Pistons & Rings

Located deep within the engine, pistons are attached to the crankshaft, and piston moving up and down within each cylinder compresses the air and fuel mix to provide the combustion and harness the ignition and energy generated by this process. In an internal combustion engine, there are usually three rings per piston with these being one oil ring and two compression rings. Each piston ring plays a vital role in the effective generation of power, and the four main purposes are:

1. They seal for combustion gases, in other words, gas sealing trapping them so they do not leak between the piston and cylinder.
2. Heat transfer releases heat from the piston to the cylinder.
3. Control lubrication of engine oil - to create a lubrication layer for the pistons to prevent burning
4. Piston support - this is to prevent the piston from making contact with the cylinder wall.

They are located in the groove of the piston, they are responsible for oil pressure and regulating the oil compression within the engine. A piston is part of the internal combustion of your engine, and it is important that it functions properly in order for your engine to work.

A broken or cracked piston can be quite hard to diagnose without taking the engine apart, however, if you notice any of the below symptoms, this can indicate that your piston is broken and needs to be replaced. Your pistons are all connected to other components within the engine, when one is broken, it can cause an issue with your compression ratio, cylinder bore wearing out the cylinder wall, and connecting rod. If left untouched, it can cause further damage to your cylinder head and engine, therefore, it is important to get diagnosed if you notice any number of these symptoms.

• Decrease engine power - If your piston is damaged, you will notice a decrease in power, a number of different things can cause this, including piston to wall clearance has changed, a decrease in engine oil burning or cylinder compression.
• Increase in oil consumption - if you notice a significant increase in oil consumption, this can be caused by a cracked or broken piston. This can be hard to identify as you may not notice any very obvious leaks. Engine oil is supposed to lubricate the piston in the cylinder head, if the piston is broken, it is possible that the excess oil will bypass the piston rings and enter the combustion chamber.
• Noise in the top of the engine - if your piston is broken or cracked, you may notice noise in the engine, a loud clapping, banging or knocking sound. This will occur as the piston moves up and down and comes in contact with the cylinder wall.
• Smoke from exhaust - usually, you will see either blue or grey smoke coming out of the exhaust, this is caused by the cylinder leaking and not burning oil. Other issues within the engine can cause smoke out the exhaust, this is something to keep in mind.

Similar to a cracked piston, if the rings are damaged, you may notice the below symptoms:

• Decrease engine power
• Increase in oil consumption
• Noise in the top of the engine
• Smoke from exhaust

When it comes time to replace your pistons and rings, Repco have you covered. Price will differ depending on several factors, including how many pistons need replacing, what car you drive, and the brand you choose. Contact your local Repco store for a price and more information on our pistons and rings range. Alternatively, if you are extremely busy, shop online using our click and collect and click and delivery services.