In this study an ICE cylinder liner has been investigated.The traditional Rk parameters (based on the Abbott curve) have been calculated as well as functional ‘flow factors’which modify the Reynolds equation to incorporate the effects of surface topography.To calculate flow factors the homogenization technique has been implemented and a full 3D contact mechanics model has been incorporated so that surface functionality in mixed lubrication can be studied. Furthermore, the cylinder liner surface has been measured with both white light interferometery and an AFM so that the effect of measuring technique on roughness and functional parameters can be investigated.