Measurement and Control of Fuel Injector Deposits in GDI Vehicles
Vehicle manufacturers are significantly increasing the production of Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engines to help meet the requirements of governmental regulations and the demands of consumers.
While GDI powertrains offer multiple advantages over conventional gasoline engines they can be susceptible to fuel related deposit formation, specifically within the fuel injector nozzle. Fuel injector deposits have been linked to a number of negative effects that can impact the normal operation of the engine.
A GDI deposit test has been developed to evaluate Deposit Control Additives and their effect on injector deposits. Multiple metrics for evaluating fuel injector deposits were investigated to determine a suitable method for quantifying deposit formation. Interrogation of the vehicle On-Board Diagnostic system was identified as the optimal method for quantifying deposit formation throughout the duration of the test.
(As first published by SAE International (doi: 10.4271/2013-01-2616))
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