Mahle Motorsports recently released a new ring package that takes things to the next level in lightweight and low drag applications. Introducing their new HV385 all steel 1mm, 1mm, 2mm ring sets, they claim even more gains in the lower drag, lighter weight categories. 

Mahle Motorsports’ new HV385 piston rings.

“The new piston rings were tested over a wide range of applications, against many different weights of oil and RPM ranges,” said Mahle’s Trey McFarland. “We have developed a lighter ring package that supports more power, has the great consistency and durability that Mahle Motorsports’ piston rings have become known for.”

According to McFarland, the new ring package has great wear characteristics and breaks in quick and easy. The smaller size reduces weight but also adds a level of conformability which McFarland says helps the rings ability to “match up to irregularities in the bore, bore distortion and accommodate heat differentials, which ultimately allows the rings to do their job better.”

McFarland shows the conformability of the rings.

The high strength carbon steel alloy top rings are coated using Mahle’s patented HV385 thermal spray process. This process accelerates the particles to supersonic speeds, fueled by pure oxygen and RP1 jet fuel. The HV385 coating has superior bonding and wear characteristics that are suitable for daily driver to high output power adder applications. The process used to apply the coating actually impregnates the steel adding to the bonding and adhesion ability of the coating.

“The 1mm, 1mm, 2mm sizing and all steel construction provide a high level of conformability resulting in unmatched ring seal, oil control, strength and exceptionally low coefficient of friction,” added McFarland.

With less cross sectional area, this ring package should be as popular as the 1.5mm, 1.5mm, 3mm ring package that was introduced with Mahle’s Power Pak piston sets over 10 years ago.