🔍 Key Concepts

• Piston ring end gap shapes and how they affect gas sealing and lubrication • What causes ring seizure in a diesel engine (heat, lack of lubrication, metal contact) • How a step-cut joint compares with a straight-cut joint when the ring expands in the cylinder

💭 Think About

• Think about what happens at the ring gap when the ring heats up and expands—how does a step-cut change the way the gap behaves? • Which option relates most directly to preventing metal-to-metal sticking between the ring and the cylinder wall? • Ask yourself: Is the main purpose of the step-cut to change tension, to speed break‑in, or to improve how the gap passes over the cylinder surface?

✅ Before You Answer

• Match the advantage to something that would reduce the risk of the ring catching or sticking in the groove or on the liner. • Eliminate any choices that mainly deal with tension adjustment or manufacturing fit, rather than with running safety in high-temperature conditions. • Remember that the step shape helps maintain overlap or shielding at the gap, which affects how smoothly the ring rides and how likely it is to seize.