Introduction of Fuel Injection Pumps

What is a fuel injection pump?

A fuel injection pump is a device that pumps diesel into the engine. The pump pressurizes and injects fuel, forcing compressed air at high pressure in the combustion chamber. The fuel injection pump ensures optimum calibration and fuel delivery, which helps to get the most out of your vehicle's power, efficiency and fuel consumption. Most people buy a fuel injection pump because they want to maximize the pulling power of their truck or tractor and optimize their fuel consumption. In this sense, the fuel injection pump is the heart of every diesel engine and needs to be of the highest quality to ensure a long and efficient engine life.

Fuel injection pump types

There are three fuel injection pump types. The detailed information is as follows.

Inline fuel injection pumps

Inline fuel injection pumps use a plunger and fuel barrel to pump fuel. The pump uses the number of plungers equal to the number of fuel injectors and all are arranged in the same line. A camshaft positioned below the plunger facilitates the reciprocating motion of the plunger inside the fuel canister. The engine camshaft draws its power from the engine crankshaft and operates so that fuel is injected at the exact time and for the exact duration.

Distributor fuel injection pumps

This fuel injection pump type uses a single pumping mechanism and use a rotary distributor to distribute fuel to multiple injectors. Distributor fuel injection pumps consist of the following main components: rotor with control channel, stator or body with inlet and outlet ports, and two reciprocating plungers.

Continuous fuel injection pumps

A continuous fuel injection pump helps maintain pressure in the fuel lines. Unlike other pumps, it is not used to dispense or meter the amount of fuel but used in electronic fuel injection systems where the ECU controls fuel injection.

Fuel injection pump VS Fuel pump

The fuel injection pump is different from the fuel pump itself. The latter are mainly responsible for the evacuation of fuel from containers or tanks. This is a part of the system in which fuel is drawn from the tank and pumped along the line to the engine block. The fuel injection pump then pushes the fuel into the cylinder. Fuel injection pumps need to operate under high pressure to keep the system completely sealed. In modern systems, this is at 15,000 psi or higher. For this reason, mechanics or engineers who work on these systems, especially diesel systems, take great care of their personal safety. The fuel injection pump itself may push fuel into the body, causing serious injury to the individual.