{"id":13143,"date":"2021-03-24T22:41:53","date_gmt":"2021-03-25T02:41:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/maxtorqueperformance.com\/staging\/?p=13143"},"modified":"2021-03-25T00:08:33","modified_gmt":"2021-03-25T04:08:33","slug":"hidden-horsepower-revealing-the-secrets-of-the-oil-control-rings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maxtorqueperformance.com\/staging\/index.php\/2021\/03\/24\/hidden-horsepower-revealing-the-secrets-of-the-oil-control-rings\/","title":{"rendered":"Hidden Horsepower: Revealing The Secrets Of The Oil Control Rings"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By\u00a0<\/span>JEFF SMITH<\/a><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>MARCH 18, 2021<\/span><\/div>\n<\/header>\n

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\u201cRun a dingle-ball hone through it, throw in a new set of rings \u2014 and you\u2019re ready to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not long ago, this might have been considered an acceptable practice for a mild street engine. While this may still be the approach for the backyard engine builder, 21st Century internal combustion engines have progressed to the point where attention to detail can pay off with less internal friction, more horsepower and torque, less blow-by, and even superior oil control.<\/p>\n

Among all the attention paid to piston rings, far too little has been addressed to the oil rings. But within the trio of the three-ring piston, more friction is generated by the oil ring package than the sum of the other two rings combined. So perhaps we should start with some technical details that may be surprising. One approach to improve power and efficiency on any engine would be to reduce the friction of a typical oil ring while not compromising oil control. Let\u2019s start by addressing what is commonly referred to as standard tension oil rings.<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s not unusual for the ends of an oil ring expander to not touch when placed in the bore. However, when placed in the piston groove and the oil rings are installed, the rings press on the expander and create the necessary tension. According to Keith Jones, there is little to be gained by adjusting the ends by bending them inward.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Standard Isn\u2019t So Standard<\/strong><\/h4>\n

For street engines, nearly all recommendations call for a \u201cstandard\u201d oil ring package and to avoid using \u201clow drag\u201d oil rings because of the risk of allowing too much oil into the combustion chamber.
It turns out that what is termed a \u201cstandard\u201d tension oil ring is anything but standardized. We\u2019ve included a chart created using data supplied by\u00a0<\/span>Total Seal<\/a>\u00a0that offers some interesting information. The force listed in the accompanying chart is expressed in pound-force (lbf).<\/p>\n

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Radial Tension Chart<\/h4>\n

Loads listed for each ring in this chart are the actual radial (outward) force exerted by the ring. This is not the amount of friction generated by the movement of the piston in the bore. This is an important distinction that should not be overlooked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Ring Pack<\/strong><\/td>\nOil Ring<\/strong><\/td>\nRadial Tension<\/strong> <\/p>\n

(lb-force)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

Improvement<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Standard<\/td>\n3\/16 (0.187\u201d)<\/td>\n20<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u2014<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Standard<\/td>\n3.0mm (0.118\u201d)<\/td>\n11<\/td>\n\u00a0 -9 lbf = 45%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ultra-Thin<\/td>\n2.0mm (0.078\u201d)<\/td>\n8.0<\/td>\n-12 lbf = 60%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

This is not lb-ft or torque, which is a twisting motion. Pound-force is the radial or outward tension against the cylinder wall created by the oil ring when compressed in the cylinder. These lbf measurements were obtained with a very sophisticated (and expensive \u2014 like, $60,000 expensive) tool used by Total Seal to measure this force. These lbf readings do not represent sliding friction, although common sense dictates that higher radial tension will certainly contribute to increased sliding friction.<\/p>\n

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