Question 413Motor Plants - Assistant Engineer

The correct answer is D) hammer the piston land below the ring. Excessive side clearance between a piston ring and its groove allows the ring to move up and down within the groove. This can cause the ring to hammer the piston land below the ring, which can lead to damage and wear on that part of the piston. The other options are incorrect because: A) ring expansion is caused by heat, not side clearance; B) scuffing of the cylinder liner is caused by tight ring fit, not excessive clearance; and C) hammering the land above the ring is not a consequence of excessive side clearance.