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Bill Howell of Howell Engine Developments, an industry leader in EFI solutions for the aftermarket explains the benefits of EFI over carbureted engines. Fuel injection’s main benefits can be broken down into three categories: Improved mileage, reduced emissions and improved performance. Carburetors, for a lack of a better word, are dumb and they operate like a hose faucet. They are either on or off, with very little control. Here’s how the system works: A fuel pump will suck the fuel out of a tank, send it to a pressure regulator, and dump the fuel into the carb. When you step on the throttle, plates open up, air rushes in and fuel is dumped in. This fuel & air then pass thru the bottom of the carburetor, where it mixes together in the intake manifold. (most of it does). The mixture is then dropped into the cylinders when the intake valves open. The spark burns what is needed, and the remainder of the mixture, as well as the left over gasses exit the engine when the exhaust valve opens up. It is the picture of inefficiency. If this process were an employee at your business, he would have been fired long ago.
Fuel injection on the other hand, is intelligent. It actually has a brain, commonly called a control unit. This control unit works with several sensors on your vehicle to monitor conditions. The Mass Air Flow sensor measures the quantity & quality of air rushing into your engine, your crank position sensor monitors the rotation of the internal components, your throttle position sensor monitors what your right foot is doing, and the oxygen sensors measure how well your engine is burning the fuel. All this information is then fed to the control unit, which carefully dispenses the precise amount of fuel to each cylinder. The fuel is not poured into the cylinder, but rather atomized thru an injector. This atomization then allows the fuel to be more completely burned. If the exact amount of fuel is reaching each cylinder, then there will be little waste.
On a car equipped with a carburetor, all that unburned fuel has to go somewhere: usually thru the exhaust, or by contaminating the oil. By monitoring atmospheric conditions, and cylinder temperatures, the fuel mixture is delivered to each cylinder individually (more in some, less in others). This is how Fuel Injection uses less fuel than a carburetor. When the fuel mixture has been ignited in the cylinder, there will be less gaseous emission waste. This is how fuel injection lowers emissions. It’s all about efficiency.
By burning a higher percentage of the fuel mixture, you are also achieving better performance by getting the most power possible out of each droplet of fuel. Increased performance is also quite noticeable on acceleration, and throttle response. When you turn your ignition key to the “on” position, fuel injection goes to work, even before you crank the engine. Your injectors are woken up, filled with fuel, and ready to go. It knows it’s cold in that engine, so the mix is adjusted accordingly, that’s why your car doesn’t spit, sputter or cough when you first start it. When taking off from a stop, the exact amount of fuel is delivered at the exact moment it’s needed, therefore improving throttle response.
As an added bonus to fuel injection, it takes up less room in the engine compartment. A carburetor must be equidistant to all cylinders, and is gravity fed. Therefore it must be located on the top center of your engine. If space is a concern, fuel injection is the way to go. Fuel injection = The smart choice.
At Howell Engine Developments, we choose to sell only the best quality components, and all are covered by a money back guarantee. Whether replacing your carburetor with EFI, or your whole power plant with a current EFI engine, Howell can meet your needs. For additional information, visit www.howellefi.com, or call 810-765-5100. Howell Engine Developments is located at 6201 Industrial Way, Marine City, MI, 48039.
