LESSON PLAN

Week: 09 Taught By: Engr. Kashif Usman

Subject: Problem in Internal Combustion Engine Class: 2nd Year

Mechanical Department Time: 70 minutes
Topic: Piston Ring Problem
Objective(s): Students will be able to:
 Understand Scuffing, sticking, breakage and expansion
 Understand blow by
 Understand rapid wear
 Understand clearance
Skill focused on: Piston rings
Resources:
White Board, Marker, PowerPoint Presentations
Methodology:

Piston rings seal the clearance between the outside of the piston and the cylinder wall. They must
keep combustion pressure from entering the crankcase. They must also keep oil from entering
the combustion chambers. The principal requirement of a piston ring is that when compressed
into the cylinder it shall bear evenly a] round, and shall not have too large a gap.
In order to prevent the escape of gases past the rings it is necessary to arrange for the lane to
exert a certain radial pressure outwards against the cylinder walls. This pressure must only be
sufficient for the purpose during the normal working conditions for excessive pressures reduce
engine power and also given rise to greater cylinder wear.

Scuffing, Sticking, Breaking of Piston Rings:

The principal requirement of a piston ring is that when compressed the fuel into the cylinder, it
shall bear evenly all round, and shall not have too large a gap.
In order to prevent the escape of gases past the rings it is necessary to arrange for the latte to
exert a certain radial pressure outwards against the cylinder walls. This pressure must only be
sufficient for the purpose during the normal working conditions for excessive pressures reduce
engine power and also give rise to greater cylinder wear. Modern piston rings are of the narrow
axial thickness type, of good quality alloy cast iron having elasticity properties, or flexibility so that
they can readily be sprung over the piston without breakage or permanent set.
The rings are now always supplied by specialist piston ring firms and are of a high standard. The
type preferred is the diagonal-cut, one with uniform or graduated radial pressure produced by
preening followed by peripheral grinding with the ends clamped together. It has been shown that
if the correct ring gap measurement is given there is no more tendencies for gas leakage past this
kind of joint than the step-cut or any other one.

Expansion, Blow-By, Rapid Wear and Clearance:

Automotive pistons normally use three rings two compression rings and one oil ring. It is
important to understand how variation in ring construction provides different operating
characteristics.
Ringside, back and gap clearances are very important. They must be within factory specification
or poor engine performance could result.
The faces of the piston rings can be coated with chrome or other metals.
Soft ring coating of porous metal (usually iron) help the ring wear in quickly, forming a good seal.
The soft outer surface will wear away rapidly the ring confirms to the shape of the cylinder. Also
called quick sealing rings, they are commonly recommended for USED CYLINDERS that are slightly
worn.
Hard ring coatings, such as chrome are used to increase ring life and reduce friction. They are
used in new or freshly machined cylinders that are perfectly round and NOT worn. To aid break in
chrome plated rings usually have ribbed faces. The ribs hold oil and wear quickly to produce a
good seal.
The piston rings seal the clearance between the outside of the piston and the cylinder wall. They
must keep combustion pressure from entering crankcase. They must also keep oil from entering
the combustion chambers.
The faces of piston rings can be coaled with chrome or other metals. Soft ring coatings of porous
metal (usually iron) help the ring wear in quickly forming a good seal. The soft outer surface will
wear away rapidly so the ring conforms to the shape of the cylinder. Also called quick seal rings,
they are commonly recommended for sued cylinders that are slightly worn. Hard ring coatings,
such as chrome, are used to increase ring life and reduce friction. They are used in new or freshly
machined cylinders that are perfectly round and not worn. To aid breakin, chrome plated ring
usually have ribbed faces. The ribs hold oil and wear quickly to produce a good seal.
Walls will allow the piston rings to hydroplane or this oil film, which allows oil to migrate into
combustion chamber to be burned and can be caused by one or more of the following.

Cylinder Bore & Piston Rings:

We can divide this subject into two specific problems first-Oil Migration (combustion chamber).
Excessive oil film thickness deposited on the cylinder wall will allow the piston rings to hydroplane
on this oil film, which allows oil to migrate into the combustion chamber to be burned and can he
caused by one or more of the following:
• Oil pan overfill
• Wrong cylinder/bore cross hatch honing method (too flat causing oil “piddling”).
• Inadequate piston oil control ring wiping, due to low tension and probably due to excessive oil
rail and gaps.
• Piston skirt fit in cylinder/bore (excessive clearance) resulting in piston skirt not effectively
shearing the oil film, thereby allowing oil to be scraped to the combustion chamber on the
upward stroke.
• Worn or tapered cylinder/bores.
• Cylinder/bore distortion.
• “Windage” due to wave motion of oil in the oil pan being whipped up and deposited onto the
cylinder walls as in the case of oil pan overfills.
• Piston tilt due to piston skirt design protruding below cylinder/bore, which results in the piston
ring’s inability to provide proper contact with cylinder walls.

Blow-By:
Excessive “blow-by” combustion gases are allowed to escape past the piston rings on the power
stroke, creating excessive crankcase pressure build up which in turn forces gases, oil vapors and
oil through the breather system to be burned in the combustion chamber via the induction
system. This excessive crankcase pressure will also actually force oil and oil vapors past the oil
control and compression rings on the induction stroke especially under high manifold
compression conditions. The amount of oil migration to the combustion chamber under these
“blow-by” conditions is open to debate. Several experts I have spoken to nave contrary opinion
on this problem.
“Blow-by” conditions can be caused by the following:
Piston rings not seating.
Glazed, worn or tapered cylinder/bores
Cylinder bore distortion
Broken piston rings Excessive ring-end gaps
Misaligned connecting rods
Piston Ring Problems:
a) Blow-by oiling-up troubles due to worn rings and undersize rings.
b) Wear and clearance due to tight rings.
c) Breakage of rings due to ridge formation at the top of the cylinder.
d) Breakage of rings during fitting due to haphazard methods of expanding the rings with fingers
and not using the ring-fitting too.
e) Breaking of rings due to not fitting the rings the correct way’ up.
f) incorrect gap dimension resulting into untrue mating joint with the cylinder gap.
g) Incorrect ring gap spacing. h) Incorrect ring gap alignment in relation to the piston pin axis.
Activity– 1:Discussion on topic by Group-1
Success Criteria:

C.W: Nil
H.W: Maintain Practical Notebook

HoD Sign: ______________ Date: __________________