OEM Versus Aftermarket Valves: What the Total Cost of Ownership Really Looks Like

The first price is often the determining factor when the time to replace the valves or do an engine rebuild arrives. Valves can be easy to see as commodities and the cheapest one should be chosen. The real cost is however not taken at purchase but the whole life of the component. To engine builders, workshops and fleet managers, it is essential to know the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). The lower section may very well end up being the most expensive installed one. We shall deconstruct the actual parameters that characterize TCO of engine valves.

Material Quality Differences That Impact Heat Resistance and Warping

Combustion chamber is a place of high thermal and mechanical stress. During intense and cyclic heat, the valves should not lose integrity. This is the heart of TCO where the metallurgy and manufacturing uniformity is positioned behind the valve.

Valves of OEM-specification are designed to suit an accuracy of material specification to a particular engine need. This comprises of alloy types that are tightly regulated so as to achieve maximum heat loss, oxidation resistance and high tensile strength at high temperatures. Conversely, other aftermarket valves can be made with low quality or irregular alloys to reduce the cost.

In Suzhou Topu Engine Parts Co., Ltd. we are concerned with imitating these OEM material specifications and even surpassing them. We know that a valve, which is not able to sustain its shape when it is under heat, will soon erode valve seats, leak compression, and eventually cause disastrous failure. The first saving is soon wiped out with the expenditure of a complete engine strip down and further large-scale repairs. There should be no compromise in quality materials since they are the basis of the durability.

WarrantyCoverageand Failure Rates Across Brands

A warranty is the assurance of a manufacturer in his product which is translated into a promise. This is one of the aspects of TCO that are overlooked. Most of the aftermarket replacement parts are of low cost, and have little or no meaningful warranty, leaving all the risk of early failure to the installer or end user.

A better quality manufacturer such as reputable specialist such as Suzhou Topu offers their products with a strong warranty program. This coverage indicates the controlled failure rates that are reached by using tight quality control measures such as inspection of raw materials up to testing of finished products. The selection of a supplier of a valve is not only limited to the possibility of recourse, but rather a direct reference to probable reliability and reduced statistical rates of failure. It mitigates your financial risk and it helps to safeguard your reputation because it makes sure the job does not come back too soon.

HiddenCostsof Premature Valve Seat Recession or Seal Leaks

It is here that the actual cost of cheap is brought out with a lot of drama. A valve that wears unusually rapid as a result of bad materials or inaccurate machining provokes a chain effect of second damage and labour expenses.

Loss of valve lash, poor engine performance and leakages are caused by premature valve seat recession which is usually due to poor heat resistance or improper hardening. In a similar manner, machining of the stems or lack of uniformity in geometry may lead to premature wear of the valve guide and seals resulting in undesirable consumption of oil and contamination.

These failures are not usually single. They require the service of another complete valve train, which doubles the expenses. They may contaminate catalysts, destroy turbos or even in extreme events, destroy piston and cylinder head. The indirect expenses, new components, man-hours of work, and customer dissatisfaction, simply pale into nothing in comparison with the couple of dollars that will be saved in the original purchase of the valves.

Conclusion

TCO of engine valves is a formula of quality, reliability and prevention of disastrous downstream costs. Although initial cost of a high-end valve of a reputable manufacturer such as Suzhou Topu Engine Parts Co., Ltd. could be more, it is an investment in performance reliability and serenity. It protects all the hidden expenses of premature failure, protects your engine investment and finally, provides the lowest actual cost of the life of the engine. Decide by the overall cost and not on the price.