Sodium filled valves?

[binderbound]

I know wheeling and I know 4 wheel drives, but I dont know engines. What does sodium filled valves mean? I got salt in my valves? What for and why then?

Thanks

[Azzy2000]

The stems are filled with sodium , then the valve head is spun at an extremely high rpm and pressed against the stem to fusion weld them together.. at least this is how mercedes does it.

It helps to keep the temperature of the valve head down , but transfers it to the stem and cylinder head.

[binderbound]

Do all engines have them now, or is it a high end engine type of thing?

[Azzy2000]

A lot of engines use them now , not sure if they ALL use them.

Lycoming used them in their aircraft engines , and had trouble with valve guide heat soak and premature wear because of innadequate oiling near the guides in the cylinder head to cool them. The sodium transfers the heat up the stem into the guide and cyl. head and has to be air or oil cooled.

[MuddyPaws]

Originally Posted by binderbound

What does sodium filled valves mean? I got salt in my valves?
Thanks

It's not really "salt". Ordinary table salt is sodium chloride. The stuff in your valve, however, is pretty dangerous stuff to be handled by someone who doesn't know what he's doing.

Busted sodium filled valves or cutting into these valves can be dangerous.

Sodium (at room temperature as it would be before you start cutting on a valve stem) is a soft lustrous solid. You can cut Na easily with a table knife. When exposed to air, it rapidly starts to corrode. This corrosion is quite exothermic and causes the temperature of the Na to increase. The higher temperature causes the rate of corrosion (oxidation) to increase thus causing the temperature to rise even more rapidly. It can become quite a cycle. The metal can ignite in a shower of molten burning sodium metal. Quite spectacular.

Na is also extremely reactive with water. A small pea-sized lump placed in water produces enough heat to melt the sodium metal as it dances around on the water surface while it reacts. Again, quite a demonstration. If a large enough piece is dropped into a bowl of water the sodium can get hot enough to ignite the hydrogen which is produced and cause a similar spectacular display. Bits of molten flaming sodium sticking to the ceiling.

[binderbound]

thanks. that helps a lot. note to self...dont cut valves.

[Davethorik]

Originally Posted by MuddyPaws

Bits of molten flaming sodium sticking to the ceiling.

Our high school chemistry teacher was cleaning up the lab and found a huge jar full of some sort of oil with chunks of pure sodium inside that dated from the 50's. We made a lump about the size of a softball and threw it in a 5 gal bucket of water (outside, hahaha). LOUD explosion. Cops & fire dept. showed up. Saweet.

[NetBSD]

doesnt sound liek something id want in my motor

[bbwag]

having sodium filled exhaust valves helps keep the valves cooler during the ignition stroke of a an internal combustion engine. how it achieves this i don't know. the cooler the valve the more it is less prone to pre ignition or pinging on cheep gas, also the cooler you are able to maintain the valve the better it will react to higher compression with the same valve without sodium filled valves. did i make sense? probably not... i drinking some bacardi mango rum drink that my wife just hooked up.

i have them in my corvette equiped fast burn headed 406. i love this engine.

[Azzy2000]

Originally Posted by bbwag

having sodium filled exhaust valves helps keep the valves cooler during the ignition stroke of a an internal combustion engine. how it achieves this i don't know.

Look up to my first post... and second...

[binderbound]

Yeah, my buddy bought a new Z06 vette and they talked up the sodium valve thing. Hand built 427 505hp, 0 to 60 in 3.4, 0 to 100 in 7.4, sodium valves, etc... thats what got me wondering.

[braxton357]

...The valves are one of the least impressive parts of that engine... And I'm a ford guy.

[binderbound]

Originally Posted by braxton357

...The valves are one of the least impressive parts of that engine... And I'm a ford guy.

The car came with an informative DVD about it. Titanium rods, dry sump oiling, signed plaque from the engine builder, etc... I like how the Z06 is the bad ass version of a vette. Carbon fiber fenders, titanium roof support skinned in carbon fiber. All the shit a super car should have. Heads up display with every imaginable value possible; tire pressure, G-force reading, interior temp right and left. Push button starter and kill switch. Its probably the closest to being strapped to a rocket I'll ever be. It launches with violence.

[Strictly Gravy]

I started wrenching on cars with volkswagens. The Corrado to be exact. My stock engine in there was a 1.8l supercharged engine with the sodium filled valves. I had a friend do a test on them with and without sodium filled valves on the dyno. Sodium filled valves netted just over a 5 whp and 7 wtq gain. I will never build another engine without sodium filled valves.

-Greg

[Strictly Gravy]

I started wrenching on cars with volkswagens. The Corrado to be exact. My stock engine in there was a 1.8l supercharged engine with the sodium filled valves. I had a friend do a test on them with and without sodium filled valves on the dyno. Sodium filled valves netted just over a 5 whp and 7 wtq gain. I will never build another engine without sodium filled valves.

-Greg

[pugwash4x4]

gives me the shits just thinking about sodium in an engine. one little leak and your engein will pretty much blow up.

almost as scary as the liquid sodium that cools nuclear power plants (or used to- think they still use sodium). This dosium flows at hundreds of degrees F and then exchanges with a water filled heat exchanger- aain one little leak and you have enough hydrogen to blow up america!

[ChiScouter]

Lots of HD truck engines had them, I wouldn't be surprised it you have some under that corn binder hood

[ChiScouter]

Lots of HD truck engines had them, I wouldn't be surprised it you have some under that corn binder hood