Pneumatic valves on chevy V8

[Edmonton]

What would they be like on a small/big block chevy V8? Would they work?

[1200Datto27]

Why would you want to do so? Pneumatic valves only come into their own over 12,000rpm, and I don't think that you would get even a small block to do that.

[Bob Riebe]

Originally posted by Edmonton
What would they be like on a small/big block chevy V8? Would they work?

OF all the push-rod US V-8s there are or have been push-rod, SOHC, DOHC, with 2-4 valves, inlcuding push-rod versions now that have 4 valves per cylinder.
Many years ago a desmodromic version was built so there is no reason, outside of a lack of money, a pnuematic version could not be made.
Versions already exist, not for sale, with variable valve timing.

What the practical limit for RPMs is, one will not know until one cannot exceed a certain point.
Racing versions with steel valve-trains run in the mid 9,000 rpm for 500 miles in NASCAR and can safely go into the 10,000 range.
With an exotic metal push-rod valve train I imagine they would gain another 1,000 rpm but that is-still under 12,000.
Bob