Q & A — Are Deves Piston Rings Compatible?

Q: Are Deves rings compatible with all types of cylinders, that is, the many different materials in cylinders?

A: Yes! Different automobile makers use different materials for their cylinders: aluminum, nikasil, alusil, etc. Our rings work well with all of them. We make rings for the European and domestic aftermarket, but we are best known in the European. In fact, we are the official aftermarket suppliers in the U.S. for rolls Royce, and are very popular for Mercedes, BMWs, and Porsches.

It's the Deves oil ring that looks very different from the OEM oil ring. Most manufacturers in the German market have a different type, usually a one, two or three-piece oil ring. That's why the question comes up. Mechanics are concerned that the expander in our oil ring will put to much pressure on the cylinder wall.

If a mechanic is used to putting on a different type of oil ring, our rings do appear stiffer. That's the way it should be. Once the ring is in the engine, the heat in the engine will loosen it up, and it adjusts to the cylinder. The secret is the Swedish steel.

Q: What type of materials are your compression rings made of?

A: Deves doesn't use anything other than a cast alloy for its compression rings. It's a little more flexible than cast iron and not as flexible as some of the other materials that are out there. We don't use chrome plating because it's much harder on the cylinder. Chrome plated rings are also more difficult to seat. The only time Deves has a chrome plated or coated ring is when the OEM manufacturer specifies it. Peugeot, for example, has a specification that the top ring on a certain model must be a chrome ring, and that's when we would have it.