Tom wrote:
Tom Miller wrote:

The valve stems are not completely filled with sodium. As the valve heats
up, sodium vapourizes and rises up the valve stem by convection. This


This, in a reciprocating valve? What would keep the sodium
at the head end of the valve?
Yes, exactly. The valves are hammered with hundreds of G's every time
they slam open and shut. Convection would be totally insignificant
under such extreme acceleration. Every time the valve opens, the sodium
is thrown against the rocker arm or lifter, every time it shuts, it is
slammed back to the head. (Maybe it bounces, and makes TWO round trips
every valve cycle.)

Jon