Piston rings are essential parts of an engine that help in sealing the combustion chamber to ensure proper detonation. This is the reason why engine rebuilding will never be complete if you don’t ensure that the piston rings are clean and well-maintained. Extreme temperatures, soot, and carbon buildup can all reduce the effectiveness of piston rings when it comes to offering the perfect seal within the engine.

When piston rings are faulty, these can lead to loose combustion or pre-detonation. You should be careful when examining the piston rings and make sure that these are replaced when and as needed. Engine builders and race mechanics make it a habit of replacing the piston rings whenever the engine becomes overhauled.

To clean piston rings, you only need a few basic materials, and these are:

• Terry cloth towel or cotton rag
• Kerosene, lacquer thinner, or carburetor cleaner
• Small plastic bin
• Piston ring expander tool

Follow the steps below for cleaning piston rings.

Remove All the Piston Rings

Start by removing all the three piston rings. You can use the piston ring expander tool for this to prevent any damage. The oil seal ring, the expansion ring, and the compression ring make up the piston ring. Use the piston ring expander tool to remove all of these rings and ensure that no damage occurs. Put the tool’s ends at the middle of the ring gap. Carefully squeeze the handle for the rings to expand. Slip off the rings from the piston.

Soak the Piston Rings

Pour the correct amount of lacquer thinner, carburetor cleaner, or other engine solvent in the small plastic basic. The correct amount of cleaner will be enough for submerging all of the three rings to help get rid of gunk and carbon. Allow the rings to soak for up to 24 hours.

Let the Piston Rings Dry

You can now remove all of the piston rings from the solution. Put the rings on the clean cotton towel to let them dry. Wipe the piston rings with care to get rid of any excess dirt and solvent. It is recommended that you first clean the pistons before you attach the piston rings.

Don’t forget to install first the oil seal before you put back the expansion ring and compression ring. Be careful not to inhale the engine solvents’ fumes since these might be dangerous for your health.

Signs That Piston Rings Require Maintenance

Aside from cleaning your piston rings, it is also a must to know when they really need maintenance to make sure that you don’t check them more often than necessary.

Here are a few signs you need to watch out for that will tell you that the piston rings are already in dire need of maintenance:

• Excessive consumption of oil
• Low level performance
• Reduced quality of piston

Through proper cleaning and maintenance, you will be able to protect your piston rings and ensure that they will continue delivering optimum performance when and as you need them to.

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