{"id":17380,"date":"2022-08-25T00:20:55","date_gmt":"2022-08-25T04:20:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/maxtorqueperformance.com\/staging\/?p=17380"},"modified":"2022-08-25T01:10:23","modified_gmt":"2022-08-25T05:10:23","slug":"discussing-piston-rings-and-cylinder-honing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maxtorqueperformance.com\/staging\/index.php\/2022\/08\/25\/discussing-piston-rings-and-cylinder-honing\/","title":{"rendered":"Discussing Piston Rings And Cylinder Honing"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n
\n
\"andrewbolig\"<\/a><\/div>\n

By\u00a0<\/span>ANDY BOLIG<\/a><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>AUGUST 19, 2022<\/span><\/div>\n<\/header>\n

\n


<\/span><\/p>\n

When considering parts for an upcoming engine build, I\u2019m reminded of a conversation I overheard many years ago between a teenager and an older gentleman. The young boy was looking at a car to purchase and was exclaiming all the benefits of his recently-located dream car such as the new brakes, new exhaust system, and on and on. The older gentleman listened and then asked, \u201cAre you buying a car or a bunch of car parts?\u201d While an assemblage of quality parts is always a plus, they won\u2019t be much good if the rest of the package isn\u2019t up to the task as well. The same goes for the engine in your car. Choosing the right piston rings is as important as any other part of your engine.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> <\/p>\n

Piston ring technology has changed a lot since the \u201cchrome or moly\u201d option. Today\u2019s rings use a variety of materials and coatings to tailor them to a specific application.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

We must choose individual components for our engines in much the same way, fully understanding how they must work together to get the best results \u2014 piston rings included. Today\u2019s rings employ much more technology than they did just a few years ago. Choosing the right path when shopping for piston rings without an understanding of why these advancements have come about can be quite daunting. We spoke with Lake Speed, Jr. from\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Total Seal<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>to help us better understand today\u2019s piston ring technology and how the machining process needs to work together to ensure any engine rebuild is a success.<\/span><\/p>\n

Types Of Piston Rings<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Many of us can remember when there were only two types of piston rings \u2013 ductile-iron moly-faced or chrome-faced. Before that, there were simple cast-iron rings, but since we\u2019re talking LS-based engines, let\u2019s stick with technology from this century. The latest material to come into the piston ring market is steel. This durable material has enabled cylinders to seal using the thinnest of surfaces. If you\u2019ve been shopping for piston rings lately, you\u2019ve no doubt noticed how thin some rings have become.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The oil acts as a gasket, as well as a lubricant. \u2013 Lake Speed Jr., Total Seal<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

There are also a variety of coatings available on piston rings, such as plasma moly, gas nitriding, and various PVD coatings. PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) has become more popular as of late. It is a thin coating process that deposits hard films on the surface of the ring. The PVD process offers many options, such as CrN (Chromium Nitride) and TiN (Titanium Nitride), both feature excellent temperature and wear resistance. With so many different choices, you may wonder if anyone can really know what type of piston ring is best for their application. Yes, you can. We asked Total Seal\u2019s Speed how to do just that.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let Your Power Determine Your Piston Ring<\/strong><\/h2>\n

As with so many areas of concern when building an engine, knowing your power expectations for the engine is the best way to determine which piston ring will work best. Even the fuel you intend to use can make a difference in the best piston ring choice for your application. Speed explains, \u201cThe key is, you have to know how the engine is going to be used. Is it going to be naturally aspirated or boosted? Is it going to see nitrous? Each of these considerations has an impact on what ring material is best used.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> <\/p>\n

Rings have also become much thinner than what you may be used to seeing. There are so many benefits to a modern, thinner ring that many OEMs have begun using them from the factory.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Running pump-gas or E85 can make a big difference, too. For a naturally aspirated engine running pump-gas, a ductile iron ring with a moly coating works perfectly. The moly face coating is porous, so it holds oil well to lubricate the cylinder wall. For that reason,\u00a0 ductile moly rings don\u2019t rely on the cylinder wall\u2019s machining to retain oil as heavily. Conversely, if you are looking at boosting or running E85 in your engine, you\u2019ll want to use a steel ring. Steel rings are harder than chrome or moly-coated rings, and they are not porous, so oil needs to be retained in those small valleys in the cylinder wall, which are created by the honing process.<\/span><\/p>\n

Longevity In The Valley, Power In The Plateau<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cEVERYTHING you do has an impact on the rings\u2019 ability to seal the cylinder!\u201d says Speed. \u201cEven supporting the engine with an engine plate versus traditional motor mounts can make a difference.\u201d It is widely accepted that using a torque plate during honing builds power by ensuring the cylinder is perfectly round once the head is installed. Just the same, getting the proper cylinder wall finish for your choice of rings is important for longevity and how the rings will seal to the cylinder wall. Speed explains that every ring type is going to have its own recipe for preparing the cylinder bore. That proper finish is, more often than not, a two-part equation that includes the smoothness of the highs and the depth of the lows, called plateau honing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> <\/p>\n

Plateau honing begins with a rough stone to create a deeper \u201cvalley\u201d into the machined surface of the cylinder. Then, a finer stone creates a smoother surface by removing the peaks from the previous machining process.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

The oil in a cylinder acts as a gasket, as well as a lubricant. There needs to be adequate oil within the cylinder so the rings will have the lubrication they need. Speed explains that fuel is the enemy once it gets down to the area where the piston rings and cylinder walls meet because it washes away the layer of lubricating oil. The more fuel that goes into the cylinder (as in the case of boost, nitrous, or E85), the more it will wash down the cylinder wall and remove the oil film that provides for the longevity of your rings. In these instances, it is imperative to retain enough oil to lubricate the piston rings.<\/span><\/p>\n