Piston rings are an important aspect in the functioning of your ship, as they ensure that your engine runs to its maximum efficiency and has the best possible performance. However, you may not know very much about the important aspects of fitting or installing piston rings, so here we impart our knowledge as a piston ring manufacturer.

Measure the gap

As the piston ring which is fitted is dependent on the size of the gap, it is essential that this is measured before attempting to install the ring. This measurement can be taken by putting the ring into the bore and assessing its size using a feeler gauge.

As the temperature of the metal rises, it will expand, so it is important that the gap is not too small so that the metal doesn’t overlap when encountering heat. Equally, if the gap is too large, then this will result in the wrong compression and oil consumption. It is, therefore, essential to obtain an accurate measurement to ensure successful installation of the piston rings.

Engine assembly and disassembly

The most expensive and time-consuming aspect of fitting marine piston rings has to be the necessary dismantling of the engine. In order to fit the rings, at least some of the engine needs to be dismantled, resulting in high labour costs.

As part of this process, piston ring compressors are used to squeeze the piston rings so that they have a dimension that is long enough to enable them to slide into the cylinder.

Further information

If you want to find out more about any aspect of the installation process or wish to purchase piston rings for your ship, get in touch with Precision Products UK. We are a leading piston ring manufacturer and supplier with a wealth of experience in international marine and industrial markets – rely on our expertise to help you.