Do direct injection engines cause fuel dilution?

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I'm under the impression that direct injection engines, particularly turbocharged di engines, can cause or increase fuel dilution. Is this so, and why? Thanks for any light you can shed on the subject.
 
I don't own one, but my reading indicates that in North America DI engines are run with a rich fuel map otherwise NOx exceeds North American law. Everywhere else in the world a "lean burn" mode is used which works better in every regard except the production of NOx.

In rich mode, many DI engines tend to experience fuel dilution. I think they're getting better as ECU programming evolves. Personally, if I had one, I'd rather rig my DI engine to run in lean burn mode except on my way to the emissions test. HC, CO, fuel economy and engine wear are superior in lean burn, only NOx suffers.
 
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+1 on that, wonder if it is possible to get a "euro" tune to use lean stratified charge.

Doesnt change lubricant specs though, as TBN retention on US fuels (unless you buy Irving gasoline, I guess) needs to be better.
 
Originally Posted By: Craig in Canada
Personally, if I had one, I'd rather rig my DI engine to run in lean burn mode except on my way to the emissions test.


That'd be cool. Out here in IL when you go in for emissions test, they don't even stick a probe up your exhaust. They just hook up the car to a computer through an OBD2 port and check if there are no emissions-related fault codes, so most likely I wouldn't even need to revert anything back to stock when going for the test.

The new Audi S4 (3.0 TFSI + supercharger) is starting to call my name...
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Originally Posted By: JHZR2
+1 on that, wonder if it is possible to get a "euro" tune to use lean stratified charge.


I honestly haven't googled around yet to see what's possible. I'd assume that you may more likely find things like this in Dinan, Conforti or other software. I seem to recal the Conforti "shark injector" would allow you to load and revert ECU software through the under-hood connector. Something similar would do the job.

I also remember there being software for the circa-2000 S4 which would use one of the other dash controls to switch (in a convoluted way) between standard map, performance map and a crippling "valet mode" right in the ECU.

At any rate, with all of the North American issues, I can't believe that no one out there offers software or hacks to access lean burn mode somehow. Of course if I had a new ride with a fancy DI turbo engine, I might want to make sure I stayed on top of manufacturer code updates too instead of sticking with something aftermarket...
 
Originally Posted By: Craig in Canada
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
+1 on that, wonder if it is possible to get a "euro" tune to use lean stratified charge.


I honestly haven't googled around yet to see what's possible. I'd assume that you may more likely find things like this in Dinan, Conforti or other software. I seem to recal the Conforti "shark injector" would allow you to load and revert ECU software through the under-hood connector. Something similar would do the job.

I thought the different emissions profile would be somehow harmful to the catalytic converters. No?


Originally Posted By: Craig in Canada
I also remember there being software for the circa-2000 S4 which would use one of the other dash controls to switch (in a convoluted way) between standard map, performance map and a crippling "valet mode" right in the ECU.

I remember that. They used the cruise control buttons. :]


Originally Posted By: Craig in Canada
At any rate, with all of the North American issues, I can't believe that no one out there offers software or hacks to access lean burn mode somehow. Of course if I had a new ride with a fancy DI turbo engine, I might want to make sure I stayed on top of manufacturer code updates too instead of sticking with something aftermarket...

Agreed on all points.
 
Regaridng damage of the cat converters, I'd think if anything the basis is that it would drive the quantity of Rhodium or reducing catalyst higher, due to the need to reduce NOx. it is cheaper to have the customer burn more fuel, so long as your CAFE is within bounds.

I would think that unreacted species would just pass through. Higher NOX would mean the catalyst would be fully utilized, so there would be plenty of resultant Oxygen in there to perform the oxidation of CO and HCs. It would be a win-win, I'd think...
 
Originally Posted By: d00df00d

I thought the different emissions profile would be somehow harmful to the catalytic converters. No?


Excess HC from running rich will make the cats very hot, as far as I know. This means that lean burn mode (ie. rest-of-world mode) is probably better for the cats.
 
Originally Posted By: d00df00d

Originally Posted By: Craig in Canada
I also remember there being software for the circa-2000 S4 which would use one of the other dash controls to switch (in a convoluted way) between standard map, performance map and a crippling "valet mode" right in the ECU.

I remember that. They used the cruise control buttons. :]


Or in case of GIAC software on my old '01 A4, it was a small key-chain remote control... it could access 5 different programs: stock, performance, race gas, valet, and kill mode (theft prevention).
 
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