What are some of the most common spare parts for a Diesel Engine?
When you’re operating huge industrial machinery, inevitably you’d require spare parts to maintain the diesel engines within your machine and ensure maximum uptime for your operations. There are hundreds if not thousands of spare parts (Stock keeping unit) SKUs, how would one identify the right spare parts for the right problem? You’d heard of Cylinder Head, Piston ring, Gasket Kit, when handling a diesel engine or generator, but what are they used for and how do they ensure smooth operation of your engine/generator.
The cylinder head is likely one of the most common spare parts mentioned while maintaining your diesel engine as it provides the top seal for the cylinder base and provides the structure holding exhaust valves (and intake valves where applicable), the fuel injector, and necessary linkages, forming the combustion chamber. The joint is sealed by a head gasket.
A piston is a component of reciprocating engines, reciprocating pumps, gas compressors and pneumatic cylinders, among other similar mechanisms. It is the moving component that is contained by a cylinder and is made gas-tight by piston rings. In an engine, its purpose is to transfer force from expanding gas in the cylinder to the crankshaft via a piston rod and/or connecting rod.
An oil filter is a filter designed to remove contaminants from engine oil, transmission oil, lubricating oil, or hydraulic oil. Oil filters are used in many different types of hydraulic machinery.
The alternator is an integral part of the electrical system for your engine. It continually recharges the battery while the engine is running, ensuring that it never loses power. The alternator also regulates the power going back into the battery so it doesn’t become overcharged.
A diesel engine needs to rotate between 150 and 250 rpm to start. The purpose of the starting system is to provide the torque needed to achieve the necessary minimum cranking speed. As the starter motor starts to rotate the flywheel, the crankshaft is turned, which then starts piston movement.
A solenoid valve is an electromechanical valve controlled by an electric current. A solenoid creates a controlled magnetic field when an electrical current is passed through it. This magnetic field affects the state of the solenoid valve, causing the valve to open or close. Diesel fuel shut-off solenoids transport diesel fuel from a machine’s gas tank to its engine.
A glow plug is a heating device used to starting diesel engines. The glow plug is a pencil-shaped piece of metal with a heating element at the tip. This heating element, when electrified, heats due to its electrical resistance and begins to emit light in the visible spectrum, hence the term “glow”-plug. The fuel injector spray pattern then impinges directly upon the hot tip of the glow plug during the injection of fuel at top dead center. This enables the fuel to ignite even when the engine is insufficiently hot for normal operation.
An O-ring, also known as a packing or a toric joint, is a mechanical gasket in the shape of a torus; it is a loop of elastomer with a round cross-section, designed to be seated in a groove and compressed during assembly between two or more parts, creating a seal at the interface.
