Basic Overview of Electronic Fuel Injection

The following guide primarily discusses multi-port electronic fuel injection systems since it is
the dominate system used in most performance and racing applications. Most of the theory and
operation of multi-port systems is also applicable to throttle-body electronic fuel systems.
In order to avoid being too over whelming with technical descriptions and theories that are
beyond the scope of this article, the information discussed here was simplified into
understandable, educational terms.


Introduction
The purpose of Multi-Port Electronic Fuel Injection (MPI) is to supply a precise amount of fuel
to an engines cylinders in order to properly operate the engine at a particular moment. Since the
engines condition is constantly changing (RPM, load, temperature, etc.), the amount of fuel that
is injected into each cylinder must change along with the engines requirements. To
instantaneously determine the correct amount of fuel to be injected, a computer called an
Electronic Control Unit (ECU) is used to calculate how much fuel the engine requires at that
moment. Various engine sensors constantly input information to the ECU so that the fuel
requirement is satisfied at all times.
This precise fuel metering capability allows the engine builder/designer to optimize engine
operation for a specific result such as fuel economy, exhaust emissions, horsepower, or any
combination of the three.


System Overview
The Electronic Fuel Injection System can be divided into three main subgroups:

Fuel Supply System
Sensing System
Data Processing/Fuel Metering System
Fuel Supply System
The Fuel Supply System primarily consists of the hardware used to bring fuel into the engine.
Figure 1 shows the basic fuel system components in a Multi-Port Fuel Injection System.

Figure 1
An electric fuel pump delivers fuel from the tank through a fine element fuel filter to a fuel log
or rail. The fuel rail, usually of bigger volume than the supply line, supplies fuel to the fuel
injectors. The fuel injectors nozzle ends are mounted directly into the intake manifold runners
and are pointed at the cylinders intake port.

Figure 2 (Courtesy Robert Bosch Corp.)
Downstream from the fuel injector is a back-pressure regulator which maintains pressure
(usually 30-45 psi) all the way back through the fuel rail to the fuel pump. Since the electronic
fuel pump is capable of producing pressures much higher than required, the regulator
incorporates a by-pass feature which bleeds off fuel back to the fuel tank in order to maintain a
constant operating pressure. Many of the newer EFI vehicles are using returnless systems
which essentially move the regulating function from the engine compartment to the fuel tank.
This eliminates the cost of the return line and has the benefit of cooler fuel temperature since the
fuel doesnt recirculate through a hot engine compartment.


Sensing System
Figure 3 shows the addition of the engine sensing system to the fuel hardware diagram. Various
sensors are used to measure engine operating conditions. These sensors send information to the
ECU regarding engine coolant temperature, intake air temperature, throttle position, exhaust gas
composition, engine RPM, manifold vacuum/pressure and, in certain systems, intake air flow.

Figure 3
Since an internal combustion engine is nothing but an air pump, engine power is dependent on
the mass of air which is drawn into the cylinders. Thus, the computer must know how much air
is entering the engine in order to match the air with the correct amount of fuel.
One method of determining the amount of air entering the engine is called the N-Alpha System.
In this system the ECU is programmed to calculate the mass of air which flows through the
throttle body based on the throttle opening. A throttle position sensor (TPS) measures the angle
of the throttle blade which is then inputted to the ECU.
The ECU then looks in a table which lists how much fuel should be injected based on that
particular throttle angle and other inputs such as coolant temperature,
intake air temperature and engine RPM. These systems are not very sophisticated but are simple
and usually are not overly expensive. N-Alpha Systems are most effective in racing applications
or carbureted engine retrofits where exhaust emissions are not a concern.
A second more sophisticated way to measure the mass of incoming air is with the use of a mass
air flow meter (MAF). Two different types of air flow meters are generally used: hot-wire and
flapper door. A hot-wire meter utilizes intake air that flows past a wire that is heated by voltage
and is calibrated to maintain a constant temperature even though the rushing air attempts to cool
the wire. There is direct correlation between how much voltage must increase through the wire
to maintain a constant temperature and the amount of air flow that is cooling the wire. Thus, the
ECU can calculate the mass of air entering the engine based on the change in voltage.
Similarly, a flapper door meter sends a signal to the ECU relating the movement of a door that is
pushed open by the incoming air. The larger the quantity of air that enters the meter, the more
the door is opened and the greater the angle from the doors closed position. The ECU sees the
angle position and correlates it to the amount of air that would be required to open the door to
that position.

Figure 4 (Courtesy Robert Bosch Corp.)
This system is advantageous in that minor performance upgrades such as headers, intake
manifold throttle bodies, etc. do not require a complete ECU recalibration since the flow meter
will keep providing the ECU with air flow values. The drawback to this system is that engine
performance is constricted to the size of the meter which limits the amount of air that can pass
into the engine.
A third method to determine a value for the mass of air entering an engine is called a Speed
Density System. The ECU in this system primarily relies on the input from a manifold absolute
pressure sensor (MAP) which simply measures the vacuum and pressure levels in the intake
manifold. The map sensors signal to the ECU is directly proportional to the load on the engine.
Thus, between the MAP information and inputs from engine speed, throttle position, temperature
and oxygen sensors, the ECU can look in a table and find a value of how much fuel should be
injected based on all those sensor inputs.
Speed Density Systems are well suited for performance applications since their air induction is
not limited to the size of an air flow meter. A drawback to this system is if there is a significant
increase in the performance of the powertrain, the ECU must have a new set of fuel calibration
tables which in some cases calls for an all new ECU.
As one can imagine, with the advent of computer power, the auto companies are steadily
increasing the sophistication and complexity of electronic fuel injection. Nevertheless, almost all
Multi-Port Systems are similar to that shown in Figure 3 (non-returnless system shown).


Data Processing/Fuel Metering System
The actual processing of the information that occurs in the cells of the ECU is beyond the scope
of this article. In simple terms, the ECU has a series of data tables programmed into its memory
which list a value of all the sensors, the ECU will look in the tables and match the sensor values
with the proper fuel value. This value should produce an air to fuel ratio of approximately
14.7:1, called stoichemetric.
Fuel is metered through fuel injectors by pulsing their internal valves to open and close at an
extremely rapid pace measured in milliseconds (ms). The ECU is constantly updating the fuel
injectors open to close time, known as the pulse width (PW) and the time between pulses,
known as the pulse interval (PI). As the engine demand for fuel increases, the sensors relay that
requirement to the ECU, which looks in the tables for the corresponding injector pulse width and
pulse interval to meet the demand. In general, the ECU will increase PW and decrease PI to
richen the fuel mixture and as well decrease PW and increase PI to lean the mixture. This way
the ECU can infinitely adjust the fuel flow to match engine demand under any possible condition
and at any point in time.
Fuel Injectors

A fuel injector is basically an electronic solenoid valve which, when activated, allows
pressurized fuel to escape through a nozzle. The fuel injector primarily consists of an armature
coil and a needle valve (see Figure1). With the absence of current to the coil winding, the needle
valve is forced against the metering orifice (the injectors outlet) by a spring. When the ECU
sends a current pulse to the injector coil, the winding is energized which creates a magnetic force
strong enough to pull on the steel needle valve uncovering the orifice and allowing fuel to pass.
Once the current at the coil is turned off, the internal spring slams the valve shut cutting off the
fuel flow.
Generally, the fuel flow is metered at the injectors tip by a precisely machined orifice. The
injectors flow rate is determined by the relationship of the orifice size and the configuration of
the needle valve. This relationship is extremely critical for some injector designs where the
needle valves tip actually protrudes through the orifice even when the valve is pulled completely
off its seat. This tip, called a pintle, is used to help atomize the
fuel spray. This valve-
orifice design does not
produce a variable flow
rate. The fuel that passes
through the orifice is
constant. The valve just
turns the flow on and off.
So how is the flow rate
increased or decreased to
meet engine demand? The
ECU controls the on-off
time of the injectors. The
ECU sends short, rapid
current pulses to the
injectors that are so fast
they are measured in
milliseconds. Short current
pulses with long pulses in
between each pulse will
inject less fuel into the
cylinders over a given time
period than long pulses
with short pauses over the
same time period.
Therefore, the ECU can
vary the injector flow rate
to meet engine demand.

Figure 1 (Courtesy Robert Bosch Corp.)
Understanding The Injector Flow Curve

Every fuel injector has its own unique flow curve. Injectors are specified at two different points
on the curve: static flow and dynamic flow. Static flow is the flow through an injector when it is
energized open and left on for a given period of time, usually one minute. This flow rate is the
maximum output of the injector at a given pressure. It is this flow rate that is commonly used to
describe and classify injectors (i.e. 19 lbs/hr, 30 lbs/hr).
The dynamic flow rate is the flow through an injector while it is pulsed on and off for a given
number of pulses. The time between the start of each pulse is called the period or pulse interval
(PI). The time the injector is actually energized during the period is called the pulse width
(PW). Figure 1 shows the relationship of PW to PI.

Figure 1

Dynamic flow rate is sometimes expressed in duty cycles which are simply the percentage the
injector is turned on during the period.

For example, if the PI is 20msec and PW is 5msec, then the duty cycle is 25%.
(5/20) x 100% = 25%.

Figure 2 shows a basic flow curve for an injector. This particular injector flows 11.5cc/1000
pulses at a PW of 2.5msec and 64.5cc/1000 pulses at a static flow. The static flow value was
reduced from its normally measured value of 386.8cc/min to 1000 pulses at a 10msec PW and
10msec PI. This results in the injector being turned on for the duration of 1000 10msec PWs.
The dotted line that parallels the flow curve is the theoretical static flow curve which does not
account for lost flow during the opening of the injector.

Figure 2

Injectors should not be operated below 1.5-2.0msec PWs due to the non-linear portion of the
curve. At extremely low PWs, the injectors coil does not have time to reach its magnetic
potential, thus the opening and closing action of the injector becomes erratic.
At the other end of the flow curve, near static flow, where the duty cycle exceeds 90%, the flow
again becomes erratic and non-linear. This time, the opposite is occurring. The injector does not
have time to completely close before the coil is re-energized to open once again. Figure 3 shows
what happens in the non-linear regions.

Figure 3

Another term widely used when discussing fuel injectors is Dynamic Range. Dynamic Range is
the linear portion of the flow curve. It is important to know the Dynamic Range when sizing an
injector for a particular application because the same injector is required to supply the minimum
fuel requirement for smooth idles and still be able to supply engine demand at wide open
throttle. For example, the Dynamic Range of an injector used in a turbocharged 4-cyclinder is
much larger than a V-8 engine injector. The 4-cyclinder injector requires a higher static flow
rather than the V-8 injector due to the 4-cyclinders higher horsepower per cylinder ratio.
Injector Spray Styles

There are several types of Multi-Port fuel injectors. In general, all injector designs are similar.
Some are optimized for specific characteristics such as fuel metering, valve response time, low
pulse width linearity, and so on. To discuss the actual design differences involves intense
injector design theory and is beyond the scope of this article. The focus will be on two areas of
injector design that are of interest to most performance enthusiasts, i.e. spray atomization and
clogging resistance.
Injector spray atomization begins at the metering orifice. Injectors designed by Robert Bosch
Corp. help atomize fuel by fanning the fuel into the airstream. The Bosch injector achieves
this by using either a pintle valve or multi-hole concept. The pintle design utilizes a needle valve
with a formation on the end, called a pintle, which protrudes through the metering orifice. When
fuel flows through the orifice it is forced out in the shape of a cone by the pintle. This spray is
spread out finely into an approximate 15-30 degree fan.

The multi-hole design does not incorporate a pintle-orifice configuration but instead, a series of
orifices drilled out at angles which create a similar cone spray when fuel flows through the holes.

Figure 1 (Courtesy Robert Bosch Corp.)
Other injectors such as the type once manufactured by Lucas Automotive emphasize disc
injector performance over pintle needle valve injectors. The Lucas disc injector design replaced
the conventional needle valve with a smaller, lightweight, flat disc. The disc, acting like the
needle valve, is pulled off a chimney by the coils electro-magnetic force, allowing fuel to flow
through holes in the disc, over the walls of the chimney and out of a single metering hole.
Because the fuel is metered through a single hole, the fuel exits the injectors nozzle in a narrow
stream, often referred to as a pencil steam. When the magnetic field is turned off, the disc
slams shut, forming a flat-surfaced seal with the chimney preventing any fuel leakage. This
design is very effective in resisting injector clogging since no fuel is present at the tip to
evaporate and the metering orifice is tucked inside the injector body away from any heat source.
The low mass of the disc valve allows for quick response times (opening and closing times)
which improve the injectors Dynamic Range capabilities.
A consequential benefit of the Lucas disc injector design is its low noise operation, which
virtually eliminates the traditional injector clicking sound which is often mistaken for engine
valvetrain noise. Figure 2 shows the internal components of the old Lucas disc injector design.

Figure 2

Non-pintle injectors were developed to fight injector clogging. It was found that most of the
deposits would form on the pintles surface which would severely restrict fuel flow through the
metering orifice. Removing the pintle from the injector design eliminates a place for the deposits
to form thus reducing injector clogging.
In many production engine applications, injector spray patterns play a minimal role in
combustion performance because the spray is usually not aimed at the intake valve. Instead, the
spray is aimed at the intake runner wall or floor. This is done for many reasons such as for
emissions or packaging constraints. In these cases, atomization occurs after the airflow picks-up
the fuel either in flight or as it splashes off the runner. In performance applications where
emissions are not an issue, injector aiming should be optimized towards the valve and
atomization techniques should be utilized. Figure 3 shows various spray patterns of the Bosch
injector with different types of metering orifices.

Figure 3 (Courtesy Robert Bosch Corp.)
Injector Compatibility With ECUs

Fuel injectors are controlled by one of two possible injector control circuits called drivers:
saturated (high impedance) and peak-and-hold (low impedance or current regulated).
An injector used in a saturated driver system requires a high resistance value across its coil (12-
16 ohms). The high resistance values enable the injectors to operate at low current levels (.8-1
amp) which keep the circuitry cool, promoting longer component life. Unfortunately, because of
the low current levels, injector response time is slow, sacrificing dynamic range. Ohms law
(V=IR) can be used to show the relationship between injector resistance and current level, where
V=Voltage, I=Current (amps) and R= Resistance (ohms). A high impedance injector (14 ohms)
used in a 12 volt system would require an operating current of 0.86 amps.

I = 12 Volts/14 ohms = 0.86 amps

A peak-and-hold driver circuit utilizes fuel injectors with low resistance coils (2-2.5 ohms)
which require more current (4-5 amps) to open (Ohms law: I = 12 Volts/2.5 ohms = 4.8 amps).
The driver circuitry will overheat if the injector is constantly operated at 4 amps. Therefore, a
switching mechanism is built into the circuit which will turn down the current to a lower, more
acceptable level after the injector is opened. Once the injector is opened, it takes far less current
to keep it open. Thus the term peak-and-hold is used to describe this type of circuitry. After the
initial peak of 4 amps is reached, the driver turns down the current to 1 amp which holds the
injector open for the duration of the pulse width.
In most peak-and-hold Multi-Port applications, one driver operates two injectors in which case
the peak current per injector is 2 amps and the hold current is 0.5 amps. The advantage of this
system is the quick response time of the injector. The high initial current instantly creates the
magnetic force require to raise the valve. This allows for a wide dynamic range, which is why
peak-and-hold systems are used in small displacement, high horsepower engines such as 4
cylinder turbocharged engines.

Figure 1 shows the relationship of current and opening times for high and low impedance fuel
injectors.


Figure 1

It is not recommended to use low resistance injectors in a saturated driver circuit.
The additional amperage required to open the injector can overheat the ECU causing permanent
damage. In addition, the injectors opening and closing times may become unstable creating
rough engine operation and possible lean misfires.
It is possible, though, to install high resistance injectors in a peak-and-hold system since the
amperage needed to open the high resistance injector is lower and within the limits of the peak-
and-hold driver circuit.
If you are not sure which injector type will work with which driver circuit, be safe and use the
same type that was originally used in the application.
Injector Size (Flow Rate) Selection

A formula can be used to help determine an injector flow rate for a particular engine application.
This formula is only as accurate as the input values used in the calculation. It is at this point that
you must determine an honest and realistic horsepower estimate. If you input a wish
horsepower value and reality is nowhere near your wish, then the injector selected will be too
rich with the result being a poor running engine. Of course dyno data would give you accurate
numbers but for most people, that is a luxury.
The following formula works as a good guideline:

Q = MAXHP x BSFC
No. of Cylinders

Q = Injector flow rate lbs/hr
MAXHP = Estimate of the engines maximum horsepower capability
BSFC = Brake specific fuel consumption: use .45 naturally for aspirated engines
and .55 for turbocharged and supercharged engines

Lets use a naturally aspirated V-8 engine which produces 400 horsepower as an example:
Q = 400 x .45 = 22.5 lbs/hr
8

We are not finished. 22.5 lbs/hr is the total per cylinder fuel required for the engine at that
horsepower. This should not be the static flow value of the injector. This value should be 10-
20% below the static flow because the injectors are rarely, if ever, operated at full static flow.
Injectors operating at pulsewidths near static flow become unstable since the injector does not
have time to fully close before it is beginning to reopen. Therefore, it is recommended to use a
safety factor of at least 10% (20% on the conservative side).

Then the actual injector size should be:

22.5 lbs/hr / 0.90 = 25 lbs/hr
22.5 lbs/hr / 0.80 = 28 lbs/hr
Therefore, an injector that flows 25-28 lbs/hr would be ideal for our example engine. There may
not be an injector available off the shelf that will flow exactly in that range. If there isnt, one
possibility would be to raise or lower the fuel pressure. Four our example, an injector that flows
30lbs/hr at 39 psi fuel pressure will flow 28 lbs/hr at 35 psi fuel pressure and will meet the
engine requirements.
Read Understanding the Injector Flow Curve to learn more about the injector flow rates..
Injector Flow Rates At Different Pressures

Once an injector is manufactured, the flow rate can not be altered. Flow rates can only be
changed on a limited basis by raising or lowering the systems fuel pressure set point (the
measured pressure with no vacuum or pressure on the regulator to manifold port). By raising
fuel pressure, more fuel is forced out the metering orifice per pulse width. Thus, someone who
has performed modifications to their vehicle (i.e. low restriction exhaust, improved air induction,
increased boost, etc.) may be near the flow limits of their stock fuel injectors. By increasing fuel
pressure, a few more lbs/hr of fuel flow may be squeezed through the injectors to meet engine
demand.
The following formula can help you determine the injectors flow rate with a change in the fuel
pressures set point:

Q2 = {Square Root (P2/P1)} x Q1

Q1 = Original injector flow rate (lbs/hr)
Q2 = Injector flow rate at modified pressure (lbs/hr)
P1 = Original fuel pressure set point (psi)
P2 = Adjusted fuel pressure set point (psi)

For example, a Ford Mustang 5.01 uses a fuel injector rated at 19lbs/hr at a fuel pressure set
point of 39psi. What would the flow rate be at 50 psi?

Q2 = {Square Root (50psi/39psi)} x 19lbs/hr
= Square Root (1.28) x 19 lbs/hr
= 1.13 x 19 lbs/hr
Q2 = 21.5 lbs/hr

Figure 1 shows flow rate changes due to pressure of some popular injector applications.

Figure 1

It must be understood that raising fuel pressure is fine if you are near the limit of the injectors
capability. Raising fuel pressure to overcome a major fuel deficiency problem is a band-aid
solution and should be avoided. High fuel pressures will add more strain to the entire fuel
system, including the injectors internal spring. In addition, high pressures can make some
injectors to become unstable, or in some cases, completely shut-off.
Finally, it must be realized that when the fuel system pressure is increased, fuel pump volume is
decreased. So if you though you richened your fuel system by raising the pressure with an
adjustable regulator, but the lean problem persists or becomes worse, then you most likely have a
fuel volume problem. The fuel pump is not pumping a sufficient volume of fuel to feed the
system.
In general, fuel pressures should not exceed 65 psi except during boost in special applications
such as turbocharged or supercharged engines with high boost pressures.
Fuel Pressure And Manifold Vac/Press Interface

One of the most commonly confused functions of the fuel supply system is the interaction of
manifold Vac/Press and the fuel pressure regulator. Simply stated, the function of the fuel
pressure regulator is to maintain a constant pressure at the fuel injectors metering orifice.
It is important to the calibration of the EFI system that the ECU know how much fuel will be
injected into the cylinders per a given pulse width. Therefore, the ECUs calculations are based
on the injectors flow curve which is established at a constant fuel pressure. As was show
earlier, fuel pressure changes will change the injectors flow rate. If the pressure was allowed to
change continuously, the ECUs calibration tables would be incorrect since the flow rate versus
pulse width values would be constantly changing due to the pressure fluctuations. Therefore,
fuel pressure at the injectors metering orifice must be kept constant.
Most EFI fuel systems achieve constant pressure regulation through a back-pressure regulator.
The regulator receives a reference signal from the intake manifold and will raise or lower the fuel
pressure to maintain a constant pressure (called Delta P) at the injector metering orifice. The
regulator function can be shown by Figure 1 and the following formula:

Press @ METERING ORIFICE (Delta P) = Fuel System Pressure Manifold Pressure

Figure 1

The formula shows the relationship of manifold vacuum or pressure with fuel line pressure (the
pressure you would see on your gauge). As can be seen from the examples in Figure 1, when no
vacuum or pressure is applied to the regulator, fuel is metered at the set pressure. When vacuum
is applied, the orifice is operating in a negative pressure environment. Less pressure in the fuel
line is required to maintain the constant pressure of 40 psi at the metering orifice. Likewise,
when there is positive pressure (boost from turbos and superchargers) more pressure is needed in
the fuel line to overcome the additional pressure surrounding the metering orifice.
When checking or adjusting the pressure regulator, it is always best to disconnect the manifold
line to the regulator before taking a reading. This reading is the true fuel system pressure set
point.
Importance Of Injector Flow-Matching

Injector flow-matching, also called blueprinting, is an excellent means to improve the engines
performance and efficiency. Since each cylinder is essentially metered individually, it only
makes sense that the engine would perform better if each cylinder received the exact same
amount of fuel.

This flow-matching theory can be demonstrated by the following example. A GM 350 TPI fuel
injector is rated 22 lbs/hr at 43.5 psi. Due to manufacturing tolerances, it is extremely rare to
find that all 8 injectors from a particular engine would flow exactly 22 lbs/hr. If one cylinders
injector flowed 5% less, then that cylinder would only receive 21 lbs/hr of fuel (0.95 x 22 =
20.9). 1 lb/hr less fuel roughly translates to a potential loss of 2 horsepower for that cylinder. If
4 injectors were 5% lean, that would translate to a potential loss of approximately 8 horsepower.

In reality, it is not unusual to see flow rate differences as high as 10% between cylinders. The
situation can be aggravated further for in-use injectors which are susceptible to deposit
formations which clog metering orifices.
A flow-matched injector set should be matched at more than one point on the flow curve. Flow-
matching at the injectors static flow alone does not produce a matched set. As was discussed
earlier, injectors are rarely, if ever, operated at static flow. Therefore, the set should be matched
at a dynamic flow point, preferably the manufacturers calibration set point (usually around pw
of 2.5 msec). With a set of injectors that are matched at their static and dynamic points, you can
be assured that they will flow almost identically through the entire flow curve.
So a flow-matched injector set will not only help produce more efficient power at W.O.T., it will
help engine performance through the entire rpm range. In many cases idle quality, throttle
response and overall driveability are noticeably improved with a flow-matched set of fuel
injectors.
EFI Fuel Pump Selection

Various factors must be considered when selecting an electric fuel pump for an EFI system, or if
you are just trying to determine whether your existing fuel pump can handle horsepower
increases to the powertrain.
The most important criterion in sizing an electric fuel pump is calculating the total fuel
requirement for the engine. The formula used to determine total fuel required is similar to the
one used to calculate injector sizing.

Q = MAXHP x BSFC

Using a 400 HP, naturally aspirated engine with a BSFC of 0.45 four our example (.55 BSFC for
turbocharged or supercharged engines), we can calculate the total fuel needed to feed this engine:

Q = 400 x 0.45 = 180 lbs/hr
Now we need to express this value in volume flow rate such as gallons per hour (gph). Divide
180 lbs/hr by 6, which is approximately the weight of 1 gallon of gasoline, and the result is 30
gph. Therefore, we need a fuel pump that can supply a minimum of 30 gph for our example
engine.

The analysis is not complete. Fuel pump flow capacity decreases as fuel system pressure
increases. Figure 1 shows flow curves of 2 fuel pumps at various pressures.

Figure 1

When selecting a fuel pump for a particular application, you must know what fuel system
pressure the pump will see. Notice, if you selected pump 1 it would be adequate if you ran your
fuel system in the 20-230 psi range.

One final consideration in making our fuel pump choice is the pumps performance at various
voltages. Voltage has a direct effect on pump output. Apply more voltage and the pump will
spin faster, pumping more fuel. Apply less voltage and the pump will slow down, pumping less
fuel. Figure 2 demonstrates the voltage sensitivity of the fuel pumps output performance.

Figure 2

For our example, do not choose a pump that flows 30 gph at 13 volts since a slight voltage drop
of even 1 volt will cause the engine to run out of fuel at peak horsepower (the worst time to run
out).
So when selecting an electric fuel pump, keep in mind the engines fuel requirement, system
operating pressure and voltage inputs in order to prevent fuel starvation under all driving
conditions.

< Back to Tech Corner
Fuel Pressure Leak-Down Test
An area often overlooked is the performance of the fuel system not while the engine is
running, but when it is shut off. If you experience hard starts especially restarting a short
period after shutting off the engine, then one possibility is a leaking fuel system. Were
not talking about external leaks such as joints or cracked fuel lines, but instead, were
talking about internal fuel leaks. While its important to know how your fuel system
pressure is performing properly during engine operation, its just as important to know
what the fuel system is doing right after the engine is shut off.
During engine operation, the fuel system is maintaining the required fuel pressure to
meet the demand of the engine. When the engine is shut off , the fuel system should be
at or near the same pressure level. The rate at which the fuel pressure drops can be an
indication of an internal system leak (assuming no external leaking occurs).
Two most common areas of concern are the fuel injector nozzles and the pressure
regulator. If the regulator valve has a poor seal, fuel will leak past the valve seat area
and, since the pump is no longer running, pressure will quickly drop off. The causes for
this could be a worn valve, weak spring or defective diaphragm. An internally leaking
regulator can cause long crank times as it takes the pump longer to build pressure in the
system.
The other potential problem area could be the fuel injector nozzles. The nozzle may be
leaking due to a deposit build up on the nozzle or a worn out internal valve seat. In this
case, fuel leaks directly into the engines cylinder. Depending on the number of injectors
on the engine, this could be a real problem if more than one injector is leaking fuel into
the cylinders. This is a common cause of long crank times and hard starts after a short
engine shut down. Its never good to have fuel filling hot cylinders which can result in
an over rich condition during startup.
Checking for an internal fuel pressure leak down problem is very simple. On engines
that have fuel service port schrader valves, installing a Performance Fuel Systems EFI
Gauge Kit is a quick an easy way to perform a fuel pressure leak down test.

Simply install a Performance Fuel Systems EFI Gauge Kit on the fuel service port
schrader valve (follow the instructions supplied with the kit). Start the engine and let it
warm up at idle. Note the fuel pressure while the engine is running. The pressure should
be holding steady in the range of 35-50psi for most applications. Shut off the engine and
look for a rapid drop in fuel pressure. In a properly sealing system the fuel pressure
reading should hold at or near the running pressure although there may be slight change
when the engine is first shut off. This is ok due to some regulators being affected by the
manifold pressure while the engine is running. The key is to look for a rapid decrease in
fuel pressure. A 2psi drop per 5 seconds, for example, is considered a rapid decrease and
indicates a problem. If the rate is much slower then there is no need to worry. The fuel
pressure will eventually bleed down over time.
Once you identified an internal pressure leak down problem you can take the proper
steps to identify the leaking component. Isolating which component is the leaking will
be covered in a separate tech article at PerformanceFuelSystems.com.