History - Fuel Injection

The idea of FUEL INJECTION was born back around 1880 with Edward Butler, Duetz and others.

In World War II, Germany pursued it with the Bosch company for development of aviation fuel injection.

Great Britain and the United States combined efforts to build a system to use in the Patton tank.

Electronic fuel injection had its beginnings in Italy by a engineer named Ottavio Fuscaldo incorporated an electrical solenoid as a means to control fuel flow.

In 1949 an Indy racer featured a fuel injected Offenhauser, developed by Stuart Hillborn.

GM, in 1975 introduced the first mass produced domestic fuel injection system on the 1976 model Cadillac Seville. It was a system consisting of a throttle body, 8 fuel injectors mounted on a fuel rail directing fuel into the intake, a crude analog computer and various sensors. It had been developed between Bendix, Bosch and General Motors. It was at that time that it was necessary for the industry to developed specialized troubleshooting techniques and flow charts which are now taken for granted.

In 1980, the first digital computerized control was introduced for Cadillac called Digital Fuel injection (DFI), originally conceptualized as a multipoint injection, cost constraints again limited it as a throttle body system with two fuel injectors. The introduction of a digitally controlled system made it possible for a finer refinement of fuel control via various sensors, and to make minor adjustments on the fly and to be able to store trouble codes indicating malfunctions that can be recalled by a technician in troubleshooting.

In the mid-1980s, the car makers adopted the system to meet EPA emissions .. Ford introduced the EFI on the 1986 Mustang 5.0 GT.


I am sure there is more, lots more .. anyone interested on adding more history, please DO !




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Didnt some 55 Chevys have fuel injection? Weren't they called "Black Widows"? I thought early Corvettes did also. I think these were mechanical FI, instead of electronic.

 

Mechanical fuel injection (Rochester)was available on the 1957 Corvette and various chevy models along with the 57 Bonneville. For 1958 the Corvette was the only one to keep F.I.it lasted till mid 65 when it was discontinued in favor of the BBC. In 1958 Chrysler introduced the 300D it had Bendix electronic fuel injection, it did not work very well, all cars were recalled and 2 4BBL carbs were installed. In the mid 1970's the little known Cosworth Vega appeared again with Bendix EFI this time it worked. In 1975 EFI also appeared on the Eldorado as an option. In 1976 Cadillac introduces the Seville as its own model with a 350 EFI (OLDS) engine excusively for the Seville and EFI as option on other models. In 1981 EFI was done DFI replaced it as EPA emission regulations tightened.

 

The 1958 Chryslers was available with Fuel Injected Engines, one of which was Plymouth’s Golden Commando (.350 or .361).