Aircraft Engine Valvetrain Parts Lookup

Description

A valvetrain is the mechanical system that controls and regulates the operation of the valves in an internal combustion engine.

Layouts

A typical overhead valve engine valvetrain is made up of valves, rocker arms, pushrods, lifters, and camshafts. There are several different configurations for valvetrains, their differences lying in the location of the camshaft within the engine.

Cam-in-block

The camshaft is located within the engine block, and operates directly on the valves, or indirectly via rocker arms and pushrods. These are sometimes called pushrod engines because of their reliance on pushrods.

Overhead camshaft

The camshaft is located above the valves within the cylinder head and operates directly or indirectly upon the valves. The Rolls Royce Merlin, used on the British Spitfire and P-51 Mustang during World War 2, is an example of an overhead camshaft engine.

Camless

In a camless layout, the engine has no camshafts. Instead, the valves are individually actuated by technologies like solenoids, hydraulics, or pneumatics. However, camless engines are not yet available in mass production, as they have a variety of technical issues including weight, cost, and high noise.

At Aerospace Aces, owned and operated by ASAP Semiconductor, we sell engine valvetrain parts and systems from some of the top manufacturers around the world, including Lycoming, Superior Air Parts, and Continental Motors Inc.