Piston Ring

The piston rings are metal bands that compact the air and fuel inside of the cylinder for an efficient combustion process. It also stops gas from escaping the chamber and removes the engine oil.

Piston ring operation

The piston ring is a metallic ring that is linked to the exterior of a piston in an internal combustion engine. The piston ring has main functions like sealing the combustion chamber so the crankcase doesn't lose any gas, it also maintains a proper amount of oil between the piston and cylinder wall. The transfer of heat is also enhanced from the piston to the cylinder wall.

Design

The piston ring design is important because it is made to seal the gap between the piston as well as the cylinder wall. The seal has to be perfect because a small seal would signify the piston seizes in the cylinder which can cause damage. A gap that is too large can cause the seal to be insufficient causing the combustion gasses to travel to the crankcase and the cylinder receives less pressure.

Common issues with a faulty piston ring

A faulty piston ring can cause uncontrolled oil consumption, a decline in acceleration, and poor engine performance.