Piston rings are designed to maintain the cylinder and combustion pressure of an automobile. This prevents any oil from seeping into the combustion chamber. Pistons rings work in combination with valve guides and seals to control any of the engine's thermal changes. Piston rings contain three different rings and they all play important roles in making your car engine work.
The top ring, or compression ring, helps make piston rings work because during the combustion process, it doesn't allow it to lose any pressure. The compression ring maintains any pressure build-up as the piston in the engine makes its way to the top of the stroke. A mixture is ignited when the piston arrives at the top, and the pressure builds-up to bring the piston back down. The piston rings are able to control this pressure because the top ring acts as a barrier, and transfers any of the heat through the cylinder wall.
The second ring, or secondary compression ring, is designed similarly to the top ring. The second ring allows hot gases to penetrate into the crank case oil through the cylinder wall. When this happens it is called blow-by, and it helps mix the oil with carbon particles. This increases the acid level and makes the oil hotter and the oxidation process faster. This causes a slowdown of the oil from lubricating, and prevents the carbon particles from wearing out the parts of the engine. The second ring is also known as the oil scraper ring, which effectively minimizes any oil from gathering between the compression ring and oil ring.
The oil rings works with the piston in the engine to lubricate the cylinder walls, pistons, rings and wrist pins without it getting into the combustion process. The oil rings help the thermal control because it cools the piston by directing oil straight into it.
