For vehicle engines to run smoothly and efficiently, it needs to be given the right amount of fuel and air mixture to meet the demands of the fuel injector. In petrol-engine cars, the fuel injection system is always indirect. Petrol is injected into the inlet manifold or inlet port and not the combustion chambers. This guarantees that the fuel is mixed correctly with air before it enters the chamber.
Fuel injection systems form a large part of an engine’s performance, durability, and longevity. The right injection system, coupled with the right size, can take your vehicle from zero to hero, and it also ensures that other parts of the vehicle run as smoothly and as efficiently as possible.
Direct injection is used with diesel engines, while diesel fuel is injected directly into the cylinder filled with compressed air. Allowing fuel to be directed into an engine using fuel injectors, ensuring each cylinder efficiently gets its dose of fuel – all of this means your fuel injectors need to be of good quality.
In gasoline-powered cars, fuel injectors weren’t common, but diesel vehicles have used fuel injectors from the time they were created, back in the early twentieth century. Race cars also had fuel-injected engines for that muscle power and performance, but it was a change in emissions regulations that indeed highlighted fuel injections to vehicles in the 1980s.
Yes, fuel injectors need to be of good quality. If you’re building a diesel engine by scratch or you want to replace your engine with a new fuel injector, there are some guidelines or points to know about to ensure you get the best quality ones for the best price.
Here are some pointers to look out for when you’re in the market for one:
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#1 Get multiport fuel injectors.
Multiport fuel injectors make the fuel injection process even more efficient because they focus fuel disposition directly into the intake valve, allowing more fuel to be used more efficiently. A multiport injection system also ensures high reliability, more satisfying hot starts, faster prime on hot starts, and reduced vapor emissions.
#2 Throttle body fuel injectors
This is also another kind of fuel injector you can get. With these injectors, it’s electronically controlled, offering the engine a better air-fuel ratio whatever the speed of the engine.
#3 Bigger fuel injectors aren’t always better.
You might think that bigger fuel injectors would equate to more power, but unless your engine is built to take on that extra fuel, you’ll end up getting into trouble in no time. The excess fuel will suffocate the engine, causing it to not run at all. This problem can lead to other issues such as clogged sparked plugs and, ultimately, a damaged engine.
#4 Get the right size.
The idea here is to get the right size of fuel injector for the engine that you have. If your engine is modified, the fuel injectors need to be of the right size to deliver enough fuel to keep up with the engine’s power. Adding a turbo, a bigger exhaust, and remapping your computer are all other elements that would also require a bigger fuel injector. Not doing so will result in your car running too lean, resulting in sluggish performance. This will eventually cost more damage because your pistons will burn out, which leads to a damaged motor.
#5 Speak to a specialist.
The scenarios above give you a good idea of what could happen if you don’t have the right size of injector. The best place to start identifying the right fuel injector size is to understand how much horsepower you can achieve with your modified engine. It’s always good to consult engine and parts specialists. Check out https://goldfarbinc.com/collections/fuel-injection-pump-new-used-rebuilt to see their list of fuel injectors, and get some advice on which types would suit your vehicle.
#6 Identify your vehicle’s horsepower.
In addition to speaking with a specialist, you can also check whether your vehicle is supercharged or turbocharged. The type of fuel you use needs to be considered as well, whether E85 or standard pump petrol. Again, speaking to a specialist will be a better way to have this discussion to match the most desirable fuel with engine horsepower.
#7 Going for a computer-controlled system
If you have the budget and the requirements for the right engine, you can also opt for more advanced and modern fuel injector systems. These current versions utilize opening and closing injector heads that are controlled by the vehicle’s computer in the engine control module or ECU. These more advanced systems have different sensors that determine the perfect balance of fuel to air to inject, depending on time based on driving conditions.
#8 Check for clogs.
If you’re getting refurbished fuel injectors, you want to make sure that there are no clogs in the system. Clogs not only diminish the performance of your engine, but it also damages other parts of the engine, costing you more money in repairs and service.
#9 Don’t replace a fuel injector by yourself.
It’s a challenging task to change one by yourself. Unless you have the special tools such as a fuel injector puller and the know-how of changing one, you might want to stick with getting a professional mechanic to replace one for you. If you’re changing the fuel injector on your own, keep in mind that these injectors will be under high pressure, so allow the system to bleed before making any modifications.
#10 Check if you have the correct parts.
Different engines come with different needs. A good-quality fuel injector would enable the correct ratio of fuel to air to feed your vehicle’s engine. Depending on where you get your fuel injector from, speak to the contractors to ensure you have the correct parts for your vehicle’s needs.
Having the correct fuel injector makes a fundamental difference to your vehicle’s performance, not to mention the prolonged longevity of your vehicle’s parts. You also want the right parts, so you don’t end up with a high maintenance cost due to conflicting motor parts.
What other tasks can you do to ensure your vehicle runs smoothly once you’ve changed your fuel injectors? There’s a whole range of things you can do to increase your fuel capacity to accommodate bigger fuel injectors, but the main ones are:
- Make sure to increase the airflow in your vehicle. This can be done by installing either a supercharger or a turbocharger. You can also opt for fitting in a bigger throttle body to your vehicle.
- Fitting in a bigger exhaust – A fuel injector of the right size needs to be accommodated by a bigger exhaust to ensure a seamless synergy between the new parts and their capacity to turn fuel into performance.
- Remapping your vehicle’s computer – If you know how to get this done on your own, that’s great but if not, take it to a qualified mechanic. A remapping service or even the manufacturer’s garage will be able to review the software and suggest the necessary remaps to be done for your vehicle based on the new parts you’ve installed. Remapping your vehicle’s computer ensures that the system knows that there are bigger and higher-performance parts that have been installed. Remapping also ensures smoother driving as it results in enhanced fuel efficiency.
- Fitting in a bigger fuel pump – This is the case when you install something bigger in your engine. From the injectors to the exhaust to the computer, you also need to install a bigger fuel pump to accommodate the higher performance. If you’ve installed new and bigger fuel injectors, you’re going to want a bigger fuel pump to ensure that more fuel is pumped per hour, ensuring that your motors and fuel injectors are properly lubricated.
- Adding on the right fuel pressure regulator – An adjustable fuel pressure regulator ensures that the fuel rail will be able to build up enough pressure to support the injectors with the most efficient amount of fuel. These regulators also ensure that the fuel will flow straight through the engine parts and not reach the injectors.
Final Thoughts
You can already see the pattern here. A change in the fuel injection system to accommodate a modified engine would also require a change of other parts of the vehicle to accommodate the higher trust of energy. This is often the case when you modify engines for more horsepower. Of course, you need to ensure you have the budget and requirements to get the best parts for your vehicle. Some basic knowledge of maintaining a vehicle with newly installed parts is also essential to reduce the overall maintenance costs in the long run. As always, speaking to your manufacturer or a qualified mechanic or parts supplier would be useful, as you can learn plenty about your car, its needs, as well as how to ensure your vehicle remains in good driving condition.