MAHLE Clevite has recently begun a weekly Facebook series called Technical Tuesdays where they discuss a highly technical topic, breaking down to everyday terms and lingo for the rest of us non-engineers. At the heart of this weekly series is Bill McKnight, a master engine builder that has been with MAHLE Clevite for over 32 years. McKnight, who has a Master’s in Education, has lived his entire adult life in high performance engine building and has been involved in motorsports and engine building at the highest levels.

We are pleased to be able to present one of the many videos that McKnight has done in his typical self-described fashion of “making the complicated seem simple.”

Using clothespins to hold the three-piece oil rings together for measuring the face and radial dimensions of the ring set.

This last week’s topic was measuring three-piece oil rings, which can be difficult because of the multiple sections. Using a tip sent in by a MAHLE Clevite fan, Bill McKnight demonstrates one method of measuring the ring face and the piston ring radial measurement with a dial caliper.

The simple set of using clothespins to hold the three ring segments together makes measuring the ring a much simpler task than trying to hold them together with one hand and measuring with the other. A pro like McKnight might be able to handle that with ease, but most of us need both hands just to operate the calipers.

Calipers are used to get the precise measurements.

Look for all the high performance products from MAHLE and Clevite at this year’s upcoming trade shows and motorsports events across the country. Make sure to visit the MAHLE Motorsports Facebook fan page for the weekly tech tips and visit their website at www.mahle-aftermarket.com for even more information and technical help.