4 Classifications for Fuel Injection Systems

Fuel injection is used in automotive engines to introduce fuel to the motor. The type of injection system a vehicle is equipped with impacts many features, including fuel economy. Here are four different classifications of systems that you may find in your vehicle.

1. Single-Point Injection

This original style has one injector located in the throttle body of engines with an intake manifold. Like with the carburetor on your lawnmower, the fuel gets mixed with air before it enters the intake manifold. The single-point injection system was designed to replace carburetors for more emission-friendly vehicles that still drove and handled well. In fact, these systems are often mounted on vehicles alongside parts that were traditionally paired with carburetors. Therefore, it pushed the redesigning of these components off. You can find these on cars made between 1980 and 1995.

2. Multi-Point Injection

This newer design injects fuel directly into each cylinder rather than a central intake manifold. While most of these designs can be found today using different fuel injectors, you can find GM vehicles with only one injector and hoses carrying each cylinder’s fuel.

3. Indirect Injection

Internal mixture formation systems, such as can be found on diesel engines, often use indirect injection. This design has a pre-chamber and combustion chamber. The fuel enters the system via the pre-chamber. It then flows into the combustion chamber. Therefore, the design is known as an indirect injection. Several different designs use it.

4. Direct Injection

Direct injection systems only have a combustion chamber where the fuel enters. This is often done hydraulically. It is used in a wide variety of modern automotive engines because it is compatible with many fuel types.

Your fuel injectors are responsible for delivering fuel to your motor. Therefore, it is a good idea to know about the different systems and when you might see them.