New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-13

l. II have been told that Oildag would have an
important effect the piston rings of my
automobile engine. Is it sop
Yes"
K \ am more or less ignorant regarding piston
rings and their purpose. Where are they
placed In the engine ?''
In grooves, encircling the pistons."
s. What part do they play in the operation
Of the engine?"
They close the spaces between the pstons and the
cylinder walls thereby preventing the gases from the
the crank case hish would esa aSs in os o
poweT They also prevent an excess of lubricatng oil
chamber, '~hene it would be burned and carbon
spark plugs" ~
IDENTIFY very necessary to the proper working
OF the engine, are they not?''
Yes, they certainly are"
S. ~ having lot of trouble with nv en-
CINE: The old JOY of riding is pretty nearly
a thing of the past. Do you think these
piston rings the cause?'
Yes. it is possible. What troubles are you expe-
rlencing?"
g. "smutting of the spark plugs, smoke from
the exhaust and the engine doesn't develop
anything like the power it used to-
hese conditions indicate very clearly that your
piston rings are not free they should"
z. What prevents them from acting as the
manufacturer intended they should? 2"
The trouble is probably almost wholly to burn
ing up lu5rIeca,ng oil in the combustion chamber,
carbon that has got into the piston ring grooves,
poons OF the tf eed 1s ssf from md f Other
spark plugs, produce carbon deposits and smoke in
the exhaust"
g. Then the piston rings ought to have pre-
vented ali these difflculties?"
Yes, the rings there for the special pu.-
pose OF closing the spaces between the psons
action, and is intended that they should expand to
course you understand this expansion viii p no
occur unless the rings are free act"
g. SIS The trouble that am experiencing met
with by many automobile owners %
Yes it is very 1t is FREQUENTLY found that
the rings are SO thoroughly cemented in the grooves
failure Of their proper te nro 5nGy Draa The
frequent cause Of the decrease in the power of the
autoists." W
10. Glow Oildag cure this ANNOYING con-
dtion?"
"By forming ant-frcton surfaces on the metals"
IL. What is the of forming anti-fricton
surfaces on the metals when | am using a
lubr1catlng Oil to prevent friction ?"
Unfortunately, ubrcating oil does always lubri-
cate cate DO a0 mean to say that would ub
piston rings, cylinder walls and bearings become
time the kept Separated by ubr o ins
o put are coming in ACTUAL contact causing to
metals, an occasional breaking of the oil in1 per
iIlttlng the metals to into would nor
be serious matter, they would not wear owing To
their anti-friction condition" ~
IL. Il formerly used rather thin oil to lubri
cate my. engine, but owing to the fact that
the engine commenced to lose power I was
advised to use very heavy oil, and when
this change made the engine certainly
improved in its power development Can
you explain the for this improve
ment in the engine?"
The fact that you losing power is evidence
that the piston rings had become cernented in the
grooves 10 Sucn an extent them from
expanding and closing the spaces between the pistons
and the walls The introduction of the heavy oil
resulted in the closing of these openings by the oil
itself, but it is reasonable o expect fluid to
close and hold these spaces against pressure
OF the expanded gases in the that could and
should be done by the piston rings"