Gas ported pistons are common in top-tier professional race car engines and high-performance street motors. That’s because gas ports in the piston can help promote a good piston ring seal by pushing the ring out against the cylinder wall using combustion gasses. But gas ported pistons aren’t always the best choice for a regularly-driven street vehicle's engine, because the ports themselves can clog from excess carbon buildup and reduce the pressure needed behind the piston ring to ensure a good seal. But beyond that, there may not even be enough room on the piston's head to locate these gas ports in the first place.
Gas ported piston rings, on the other hand, solve both of those issues by placing the gas ports on the piston ring itself. And since they’re made of steel, they’ll stay cleaner than an aluminum piston thanks to the steel-friendly detergents in your motor oil.
This video from Summit Racing and Total Seal goes into a ton of detail about gas ported piston and piston ring design, and it really gets into the weeds on the pros and cons of each. Give it a watch and you’ll learn a lot about piston and ring engine tech. And when you’re ready to find out more about Total Seal Piston Rings, click here: www.summitracing.com/search/b...