If you’re shopping to replace your cylinder head, we know it can seem a little daunting.
Do you just need a new head, or should you get other components at the same time? What other parts work with the cylinder head?
Before you dive headfirst into looking at cylinder heads, we think it’s important to have an understanding of just what a cylinder head’s purpose is.
In this post, we’re going over a little of what cylinder heads do in your diesel engine and the things you should know before shopping to replace your head.
What Components Are Associated With the Cylinder Head?
One of the most important things to know about cylinder heads is the components that work together in the system. These include the intake valves and the exhaust valves.
You’ll also have your fuel injector housed through the center of the head.
Your head sits on top of your engine and is basically the control center for combustion in your engine.
What Do The Components Do?
On a basic level, these components work together to allow for combustion. The head is essential for controlling the functions of the combustion chamber.
But what about the individual components?
- Intake Valves: When the engine is running, clean air comes in through the intake ports, moving into the combustion chamber. Then, combustion is ready to happen.
- Fuel Injector: The fuel injector injects fuel into the cylinder while the piston travels upward, creating pressure. The explosion from this creates your exhaust.
- Exhaust Valves: To complete combustion, the exhaust needs to be gotten rid of. The rocker lever opens the exhaust valves, allowing the spent air-fuel mixture to exit out the exhaust port. This happens at the backside of the head.
Fuel Injectors in the Cylinder Head
Some cylinder heads you’ll see will have fuel ports that run through it, allowing fuel to run from end to end of the head.
Those fuel ports run through each injector port and feed the injectors with the necessary fuel for combustion. A return port also allows the unused fuel to return to the tank and cool off.
Properly working injectors are crucial to the combustion process. If your injectors aren’t operating correctly, then you’re combustion won’t be as effective and you’re fuel economy will take a hit.
How Cylinder Heads Differ?
Now that we’ve gone through some of the functions of cylinder heads, it’s important to cover how cylinder heads can be different, depending on the engine you have.
An N14, for example, uses 3 cylinder heads on the engine. Others, like the Detroit Series 60 or Caterpillar 3406E/C15 will use a single, long cylinder head.
When working on an N14, one guy should be able to handle the cylinder heads, but on the others, you’ll probably need to use a hoist.
How Highway & Heavy Parts Can Help!
Highway & Heavy Parts can help with your diesel engine needs! We have a wide variety of cylinder heads for different applications.
Our team of experts can help you figure out what parts are right for your engine. We have ASE Certified Technicians on staff ready to answer your questions and help diagnose your diesel engine problems.
We’re here to take the risk out of buying diesel engine parts.
From diagnosis through delivery, we’re Highway & Heavy Parts!
Related Articles:
GUIDELINES FOR INSTALLING A DIESEL ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD & COMMON MISTAKES
Related Videos:
