How to tell if I have fuel-injection in my engine?
(2011-11-08 15:15:20) 1. Says: I purchased a 1997 Chevy Lumina from a used car dealership about 4 months ago, my first car, and it runs like a dream. I learned how to drive in my mother's mid-2000s Impala, but this one seems to fly, compared to hers.I had my auto nut friend look at it and give his opinion on it, and when he popped the hood, he was almost in shock. He pointed out a bunch of metal braces and struts i'd never noticed, and told me it was custom, built to get damaged. I let him drive it around, and the whole time, he went on about how well it accelerates. He told me that the "governor" had likely been disabled, and he suspected it was an old Police cruiser. After our drive, we looked it over, and we found a fragmented sticker i'd never noticed on the back window. We could make out "Nevada" and "Constable".
We drove to a high school stadium lot, and i really pushed it, trying to drift and all. He told me that the engine is likely modified with fuel-injection, but we didn't really push it any further. I'm curious, though, is there a way to tell if it is or not?2. Says: Well it seems you aren't the only one who doesn't understand cars. Fuel injection is standard on newer cars, especially late '80's onward, but it was available on some models even decades before that. Remember that you only have two options, fuel injection or carburetors. They both accomplish the same thing, mixing the right amount of fuel and air to make the engine run properly. Too much or too little fuel and the car won't run right; it might not even start.
With carburetors this is a mechanical process that uses suction created by the air flowing through the carburetor and sucking out a certain amount of gasoline into the air. On cars with carburetors it is important to adjust the mixture from time to time so your car will run properly.
Fuel injection replaces the carburetor with sensors that tell a computer how much air is entering the engine. The computer then controls the "fuel injectors" to spray the right amount of fuel into the air. With fuel injection there is nothing (or very little) to adjust since the computer adjusts everything automatically.
But in answer to your question, this is how to tell the difference:
A: All diesel engines have fuel injection. (Although you could say that only diesel engines have true fuel injection (injecting into very high pressure) whereas fuel injection on gasoline engines basically mimics a carburetor)
B: A carburetor doesn't need sensors, like oxygen sensors (on your exhaust manifold, the part gets really hot), air intake sensors, (after your air filter) or camshaft or crankshaft position sensors. Fuel injection needs all this and more.
C: Fuel injected cars have that famous "check engine light". It turns on whenever the computer thinks there is a problem. Carburetors don't have this light.
D: Fuel injected cars have a computer box somewhere in the car and connectors to connect to it. On '94 cars and on there should be a computer connector usually under the steering wheel to connect to a diagnostic tool. If you get engine problems you can have it checked by a diagnostic tool connected there. It will tell you what the computer thinks the problem is.
E: Carburetors have control screws in the sides of them to control the mixture, sometimes many of them. If you can't see any control screws other than maybe one or two ( like an idle speed screw) you have fuel injection.
D: Fuel injected cars will say "Unleaded Fuel Only." This is because the lead messes up the oxygen sensors. Carburetor cars don't have an oxygen sensor so they will run just fine on leaded gasoline.
Hope this info helps!3. Says: its fuel injected. chevrolet has not fooled around with carbs since the late 80's. but yes intake would be the easy way to check. and modifying a lumina would be sticking you di*k in a meat grinder... it doesn't help anything, just hurts.4. Says: That car its fuel injected....you look at your intake...theres no carb its fuel injected...allot of the older cars had carbs on them...now its ask fuel injected...they mess with the computer instead of a jet kit5. Says: Your friend is a complete moron; the car came fuel injected from the factory. And a governor limits the top speed of a car, not it's acceleration. As for metal braces and struts, it depends on what is actually there, but people don't build cars to "get damaged" so that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
It wasn't a police cruiser; no police station ever used a piece of sh*t Lumina that I've ever heard of. And you can't "drift" a front wheel drive car anyways, please stop.
Post a picture of the engine bay and I'll tell you if it's modified in any way or not.6. Says: Your buddy is a idiot.. almost all cars after 1987 had some sort of fuel injection ..the only way you can disengage a modern governor is buy placing a switch wired to the ECU to disable it... unless you where doing over 120MPH you will never know if the governor has been disabled.. The best way to tell if it was an old cop car is to see if it has two alternators.. How do you drift in a front wheel drive car?7. Says: they have not had govenors on cars for 50 years, in fact it is all about the computer now a days, Be glad you have a good running car and stop trying to drift front wheel drive it aint going to happen. Being a part of nevada law enforcement the vehicle could have been used for almost anything. Lets hope it stays running good for a long time and you get your moneys worth. A modern fuel injection is a lot more fun than the carburetor version and if you think yours is fun wait until you try the fuel injected chevy v8 those are more fun than yours.8. Says: Your auto nut friend is just a nut. He sounds like a wanna be to me. Don't look to him for advice.
ALL cars since 1988 or so has came factory with fuel injection, so yes your 1997 has fuel injection. It was installed by GM from the factory.
Cops don't and won't use a Lumina. They use crown vics, impalas, etc.
All cars since like 1993 or so has came with a governor. It only limits top speed mph, not acceleration. So unless yall went above 120 MPH then he couldnt know if the governor had been disabled or not.
Nothing is ever built to get damaged unless it a demo derby car. Hot rodders builds cars to be safer during a crash lby installing a roll bar or roll cage but you would know if it had that. Thats steel bars inside the car above head, behind seat, next to door, etc.
Someone MIGHT have installed a strut tower brace on the car at some point but thats about it and it's not for damage. Its to reduce flexing of the strut mounts during higher speed turns
Take some pictures of the car outside, inside and under the hood and post links to them here. We can tell you whats on it Tag: How to tell if I have fuel-injection in my engine?