Ever since the invention of the very first automobile, fuel injectors have been an ever-present feature within vehicle engines. Most rely on a technology called combustion and although risky in its early days of use, they are now considered a widely safe component within cars, lorries and even certain types of airplanes. The process involved in a combustion engine is very technical and in this article, we’ll be getting to know a little more about it and a look at the historical use of injection systems in general.
What is an Injection System?
In this day and age, an injection system typically works by the presence of fuel injectors, which when activated, spray a certain type of gas, petroleum, or other source of energy directly into the engine, whereby combustion occurs and the internal pistons within create a catalyst-like effect, which in turn provides energy within a vehicle.
As you might imagine, this process is technical and relies on a wide variety of components to function alongside one another. In the past, the entire system could be unreliable, causing cars to backfire and even engines to explode, but these days, the components used are made from resilient materials and are far more capable than their inferior counterparts from years ago.
How Reliable Were Fuel Injectors in the Past?
Back in the day, these injection systems were prone to faults, mainly due to the types of materials used during construction. These days however, and with access to advanced alloys, stainless steels and machine-made metals, the entire process can be far more reliable, with errors only happening from time to time.
Compare this to the older, cast metal injection systems and you’ll see why issues were far more prominent back then. These days, machines like lathes take care of the manufacturing process and as these devices are accurate to within 1/1000th of a millimetre, they are far better suited to designing intricate shapes and patterns.
Nowadays, injection systems and their components are state-of-the-art and far superior to their historic equivalents.