Mercedes Mullins
The evolution of fuel injection in cars is a fascinating one. While the idea has been around for over a century, with the first fuel injection system invented by British engineer Herbert Akroyd Stuart in 1885, it only became commonplace in cars relatively recently. The first mass-produced fuel-injected engines for passenger cars were diesel engines in the late 1930s and early 1940s, and fuel injection was introduced in petrol engines in the early 1950s. The first electronic fuel injection (EFI) system was offered in a production vehicle by Bendix, an American corporation, in 1957, although it suffered from reliability problems. In 1958, the first production electronic fuel injection automobiles were released by American Motors, and by the 1970s, automakers were working to meet stricter emission guidelines and improve drivability for consumers, leading to the widespread adoption of EFI systems.
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What You'll Learn
The first fuel-injected cars
The history of fuel-injected automobiles dates back to the early 1900s. However, the idea of fuel injection has been around for over a century. The first fuel injection system resembling those of today was invented by British engineer Herbert Akroyd Stuart in 1885. This discovery led to the construction of the hot-bulb engine, which entered production under licence in 1891.
The first fuel-injected engines for passenger car use were mass-produced diesel engines, which became available in the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Cummins Model H diesel truck engine was introduced in the US in 1933, and in 1936, the Mercedes-Benz OM 138 diesel engine became one of the first fuel-injected engines used in mass-production passenger cars. During World War II, several aircraft engines used direct-injection systems, including the Junkers Jumo 210 in the Ju 87 Stuka dive bomber, and the Daimler-Benz DB 601 in the German Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter plane.
In the late 1950s, fuel injection systems entered the automotive market. The Goliath GP700 small saloon, released in 1950, was the first mass-produced petrol direct-injection system, and the 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 Formula One racing car also used a direct-injection system. The first four-stroke direct-injection petrol engine for a passenger car was the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL sports car. In 1957, Chevrolet introduced the Corvette, equipped with a mechanically fuel-injected 283-cubic inch V8 engine, and in 1958, American Motors introduced the Electrojector system, considered the first production electronic fuel injection automobile.
In the 1960s, mechanical fuel injection was used sparingly in the US, mostly in racing applications. European automakers began experimenting with mechanical fuel injection for production vehicles, with manufacturers such as Porsche, Peugeot, Audi, BMW, Aston Martin, Triumph, and Volkswagen outfitting select models with Bosch Jetronic mechanical fuel injection. In 1967, Bosch introduced the D-Jetronic, a marketable EFI system, and European automakers quickly adopted this new technology.
By the 1970s, automakers were struggling to design carburetor technology that could meet clean air demands. The Bosch L-Jetronic system, introduced in 1974, was widely adopted by European cars during this decade. The 1970s and 1980s also saw the introduction of digital electronics in fuel injection systems, with the Bosch Motronic multi-point fuel injection system and the Ford EEC-III single-point fuel injection system. By the mid-1980s, carbureted fuel delivery engines were being discontinued in favour of computerized EFI systems, and by the early 1990s, fuel injection had largely replaced carburetors.
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How fuel injection works
Fuel injection is the process of introducing fuel into an internal combustion engine, usually an automotive engine, using a fuel injector. The first fuel-injected engines for passenger car use became available in the late 1930s and early 1940s. These were mass-produced diesel engines, such as the Mercedes-Benz OM 138.
The primary difference between carburetion and fuel injection is that fuel injection atomises the fuel through a small nozzle under high pressure, while carburetion relies on suction created by intake air accelerated through a Venturi tube to draw fuel into the airstream. The term 'fuel injection' is vague and encompasses various distinct systems with fundamentally different functional principles. The only thing all fuel injection systems have in common is the absence of carburetion.
There are two main functional principles of mixture formation systems for internal combustion engines: internal and external. A fuel injection system that uses external mixture formation is called a manifold injection system. There are two types of manifold injection systems: multi-point (or port) and single-point (or throttle body) injection. Internal mixture formation systems can be separated into several different varieties of direct and indirect injection, the most common being the common-rail injection, a variety of direct injection. The injector is located in the combustion chamber, inlet manifold, or – less commonly – the throttle body. Fuel injectors that also control the metering are called injection valves, while those that perform all three functions are called unit injectors.
Direct injection means that the fuel is injected into the main combustion chamber of each cylinder. The air and fuel are mixed only inside the combustion chamber. Therefore, only air is sucked into the engine during the intake stroke. The injection scheme is always intermittent (either sequential or cylinder-individual). This can be done either with a blast of air or hydraulically, with the latter being more common in automotive engines. Typically, hydraulic direct injection systems spray fuel into the air inside the cylinder or combustion chamber. Direct injection can be achieved with a conventional helix-controlled injection pump, unit injectors, or a sophisticated common-rail injection system.
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Carburetors vs fuel injection
The debate between carburetors and fuel injection systems has been ongoing for car enthusiasts and engineers. Both systems are essential for controlling the fuel-air mixture that powers internal combustion engines, but they differ in effectiveness, performance, and environmental impact.
Carburetors
A carburetor is a mechanical component that mixes the right amount of gasoline and air before sending it to the engine's cylinders. It uses a system of calibrated jets and passageways to draw in the optimum quantity of fuel using the Bernoulli principle and engine vacuum. Carburetors are generally straightforward and cost-effective, but they have difficulty maintaining constant air-fuel ratios, especially when faced with variations in temperature or altitude. Carburetors were crucial in developing internal combustion engines, but technological advancements have mostly replaced them with more accurate and economical substitutes such as fuel injection systems.
Fuel Injection
Fuel injection systems use a complex set of electronics and sensors to precisely measure and time the injection of fuel into the intake manifold or combustion chamber. This accuracy allows for optimal air-fuel ratios, which enhance combustion, increase power output, and improve fuel economy. Additionally, fuel injection systems can adjust to changing environmental factors, ensuring consistent performance. They are known to have a faster throttle response, smoother acceleration, and higher power output than carbureted engines.
The first fuel-injected engines for passenger cars were diesel engines, such as the Mercedes-Benz OM 138, which became available in the late 1930s and early 1940s. The first mass-produced petrol direct-injection system was introduced in the 1950s, gradually gaining prevalence until it largely replaced carburetors by the early 1990s.
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The evolution of fuel injection
During World War I, fuel-injected plane designs were used in combat, and fuel injection continued to be used in aircraft design and military airplane production thereafter. In 1933, the Cummins Model H diesel truck engine was introduced in America, and in 1936, the Mercedes-Benz OM 138 diesel engine became one of the first fuel-injected engines used in mass-production passenger cars. During World War II, several petrol engines for aircraft used direct-injection systems, with German direct-injection systems based on diesel injection technology. By 1943, the Rolls-Royce Merlin and Wright R-3350 engines had switched from traditional carburetors to fuel injection.
In the late 1950s, fuel injection systems entered the automotive market. The Goliath GP700 small saloon, introduced in 1950, was the first mass-produced petrol direct-injection system, developed by Bosch. In 1957, Chevrolet introduced the Corvette, equipped with a mechanically fuel-injected 283-cubic inch V8 engine, and in 1958, American Motors offered the Electrojector system in the Chrysler 300D, DeSoto Adventurer, Dodge D-500, and Plymouth Fury, making them the first production electronic fuel injection automobiles.
In the 1960s, mechanical fuel injection was used sparingly in the U.S., mainly in racing applications, and European automakers began experimenting with mechanical fuel injection for production vehicles. In the 1970s, automakers struggled to design carburetor technology that could meet clean air demands, and fuel injectors began to gain popularity. The Bosch L-Jetronic system, introduced in 1974, was widely adopted in European cars during this decade and the next.
In 1980, Motorola began producing the first Electronic Engine Control Modules for fuel-injected engines, and by the mid-1980s, automakers were discontinuing carbureted fuel delivery engines due to stricter U.S. emission guidelines and improved drivability. The 1990s saw the introduction of direct injection, which added fuel directly to the combustion chamber, and by the early 1990s, fuel injection had largely replaced carburetors.
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Fuel injection in military aircraft
The first fuel-injected engines for passenger cars became available in the late 1930s and early 1940s. However, the history of fuel injection goes back further, with the first engine to use a pressurised fuel injection system being the British Herbert-Akroyd oil engine in 1891.
Fuel injection systems are crucial in military aircraft, delivering fuel to the engine's combustion chamber to facilitate internal combustion. The system ensures that the engine receives the correct ratio of fuel to air, maintaining safety, reliability, and performance. Unlike carburetor systems, which rely on suction, fuel injectors atomize the fuel through a small nozzle under high pressure, resulting in better fuel distribution and combustion.
During World War II, several military aircraft used direct-injection systems for their petrol engines. Notable examples include the Junkers Jumo 210, Daimler-Benz DB 601, BMW 801, and the Shvetsov ASh-82FN (M-82FN) from Europe. The German direct-injection systems were based on diesel injection technology.
In 1943, the Rolls-Royce Merlin and Wright R-3350 engines transitioned from traditional carburetors to fuel injection, although they utilized throttle body manifold injection rather than the direct-injection approach of German engines. The Mitsubishi Kinsei 60 series engine, introduced in 1940, also employed a direct-injection system, followed by the Mitsubishi Kasei engine in 1941.
The use of fuel injection in military aircraft during World War II demonstrated its importance in enhancing engine performance and efficiency, setting the stage for its further development and adoption in the aviation industry.
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Frequently asked questions
The first fuel-injected engines for passenger car use were mass-produced diesel engines for cars such as the Mercedes-Benz OM 138, which became available in the late 1930s and early 1940s. The first mass-produced petrol direct-injection system was introduced in the 1950 Goliath GP700 small saloon. The first cars known to use an electronic fuel injection (EFI) system were the 1958 Chrysler 300D, DeSoto Adventurer, Dodge D-500 and Plymouth Fury.
Fuel injection uses electronic monitoring and calibration to precisely control the air/fuel mixture. The primary difference between carburetion and fuel injection is that fuel injection atomizes the fuel through a small nozzle under high pressure, while carburetion relies on suction created by intake air accelerated through a Venturi tube to draw fuel into the airstream.
Carburetors were used for decades, but when it came to clean air and precise air-to-fuel ratios, they were often unpredictable. Automakers spent much of the 1970s trying to design carburetor technology that would be able to keep up with the clean air demands being placed on vehicles, but the designs became complex and unwieldy. As a result, automakers switched to fuel injection, which produced fewer emissions.
