You’ve spent time and money upgrading your diesel engine to make it a high-performance, high-horsepower machine. You might have put on a bigger turbo, marine cam or bigger injectors.
But if other affected components aren’t upgraded as well, you might run into trouble later on.
If you’re running a high-performance engine but still have standard valves, you might be at risk for broken valves. We’re going through why this is the case and what you can do to help prevent it.
Keep your high performance diesel engine running great with a cylinder head with Inconel valves installed.
Broken Valves in High Performance Engines
You’re probably wondering just how your high-performance diesel engine can lead to broken valves.
In short, the upgraded components can create a situation where standard valves are pushed further than their intended operating limits.
The high temperatures caused by those high-performance engines are too great for your standard OEM valves. This causes what’s known as a chordal fracture of your valves.
With a chordal fracture, when the valve is removed, you might notice an entire section of the valve is completely gone.
The valve fractured on what’s known as a chord, or a section, of the valve. It breaks the whole section off.
This problem is often caused by mechanical fatigue of the valve from severe operating conditions, thermal stresses, or aesthetic care corrosion.
What are the Symptoms of a Broken Valve?
This probably leaves you wondering how you can tell if you have a broken valve in your engine.
If you’re experiencing this failure, you might notice some of the following symptoms:
- Low Power
- Misfire
- Popping Sound From Intake or Exhaust
- No Start
- Damaged Turbo
If you notice any of these symptoms, you might have a broken valve, which can impact the overall health of your diesel engine.
What To Do About Broken Valves
If you’re having similar problems with your cylinder head, we recommend upgrading to a head with inconel valves installed. Inconel is a material made of a stronger combination of alloys, which can handle the higher temperatures and harsh operating conditions.
This means it can help prevent cracking and valve failure in your high-performance engine.
Heads From Highway & Heavy Parts
Highway & Heavy Parts carries a large selection of cylinder heads, including high-performance heads with inconel valves installed. These might be just the thing to keep your high-performance engine running great.
If you have questions about these valves or our line of performance cylinder heads, give one of our ASE Certified Technicians a call! We’re here to get you the information you need to feel confident buying parts for your diesel engine.
Our expert staff can even provide diagnostic assistance.
It’s our mission to take the risk out of buying diesel engine parts.
From diagnosis through delivery, we’re Highway & Heavy Parts!
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