Fuel Injection vs. Carburetor Understanding the Difference

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Long story short: In the battle between Fuel Injection vs motorcycle carburetor, Fuel injection outperforms in all vital aspects except maintenance and cost compared to the carburetor.

In simple words, a motorcycle engine works on the concept of a petrol and air mixture which enters the machine, and a spark plug ignites them, resulting in energy and power being delivered to the wheels. The device that leads fuel, air, and fuel-air mixture to the engine is done either by a carburetor or fuel injection. It is a very critical component of a bike and performs several vital functions.

Fuel Injection (Fi) and Carburetor have pros and cons. In this article, we will delve deep into the basics of both, and let’s start with how both work in detail. First, let’s start with the carburetor.

What is a carburetor?

A carburetor is a device that helps mix fuel and air to facilitate combustion inside a motorcycle engine. This device passes the mixture of fuel and air to an engine’s intake.

How does a carburetor work?

In a carburetor, two spinning valves are present just above and below the air passage. The top valve, the choke, handles the amount of air that should flow inside the carburetor. When the choke is pressed, less air can pass in, and as a result, the air passage will suck in more fuel providing a mixture rich in fuel to the engine. Choke is used to start a motorcycle in the early morning and cold climate conditions.

The second valve present in the carburetor is the throttle. When the throttle is wide open, more air passes through the carburetor, as a result of which the carburetor can drag more fuel from the pipe to the sides, resulting in the engine releasing more energy and power and enabling the motorcycle to go faster.

Types of bike carburetor

There are mainly three types of motorcycle carburetor, and they are

1. Mechanical carburetor
2. Constant velocity carburetor (CV)
3. Downdraft carburetor

Advantages of motorcycle carburetor

1. Easier to maintain
2. Inexpensive
3. Easy to modify or repair.
4. Low cost per unit displacement compared to fuel injection systems.
5. Adjustable to provide the correct air/fuel mixture for different engine conditions.
6. They can provide good fuel economy under light load conditions.

Disadvantages of motorcycle carburetor

1. Reduced fuel efficiency compared to the fuel injection system
2. more sensitive to variations in altitude
3. They are not as efficient as fuel injection systems when the engine is under a heavy load.
4. They can be challenging to start in cold weather conditions.
5. Not suitable for high-performance rides.

Now let’s discuss the all-new Fuel injection.

What is Fuel injection, and how does a fuel injector work?

A fuel injection controls the fuel flow into the engine’s combustion chamber. The system relies on the fuel pump, which pumps the fuel from the fuel tank into the combustion chamber. The ECU decides how much fuel to pump.

The ECU monitors various parameters such as oil temperature, load on the engine, throttle position and engine speed. After calculating the fuel required, the fuel injectors inject it via their nozzles connected to the combustion chamber inside the engine.

Types of Fuel injection

1. Throttle body fuel injection system
2. Single-point fuel injection system

Advantages of motorcycle fuel injection

1. Accurate air-fuel mixture
2. Cleaner and more efficient combustion
3. Better fuel efficiency
4. Maintenance-free and less prone to damage.
5. It is relatively easy to tune Fi through ECU mapping
6. Sharp & quick throttle response

Disadvantages of motorcycle fuel injection

1. Expensive
2. If the ECU fails, the bike will not start at all
3. Requires complex tools to tune the FI system
4. Needs expensive tools to repair

Which gives more mileage, carburetor or fuel injection?

The fuel injection system gives more mileage as fuel delivery to the engine is done based on inputs from the various sensors and factors in the Fi system. So, the right amount of fuel is delivered, and hence, more mileage is obtained.

Which provides more performance, Fi or Carburetor?

Fuel Injection performs very well even in extreme engine conditions compared to the carburetor.

What are the signs of failure of the carburetor & Fi?

Failure signs are starting issues, poor idling, less mileage, engine not reaching the intended RPM, and increased smoke from the exhaust.

Which one is better for cold conditions, the carburetor or Fi?

Compared to the carburetor, Fi is the best one for extreme climate conditions.

Why has the fuel injection system replaced the carburetor on bikes launched recently?

Fuel injection is mandatory for a motorcycle to strictly adhere to BS-6 emission norms. Even low-displacement motorcycles now use Fi in India.

Does Fi or carburetor last longer, and which one has less wear and tear?

Fuel Injection lasts long and has less wear and tear compared to the carburetor.

Fuel Injection vs Carburetor comparison

As we have discussed in detail, how both the carburetor and fuel injection work, now let’s compare them both as per given below

Fuel injection outperforms in all vital aspects except maintenance and cost. However, due to the latest policies laid out by the honourable Government of India related to emission norms, all companies are switching to fuel injection to maintain strict emission norms related to Bharat Stage 6 (BS-6). It is an excellent initiative from the Government of India to reduce emissions. Still, it comes at the expense of higher costs for motorcycles. Experts can only address fuel injection-related issues and require sophisticated tools.

Verdict

No section is needed to choose the best between fuel injection and carburetor, as the article shows that Fuel injection is the winner here. The only thing that negatively impacts fuel injection is the cost and expertise required to solve problems. In all other respects, Fi emerges as the clear winner. The carburetor does not adapt to climatic conditions like Fi, fuel consumption is lower, and combustion is inefficient. The team at Bikeleague hopes that all areas related to the carburetor and fuel injection are covered and that this article will make your choice and decisions much more effortless.

If you have any other doubts or queries, email us at bikeleague2017@gmail.com. We are always eager to help and assist you. Also, here are several social media platforms of Bikeleague India to raise your suspicions.