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The objective of this paper is to present the results of an investigation of elastic distortions of split piston rings that are used in lubricated and non-lubricated air brake compressors. Concepts of advanced stress analysis and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) have been employed in this study. The analysis of elastic distortions (twist) of piston rings due to the installation stresses has been quite poorly documented in the technical literature. As a result, unjustifiable engineering assumptions are some time made which result in misleading design solutions. This paper demonstrates analytically and with the support of FEA the mechanical/geometrical parameters of a split ring which affect the twist of the ring during the installation in the cylinder bore, and the calculated magnitude of this twist along the ring circumference.