There have been many different types of piston ring developed over the years. Rectangular, taper face, barrel face, scraper, Napier, torsional twist, reversed torsional twist to name but a few. But one particular version that seems almost totally forgotten today, except for a few highly specialised applications is that of the Dykes ring. Peculiarly 'L'-shaped in cross-section and named after it's inventor not an embankment built to prevent flooding as might be at first thought,...
Toyota Racing Development's MAHLE Motorsports pistons are somewhat similar to the 2618 material typically used in NASCAR Sprint Cup applications, according to Brad Green at MAHLE's Fletcher, North Carolina American headquarters. As TRD continues to try and gain performance edges while having to deal with shrinking budgets - as everyone does these days - using exotic materials just isn't the route to take. Still, according to David Currier, TRD's vice president of engine...
One benefit to building a maximum 510-cubic inch big block Chevrolet engine for American Power Boat Association (APBA) offshore racing, is the cooling. Because cold water constantly throbs through the block and cylinder head, there is very little fall-off in performance and very little micro welding in the ring lands to deal with. According to Stewart Van Dyne II and Stewart Van Dyne III (Tres) of Van Dyne Engineering in Huntington Beach, California, "We tend to like pistons with...
The UN summit meeting in Copenhagen, COP 15, has come and gone. A meeting whereby 192 or so countries met together to fudge some kind of global agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions yet again attracted that section of the environmental lobbyists who seem to be determined to press their cause via mayhem and violence. It is little wonder therefore that the authorities seeking to maintain law and order, and according to journalist types, threw a 'ring of steel' around the venue...
When it comes to prepping pistons for their NHRA Top Fuel rail, Don Schumacher Racing’s Antron Brown-driven team relies on co-tuner Rob Wendland. This year, the team led the ‘regular season’ of 18 races and finished third in the point standings, 49 behind six-time consecutive champion (and teammate) Tony Schumacher. Wendland said the team uses a variety of pistons, depending on the nature of the circuit. Their primary choice is a hard anodized JE piston, “Because they...