Chapter 8

Electronic Fuel Injection and Ignition System

Electronic Fuel Injection Systems

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Introduction

In trying to keep up with emissions and fuel efficiency lower, the fuel system used
in modern cars has changed a lot over the years.
Fuel injection is not a new development. Fuel injection has been around, since
1950s and electronic fuel injection was used widely on European cars starting
around 1980. Now, almost all the cars sold in all over world have fuel injection
systems.
 Feedback Carburetor systems (FBC):
There are practical difficulties faced in the carburetors for switching over to electronic fuel injection
system. A carburetor is a mechanical device. It is neither totally accurate nor particularly fast at
responding to changing engine needs. The intake manifold is also a mechanical device and usually the
following problems occur.

 Intake manifold distribution problems. Intake manifold supplies different mixture strength to the
engine cylinders for the same operating condition called ‘mal- distribution’.

 Intake manifold is to be designed for the smooth flow of both fuel and air, which is very difficult.

•The result, when these two devices are used together, is an engine that does not run efficiently at
low and high speeds.

If the air-fuel mixture can be precisely controlled and the distribution to the cylinders can be made
more efficient, then today’s strict emissions standards can be met, while at the same time the engine
will run better and consume less fuel. Fuel injection is one of the best ways to get this precise control.
Types of Electronic Fuel Injection Systems

 There are two basic types of gasoline fuel-injection systems, throttle body injection
and multi-point injection. At first, carburetors were replaced with throttle body
injection (TBI) systems. Gradually as new engines were designed, throttle body fuel
injection was replaced by multi-point fuel injection (MPFI) system.
The difference is in how many places fuel (under pressure) is injected into the
engine. In single-point system; fuel enters the intake air at only one place. This is
usually the throttle body on the intake manifold. In multi-point fuel injection system;
fuel is injected into the intake air for each cylinder.
Throttle body injection system (TBI)

 It is also known as single point fuel injection system, central fuel injection (CFI)
or digital fuel injection (DFI). It was introduced In 1980. This system has one or
two small injection valves positioned just above the throttle valve in the throttle
body.
The throttle body is similar to the carburetor throttle body. There they spray fuel
into the air stream passing through.
The drawback of this system is mal-distribution is not eliminated totally.
Con…………
Multi-port or Multi-point fuel injection system (MPFI)

 It is also known as port injection or sequential injection.

 It have a fuel injector for each cylinder. Each injector is placed so that it points at
the intake valve for the cylinder.
The injectors are connected to fuel rails that are connected through a fuel filter to an
electric fuel pump. Only air enters the intake manifold. Then as the air approaches
the intake valves, injection valves open to spray fuel into the air stream. The mal-
distribution problem is completely eliminated with MPFI systems. These systems
provide more accurate fuel metering and quicker response.
Con…………
Working principle of MPFI

In MPFI system, a high – pressure electric fuel pump is located in or near the fuel tank. The
pump sends fuel from the tank through the fuel – pressure regulator to the injectors at constant
high pressure all the time the engine runs. Injectors are operated by a small electric solenoid.
When the solenoid is connected to the battery, it pulls back on the nozzle needle, opening the
valve. Now fuel can spray out of the valve. Various sensors located on the engine detect the
operating mode of the engine and signal this condition to the electronic control unit (ECU). It
processes the information. Then the ECU computes when and for how long the injectors should
be opened. The ECU sends a voltage pulse to the injectors. The voltage pulse causes the
injectors to remain open for the required time. To increase engine speed, the pulse width
increases so that injectors stay open longer. If less fuel is needed, the pulse width decreases.
Therefore the injectors close earlier and engine speed decreases.
Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI)

 Gasoline direct-injection engines generate the air-fuel mixture in the combustion

chamber. During the suction stroke, only the air flows through the intake valve. The
fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber at high pressure by special fuel
injectors.
As in a diesel engine, air-fuel mixture formation takes place inside the combustion
chamber.
Con…………
Con……………

The electric fuel pump delivers fuel to the high-pressure pump at a pre-supply
pressure of 3 to 5 bar.
The highly pressurized fuel flows into and is stored in the fuel rail. The high-
pressure fuel injectors are mounted on the fuel rail, also known as the “common
rail”. These injectors are actuated by the engine ECU and spray the fuel into the
cylinder combustion chambers.
Characteristics of GDI engine

Fuel is injected from a tiny nozzle into a relatively large cylinder, so it has a high
latent heat of vaporization, which efficiently cools the air within (in cylinder cooling
effect).
The air temperature in the cylinder decreases, which means:

1. More air may be charged into the combustion chambers, which produce increased
torque.

2. The engine is less prone to knocking. This contributes to increased torque and
enables a higher compression ratio that also contributes to good fuel efficiency.
Advantages of Electronic fuel injection (EFI)

1. Equal air-fuel ratio to all the cylinders.

2. Accurate air-fuel ratio can be obtained throughout all engine rpm changes.
3. Better cold starting
4. Reduces fuel consumption with no loss of engine performance
5. 10% advance of fuel economy over carbureted systems
6. Quick response
7. Reduce pollution levels
8. Precise control of engine operation
9. Earlier default detection.
Electronic fuel injection system controls

The figure shows a typical control layout for a fuel injection system.

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Electronic Ignition Systems

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Introduction

Electronic ignition is now fitted to almost all spark ignition vehicles. This is because
the conventional mechanical system has some major disadvantages.
• Mechanical problems with the contact breakers, not the least of which is the limited
lifetime.
• Current flow in the primary circuit is limited to about 4 A or damage will occur to
the contacts – or at least the lifetime will be seriously reduced.
• Legislation requires stringent emission limits, which means the ignition timing must
stay in tune for a long period of time.
• Weaker mixtures require more energy from the spark to ensure successful ignition,
even at very high engine speed. 18
Cont…

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Advantages of electronic ignition systems

Electronic ignition system uses electronic switching devices instead of mechanical

contact breaker points to send a high voltage to the spark plug.
• It is small and light weight
• It gives higher ignition voltage
• It gives longer duration of spark
• It has very accurate control of timing
• It improves cold weather starting
• Less maintenance
• Longer service life
• It helps vehicle meet exhaust emission regulations and reduces fuel consumption.
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Electronic spark timing control (or) Electronic spark advance (ESA)

In the electronic spark advance (ESA) system, the engine is provided with nearly
ideal ignition timing characteristics. The engine control module (ECM) determines
ignition timing based on sensor inputs and on its internal memory, which contains the
optimal ignition timing data for each engine running condition. After determining the
ignition timing, the ECM sends the ignition timing signal (IGT) to the igniter. When
the IGT signal goes off, the igniters will turn ON, shut off primary current flow in the
ignition coil producing a high voltage spark in the cylinder.

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Cont.…

Since the ESA always ensures optimal ignition timing, emissions are lowered and
both fuel efficiency and engine power output are maintained at optimal level.
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Thank You!