Piston rings are an important part of any internal combustion engine. But sometimes, due to some reason, the piston rings of the engine get damaged, due to which there is difficulty starting the engine.
Bad piston rings can also cause many other engine problems. In this post, we will discuss the symptoms, causes, and replacement cost of worn piston rings in detail.
Why Are Rings Important in A Piston?
Piston rings are vital components in an engine because these rings form a seal between the engine’s piston and the cylinder wall. This seal prevents combustion gases from escaping into the crankcase and ensures optimal compression within the combustion chamber. Additionally, the piston rings help control lubricating oil consumption by removing excess oil from the cylinder walls.
Symptoms Of Bad Piston Rings
Symptoms of bad piston rings are low engine compression, excessive white or gray smoke from the exhaust, excessive fuel and oil consumption, poor acceleration, or unusual engine noises.
Let us know in detail the symptoms of bad piston rings in any engine so that you do not get confused about any other internal fault of the engine.
1. Low Engine Cylinder Compression
Damaged or excessive wear to the engine’s piston rings will result in low compression in the engine’s cylinders, making the engine difficult to start or providing less power when the engine starts. Because cylinder pressure leaks out from a damaged compression piston ring.
2. Excessive Fuel Consumption
Your vehicle will consume more fuel due to damaged piston rings in the internal combustion engine. Because of the compression leak in the engine’s cylinders, the engine will generate less power and consume more fuel to deliver power and performance.
3. Oil Back Presure From Oil Dipstick
Often, when the piston rings of an internal combustion engine are damaged, you will see steam or oil splatter when you take out the oil dipstick.
This problem can be observed when the engine is started and during engine warm-up. because the compression ring starts leaking during the compression of the piston, due to which the exhaust gases enter the oil chamber and it starts coming out of the compression oil gauge in the form of steam.
4. Excessive White Smoke From Exhaust
Blue or white smoke from the exhaust of a vehicle indicates a damaged condition of the rings in the pistons of the engine. Because when the engine starts, the piston moves up and down.
Thereby, the oil, along with the piston, lubricates the cylinder walls. But this engine oil does not return to the oil chamber due to damaged piston rings and this oil travels over the piston, causing the oil to burn with the fuel in the engine’s internal combustion chamber, which is why you may see blue or white smoke coming out of the exhaust.
5. Excessive Oil Consumption
Often, when the piston rings of an internal combustion engine are damaged, they are unable to recirculate the engine oil from the cylinder walls. Due to this, the engine oil starts burning during the fuel combustion process in the engine, and the engine oil level starts decreasing very rapidly.
6. Poor Engine Performance
Due to the damage to the piston rings, the engine’s power and performance are reduced. because they are unable to stop the compression leak from the damaged engine cylinders, due to which the engine provides less power and performance.
7. Engine Knocking Noise
Damage to the piston rings of an internal combustion engine often results in a knocking or ticking noise from the engine when starting or during acceleration. Because there is a gap between the damaged piston rings and the cylinder sleeve, due to which the piston ring becomes loose, and when the piston goes up and down, it starts hitting the cylinder sleeve.
Causes Of Bad Piston Rings
Causes of damaged piston rings include wear, lack of lubrication, engine overheating, carbon buildup, or bad engine oil.
Wear: Over time, the constant motion of the piston rings can cause them to wear down and lose their effectiveness. because the up-and-down movement with the piston causes its wear.
Lack of Lubrication: If the engine is not properly lubricated or the wrong grade of engine oil is used, the piston rings can dry out and be damaged.
Engine Overheating: Excessive heat can cause the metal of the piston rings to expand and warp, causing them to lose their seal against the cylinder wall, due to which the functioning of the piston rings may fail badly.
Carbon Build-Up: Carbon deposits can build up on piston rings and cylinder walls, reducing their effectiveness. Sometimes coolant getting into the engine cylinder can lead to corrosion of the cylinder sleeve, due to which the piston rings get damaged.
Bad Engine oil: Bad engine oil damages the piston rings because it lacks lubrication. And neglecting regular oil changes and other engine maintenance can damage piston rings.
Piston Rings Replacement Cost
Depending on engine type and mechanic labor, piston ring replacement costs can average from $900 to $4800 or more. Actually, the cost of piston ring replacement depends on the vehicle model, engine type, and mechanic labor costs.
This cost includes the cost of parts and labor but does not include the cost of additional repairs due to damaged piston rings.
NOTE – Always keep in mind that if the engine is severely damaged, rebuilding or replacing the engine may be the only option, and rebuilding the engine can be more expensive than replacing piston rings.
FAQ’s
Q. How do you know your piston rings are bad?
Often, whenever the engine piston rings in your vehicle are damaged, the first thing you will notice is difficulty starting the engine and excessive white smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe, which will be the first signs that your vehicle’s piston rings are worn out.
Q. What is the sound of a bad piston ring?
Often, the sound of bad piston rings is a knocking sound during acceleration, and the sound is more or less with acceleration.
Q. Will an engine run with bad piston rings?
Driving with bad piston rings causes additional engine damage as well as problems with your vehicle’s performance, lower fuel economy, and more white smoke from the exhaust.
