Wartsila 38 Cylinder Head | 6L38 8L38 9L38 12V38 16V38 18V38

Wartsila 38 Cylinder Head for Marine and Stationary Engines

Wartsila 38 Cylinder Head (W38) is a medium-speed, four-stroke marine diesel and power-generation engine, designed for heavy-duty use. This cylinder head is designed to withstand heavy heat and mechanical stress, ensuring optimum gas exchange, minimal emissions and excellent structural integrity.

Whether your engine is an in-line configuration (6L38, 8L38, 9L38) or a high-output V-form design (12V38, 16V38, 18V38), your cylinder heads must be in optimal condition to hold maximum combustion pressure. Our stock offers dependable reliability, structural durability, and plug-and-play compatibility to reduce your vessel’s downtime.

Model Details:

• Engine Series: Wartsila 38 (W38, W38B)
• Supported Cylinder Configurations: 6L38, 8L38, 9L38, 12V38, 16V38, 18V38
• Manufacturer Part Numbers: 1201-701 / 1201-702 (Complete Reconditioned Assemblies), 1201-001 (Bare Cylinder Head Casting)

Technical Specifications

Key Features

1. Advanced 4-Valve Design Two inlet and two exhaust valves with optimised flow shape to maximise volumetric efficiency and to minimise emissions.
2. Nodular Cast Iron Construction: Made of high grade nodular cast iron to provide superior resistance to cycle thermal expansion and combustion shock strains.
3. Direct Injection Optimisation: Features the high-pressure fuel injection valve located in the centre to provide even flame propagation along the 380mm bore.
4. Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) Readiness: Exhaust valve seats are liquid cooled and resistant to high temperature corrosion due to vanadium/sodium during prolonged HFO burning.
5. Service-friendly layout: Designed for easy access for maintenance of valve rotators (Rotocap), rocker arms and starting air valves.

Part Number Cross-References

• Wartsila Component IDs: 1201-701, 1201-702, 1201-001
• Associated Hardware Cross-Refs: 1560-132 (Air Inlet Duct Screws), 1560-133 (Distance Bushing), 1260-003 (Indicator Cock Assembly).

Our Engineer’s Insight:

• The Inlet Air Duct Alignment Risk: On the W38 and W38B models, improper positioning of the cylinder head during installation can lead to high shear stresses on the inlet air pipe flange. Always utilize the specialized alignment tool kit (Part No. PAAE073585) when lowering the head over the studs. Failure to do so can cause structural cracks at the air duct connections during operation.
• Distance Bush Upgrade: Ensure you install the updated distance bushes (Part No. 1560-133) on the air duct fixing bolts. This modification provides an elastic coupling that accommodates the thermal expansion cycles of the engine block.
• Tightening Sequence Criticality: Never torque the air inlet duct securely until the cylinder head has been tensioned to its final hydraulic limits. The correct sequence is:
  1. Hydraulically torque the main cylinder head studs.
  2. Tighten the air duct bolts on the cylinder head side.
  3. Tighten the connection on the engine block/air plenum side.
  4. Secure the exhaust gas module connection.