Nissan's engine twist--double the fuel injectors

If one fuel injector helps improve engine performance, will two fuel injectors do twice the job?

Not exactly. But Nissan Motor Co. thinks doubling the number of injectors will have enough benefits to warrant putting them into some of its cars next year.

Nissan contends that its dual injection technology will lead to lighter, less expensive engines with better performance and fuel economy.

The concept increases fuel economy 4 percent compared with engines with single injectors, Nissan said in a statement.

Instead of using a single high-pressure stream aimed directly into an engine cylinder, dual injection positions injectors at each port of the cylinder and allows fuel to flow in reduced streams under less pressure. Nissan says the technology is ideal for small-displacement engines because it does not require a high-pressure pump and is lighter than a direct-injection system.

Nissan says dual injection will be about 60 percent less expensive to add to an engine than standard direct injection. The company also estimates that the system will reduce carbon-dioxide emissions and the amount of precious metals required in catalytic converters.

Nissan declined to say which models will use the technology.

Shuichi Nishimura, corporate vice president for Nissan's powertrain engineering division, indicated in the statement that the automaker intends to give the technology wide application.

By Lindsay Chappell- Automotive News