Mphete ya pisitoni (Piston mphete) imagwiritsidwa ntchito kuyika pisitoni mkati mwa mphete yachitsulo, mphete ya pisitoni imagawidwa m'mitundu iwiri: mphete yophatikizira ndi mphete yamafuta. Mphete yopondereza itha kugwiritsidwa ntchito kusindikiza mpweya wosakanikirana woyaka muchipinda choyaka; Mphete yamafuta imagwiritsidwa ntchito pochotsa mafuta ochulukirapo mu silinda.
Mphete ya pisitoni ndi mtundu wa mphete zotanuka zachitsulo zomwe zimakhala ndi mawonekedwe akulu okulirapo akunja, omwe amasonkhanitsidwa mumbiri ndi poyambira pake. Mphete za pistoni zobwerezabwereza komanso zozungulira zimadalira kusiyana kwa mpweya kapena madzi kuti apange chisindikizo pakati pa bwalo lakunja la mphete ndi silinda ndi mbali imodzi ya mphete ndi poyambira mphete.