[TheForge] Sodium filled valve stems?

[GHS]

The first time that I ran across sodium
in the field, I was working on an
overhead heater in a loading bay. While
I was up in the lift I started seeing
flashes and wisps of smoke below me. For
a few minutes I debated a stroke or one
of the scare stories from the 60's
coming true. Ended up it was a sodium
filled gas valve leaking at a joint. I
replaced it, carefully. This stuff is
all over. I wouldn't have imagined
something this volatile in a gas
control, go figure.

Mike Graf

Jeff Harding wrote:
> 
>    When I worked in an automotive machine shop, 20 years ago, we were
> told to dispose of sodium filled valves by drilling a certain sized
> small hole in the stem and dropping them into bucket of water.
> Supposedly they would slowly bubble out the hole until the reaction
> was complete.
> 
>    None of us ever had to toss a sodium filled valve out, but we all
> agreed that we weren't drilling and dunking any if the chance
> presented itself.
> 
>    Jeff   ><>
> 
> > Sodium is a metal, liquid at engine temperatures.  It sloshes around
> in the valve, cooling it.
> >
> > Unfortunately sodium is also quite reactive.  If it contacts water,
> it reacts violently to produce hydrogen gas, caustic soda and heat.
> The heat can be enough to ignite the hydrogen produced.  Sodium or hot
> caustic soda will eat right through skin, and will destroy an eye.
> 
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