Diesel Engine Delivery Valves

Injectors feed through delivery valves mounted on the distributor head or above each barrel on inline pumps. These check valves open under pressure to supply fuel to the injectors and close automatically during the suction stroke. Most delivery valves consist of a conical sealing element shaped like an inverted top hat . The extension below the element, known as the piston, has two functions. It centers the valve over its seat and acts as a ram to force fuel back into the pump as the valve closes. This action assures a rapid drop in pressure so that the injector snaps shut without after-dribble.

Delivery valves come in various shapes and sizes. Some replace the conical element with a disc, others hold a certain percentage of pressure in the downstream plumbing after closing. But all work on the same general principle.