Effect of Cylinder Bore Out-of-Roundness on Piston Ring Rotation and Engine Oil Consumption

Excessive cylinder bore out-of-roundness (OOR) can adversely affect the sealing functionality and durability of the piston-ring pack in an engine. This work reports the effects of changes in cylinder bore OOR on: (i) the rotation of the top and second compression rings, and (ii) oil consumption in an open-deck 4.5-L V-8 engine. A method was devised for altering the level of OOR in one cylinder of the engine without engine disassembly. Radiometric techniques were then applied to measure both piston ring rotation and oil consumption of that cylinder at three different levels of bore distortion. Results of these measurements are of value in determining the range of acceptability of production specifications for cylinder bore OOR.