Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Piston Ring Thickness and Why Thin is In

So, our friend F.R. wrote in to Jeff Smith, our resident performance question person. He wanted to know if the thin piston ring packs used in modern engines are a good idea for his old school small block Ford, and if there is any performance advantage to using them.

Darn good question, Jeff thought. The short answer is yes, thinner piston rings can help improve power production. A thin ring needs less tension to seal it to the cylinder wall, which reduces the friction created as that ring slides up and down the cylinder wall. Thinner rings also tend to seal better to the cylinder wall, which means blow-by past the rings is reduced and more cylinder pressure is retained above the pistons to make more power.

Of course, there is a lot more to using thinner piston rings, and Mr. Smith explains it all in the latest Ask Away! column at OnAllCylinders. Check it out.

As always, if you've missed Jeff's previous Ask Away! columns you can find all of the hot rod wisdom he has dispensed at OnAllCylinders.