OHV: Overhead Valve

A type of piston engine that places the camshaft in the cylinder block and uses pushrods or rods to actuate rocker arms above the cylinder head to actuate the valves. Lifters or tappets reside in the engine block between the camshaft and pushrods.

This contrasts with an overhead cam (OHC) design which places the camshafts above the cylinder head and drives the valves directly or through short rocker arms. In an OHC engine, the camshafts are normally part of the cylinder head assembly, while in an OHV engine the camshaft (rarely more than one) is part of the main engine block assembly.

Also called “pushrod engine” or “I-head” engine.


Comments

2 Comments so far

  1. Sidevalve Engine : Motorcycle-Glossary.com on May 19, 2007 3:59 pm

    [...] Valves positioned in an engine beside a cylinder instead of in the cylinder head.  The design was common in early engine designs, but has since fallen from use.  Also known as an L-Head or Flathead engine and associated with early Harley Davidson models.  (Compare OHV). [...]

  2. Pushrod : Motorcycle-Glossary.com on May 18, 2007 6:29 pm

    [...] rod used to open and close valves, most often from camshaft to rocker arm, on OHV  [...]

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