What Are Fire Rings in Diesel Engine Cylinder Heads?
A blown head gasket can be a big issue for your diesel engine. So it makes sense that you'd want to do everything you can to help keep yours in as good of condition as possible.
Did you know that if you're running a high performance, high horsepower engine, you could be pushing your head gasket past its limits, leading to a damaged or even blown gasket?
If that sounds like your engine, it might be time to consider a fire ring cylinder head. In this post, we'll go through what fire rings are and how they might be just the thing to help keep your head gasket from becoming damaged from the extreme operating conditions.
You can also watch our video to learn more about fire rings in diesel engines:
Are you looking for an upgrade to your diesel engine cylinder head? Our ASE Certified Technicians are here to help you find what you need!
Symptoms of a Failing Head Gasket
Normally, your head gasket doesn't just fail. It's typically a sign of a larger issue happening in your diesel engine. That's why it's important to understand why your gasket blew in the first place, so you can prevent it from happening again.
If you have a blown head gasket, there are a few symptoms you might be experiencing, including:
- Engine Overheating
- Poor Performance
- Loss of Coolant
- Compression in Your Cooling System
These symptoms can indicate a serious issue in your diesel engine. If you're running a high performance engine, you're going to have higher temperatures and pressures occurring inside your combustion chamber. Over time, that extreme engine environment can lead to damaged or blown head gaskets.
If you're experiencing any of the above symptoms, or you have had a failed head gasket in the past, it might be time to upgrade to a cylinder head with fire rings machined into the deck.
Do you want to know more about gasket failure? Check out our head gasket failure analysis.
What Are Diesel Engine Fire Rings?
If you're considering a cylinder head with fire rings, you might be wondering what exactly that means.
A fire ring cylinder head has a small groove machined into the cylinder head around each individual combustion chamber. A stainless steel ring is then inserted into it.
The ring creates an additional seal that contacts the outer edge of the fire ring in the head gasket. This provides a better seal around the combustion chamber.
A cylinder head with a machined fire ring ensures greater reliability when put under extreme stress. This is a must for higher horsepower diesel engines.
If you've been dealing with a blown head gasket, a cylinder head with machined fire rings may be the upgrade your engine is begging for. Get a cylinder head with fire rings and you'll have peace of mind and confidence knowing your engine can handle what you're demanding of it.
Do you need to replace a blown head gasket? Be sure to read our article on selecting a head gasket set.
Highway & Heavy Parts offers a Stage 4 Cylinder Head with fire rings for CAT applications. This is the holy grail of cylinder heads for those of you running high horsepower engines. If you're looking for an upgraded cylinder head, this might be the one for you!
Highway & Heavy Parts is here with the diesel engine replacement parts you need. Our ASE Certified Technicians are ready to help you get the right parts for your engine! Give us a call at 844-304-7688, or request a quote online!