Components for internal combustion engines

Claim 1

In an internal combustion engine having a cylinder head and a cylinder block, a valve assembly comprised of a plurality of valve guides mounted within said cylinder head, a plurality of valves with valve stems positioned within and movable through said valve guides, a plurality of valve spring retainer rings positioned adjacent the stem ends of said valves, a plurality of rocker arms adapted to move said valves within said valve guides, a plurality of push rods adapted to engage said rocker arms at one end, and having tappets positioned adjacent the opposite end, said tappets adapted to engage and be reciprocally moved by a cam, a power assembly comprised of a plurality of pistons having piston rings thereon and adapted to be received within cylinder liners, positioned within said cylinder block, a plurality of piston pins movably attached within each piston to a connecting rod, a plurality of flame plates, valve seats and exhaust port liners positioned within said cylinder head and an exhaust manifold positioned adjacent said cylinder head, the improvement which comprises the tappets being fabricated entirely from sintered silicon carbide.