VALVE TRAIN

The main function of the valve train, as indicated by its name, is to control the opening and
closing of the valves. Most of the heavy-duty diesel engines we work with are 4 valve engines,
meaning there are four valves in each cylinder: 2 intakes and 2 exhaust. The valve train uses
different components based on the type, push on or lift up from the valves, allowing air into
and out from the cylinder. In the middle of all the valves is the injector, which will be pushed
down on to inject fuel into the cylinder. All of the timing for this process is incredibly precise.
Newer engines use electrical signals to cue the injector, rather than the mechanical valve train,
which makes that process even more precise.

Most new engines have overhead cam assemblies. Other designs locate the camshaft lower in
the engine and use push rods to move valve assemblies. The camshaft is rotated by a timing
belt, timing chain or direct gear.
 VALVE TRAIN COMPONENTS

The valve train can have many components. The following are the most common components in
the valve train. Depending on the type of engine, there may be varying quantities of the parts
listed below or the engine may not contain all of the parts listed.

1. Camshaft
The camshaft is a long shaft that goes through the head or the block of the engine, depending
on what type of engine it is. There are lobes along the length of the shaft positioned differently.
The profile of the lobes has an egg-shape to them. The dimensions of these lobes are what
determines the amount of lift. The more lift, the longer the valves stay open, which allows more
air into the cylinder.

2. Camshaft Followers
A cam follower is a type of bearing that follows along the lobes of a camshaft as it rotates,
providing a low-resistance surface for the lobe to push up against. A follower is also called a
lifter, and sometimes a tappet. There are several types of cam followers, whose configurations
generally depend on how they mount to their mating part. They will be used when the cam is in
the block, rather than being overhead.
3. Push Rods
Pushrods are one of those parts that are not always used in a diesel engine. They will also
only be used when the cam is in the block and not overhead. A push rod is a rod that pushes
up on the rocker arm. It will move depending on the movement of the camshaft follower.
Another job of the pushrod is to conduct oil up to the cylinder head.

4. Rocker Arms
A rocker arm is a pivoting lever that pushes on the valve stem. Rocker arms will sometimes
be called rocker levers, or just rockers. Depending on the type of valve train, the rotating
camshaft lobes will either push directly on the rocker arm, or on the pushrods, which will
conduct the motion up to the rocker arm. In an overhead cam engine, the cam follower is
built into the rocker arm in the form of a roller.

5. Rocker Shafts
Rocker shafts are simply the shafts that the rockers are on. It’s this shaft that is the pivot
point for the rocker arms. The shaft also conducts oil to the various rocker arms.
6. Valves
A valve is composed of two major sections, the valve head, and the valve stem. The head of the
valve is what allows air into and out of the cylinder. The stem is what gets pressed on by the rest of
the valve train. At the end of the stem are grooves that keepers will fit into to hold the valve in
place. Some engines have only two valves per cylinder, and some have four. The more common
number in the heavy-duty diesel market is four. These are split evenly between the intake and
exhaust valves.

7. Valve Springs
The camshaft creates an upward force that acts on the rocker arm, which in turn pushes the valve
down. But as the cam rotates around, it does not pull the pushrod or rocker arm back with it. That’s
why there is a valve spring to create force in the opposite direction and close the valve. The spring
will hold the valve closed until the lobe of the camshaft comes around with a greater force and
pushes it down.

8. Timing Belt:
A timing belt instead of a timing chain may be used to turn the camshafts. The inner side of the belt
is designed with square (cogged) teeth which prevent the belt from slipping.

9. Belt Tensioner
The belt tensioner is a spring-loaded wheel that keeps the timing belt in tension and aligned with
the cam sprocket. The smooth side of the timing belt rides over the tensioner. The tensioner
applies a force on the backside of the belt. This keeps the belt in tension. Whenever the belt needs
 TYPES OF VALVE TRAINS

1. OHV or Push-rod valve train

In case of OHV or push-rod systems, there are long rods which have to be pushed by the camshaft
lobes to move the valve rockers, which in turn open the valves – thus the name ‘push-rod’. The
long rods and the mechanical nature of the pushrod system make it heavy and it’s not compatible
with engines that run at higher revolutions per minute. Now while OHV is an older design, it has its
advantages in terms of simplicity of design, compact packaging and a simpler lubrication system
requirement as compared to an OHC system.

The disadvantages, of a pushrod system, however, are many.

• To start with, the engines with an OHV system cannot run very high RPMs and such valve trains
are suitable mostly for low engine speed applications such as heavy cruisers.
• Owing to the heavy components, the noise and friction on such systems are much more than an
OHC system.
• Also, any issues with the camshaft require the entire engine to be opened up, as the camshaft
sits inside the engine block, which increases the maintenance effort and cost in case of a
breakdown.
• Finally, OHV engines lend their design well primarily to two-valves per cylinder layout. It’s not that
there aren’t any three or four valves per cylinder engines with OHV, but that setup becomes way
more complex, and OHC systems offer much more flexibility with multiple valves per cylinders.
2. OHC Valve trains
To overcome the shortcomings of the pushrod valve trains, the OHC valve train was developed.
As the name suggests, it’s a valve train configuration where the camshaft for the engine is
placed over the head of the engine, above the pistons and valves. This design allows for very
direct contact between the camshaft lobes and the valves or a lifter, thus reducing mass,
reducing components and allowing better engine performance as well as more flexibility with
the overall engine design.
A. Single Overhead Cam/SOHC
For this variety of valve trains, there is a single camshaft for each row of engine heads. So a
single cylinder OHC engine will have one camshaft. However, if it’s an engine with multiple rows,
say a V6, then it will have two camshafts – one for each row of heads, or each bank. For SOHC
engines, the camshaft is connected directly to the crankshaft via a timing belt or chain to ensure
that the opening and closing of the valves are perfectly in sync with the various strokes of the
engine for each cylinder.
Now, with SOHC, there is an option to either open or close the valves directly with a shim
between the cam lobe and the valve stem, or via a rocker arm. Valves have springs that return
them back to their closed position once the pressure from the camshaft lobe is off. SOHC
engines are also suited better for 2 or 3 valves per cylinder configuration. Not that a SOHC valve
train cannot run on a 4 valve per cylinder layout, but the whole set-up then becomes too
complex for the design of rocker arms and lobes and it’s generally considered better to employ
a DOHC valve train is such scenarios.
B. Double Overhead Cam/DOHC
DOHC or dual overhead camshaft design includes two camshafts for every row of cylinder heads.
Talking about the example we took for SOHC, a DOHC setup for a single-cylinder engine will have
two camshafts. However, if it’s a V6, it will have 4 camshafts, two for each row of engine heads, or
banks. The primary advantage of such a setup is that it allows manufacturers to have a well-
engineered answer to handling a 4-valves per cylinder. Generally, one of the camshafts handles the
intake valves, while the second one handles the exhaust valves. The 4-valve per cylinder setup allows
for better breathing for the engine, and better performance in most cases, making DOHC a choice
for engines that need to rev higher. A DOHC setup also allows for putting the spark plug bang in the
middle of the cylinder head, which facilitates better combustion, and enhances performance, and
fuel efficiency of the engine. With SOHC, such a setup is not possible for 4-valves per head, as it has
to sit in the middle of the cylinder head so as to operate both intake and exhaust valves. As
mentioned before, though, SOHC engines too can handle four valves per cylinder, and while the
construction of such valve trains is complex, it’s desirable in some cases. DOHC brings along the
extra weight of the additional cam, though by allowing the positioning of the spark plug in the
middle of the cylinder head it also enhances optimum combustion of fuel. In a nutshell, DOHC is
more suited for high-performance engines that need to rev higher and perform in the higher rev
range. SOHC systems have somewhat better lower end torque though.
Finally, a DOHC system, with its more fine-grained control over valves is more suitable to
implement variable valve timing for engines. Such systems utilize variable camshaft profiles for
different engine speeds to enhance performance across the entire rev band. The control over
the speed and position of valves opening and closing is better in case of DOHC, and in today’s
electronics driven world, great benefits can be extracted using that fact. DOHC valve train is
more expensive than SOHV though and coupled with its suitability for 4 valves per cylinder, it
makes it feasible to employ that setup only on automobiles above a certain price point. For
applications where everyday usability, low and mid-range torque, simplicity of design, easy
construction and cost are important factors, the SOHC system works well.
 (VVT-i) – Variable Valve Timing – How Does It Work

(VVT-i) – Variable Valve Timing technology controls three key characteristics of the intake and exhaust
valves:

•Valve timing – The points in the piston’s movement at which the valves open and close.
•Duration – How long the valves stay open.
•Valve lift – How much the valves physically open (their opening aperture).

To do this, various sensors, such as airflow and camshaft position sensors feed information to the car’s (ECU).
Finally, Using various mechanisms to control the aforementioned valve characteristics.

How Does (VVT-i) – Variable Valve Timing Work

(VVT-i) – Variable Valve Timing alters the timing of valve lifting to improve performance and
economy in specific driving situations.
In this system , a hollow, enclosed gear inside which two star-shaped gears are placed one inside the other. The
outer gear is the camshaft gear’s connection to the belt or chain that drives it. The inner gear connects to the
camshaft itself. Normally, The two are meshed together, cog against cog, and turn at the same rate.

When oil pressure is introduced, The gears can be separated. As a result, Changing their speeds relative to one
another momentarily. Finally, This increases or decreases the speed of the camshaft in relation to the engine’s
drive timing. Also, That, In turn, Changes the duration of the valve lifting to control intake and exhaust.
(VVT-i) – Variable Valve Timing Basically Comes
In Two Types:
•Single – (VVT-i) – Continuously varies the timing of the intake camshaft.
•Dual – (VVT-i) – Continuously varies the timing of the intake and exhaust camshaft.

The Dual (VVT-i) system helps the engine “inhale” and “exhale” more efficiently. By continuously adjusting the timing
of the intake and exhaust valves, to help improve power, fuel efficiency and exhaust emissions.
(VVT-i) – Variable Valve Timing Basically Comes In Two Types:
•Single – (VVT-i) – Continuously varies the timing of the intake camshaft.
•Dual – (VVT-i) – Continuously varies the timing of the intake and exhaust camshaft.

The Dual (VVT-i) system helps the engine “inhale” and “exhale” more efficiently. By continuously adjusting the
timing of the intake and exhaust valves, to help improve power, fuel efficiency and exhaust emissions.

Advantages With (VVT-i) – Variable Valve Timing Include:

•Improved performance and economy at the same time

•Faster catalytic converter heating through improved exhaust control
•Improved efficiency over a wide range of engine operating speeds
•Improved engine timing