Which Injectors?

[tweetdriver63]

Here's the question:

I understand the stock fuel injectors are of the peak and hold type (Low impedance), and I read here that they have a flow rate of 325cc/min. I've seen cross-references saying the Elan used the same injectors as the Impulse Turbo, and according to Robietherobot, the Impulse turbo's injectors were peak and hold with a flow rate of 322cc/min. That sounds close enough to me.

RC engineering (which I take it are a good quality injectors) lists injectors of that type with 320cc/min and 370cc/min (among others).

Now, somebody who knows what they're talking about:

Should I go for just any injector listed as OEM replacement for the Impulse, or go with one of the RC engineering ones? If I went for RC engineering, what effect would getting the 370cc/min injectors have (in a stock setup) compared to the 320cc/min variety? It is my understanding that it would have no detrimental effect on performance or gas mileage, and may actually increase the life of the injectors themselves.

Part of my decision (a pretty big part actually) is budget-driven. Many new injectors at sites like Rockauto go for $170-$185 each. RC Engineering injectors run $88 each +shipping, which is very close to the price of remanufactured ones.

[Alan_C]

I'm not an injector engineer, not profess to understand much about them, but in my laymans understandings, wouldn't a single higher flow-rate injector allow more fuel to flow for a given pulse length, so therefor the engine would run rich on that stroke, to be countered by the lambda sensor feeding back it was too rich, so reducing the pulse length only for the engine to run lean on the next 3 cycles? I guess it wouldn't actually run quite like that (twinned injectors etc), but the cylinder with the higher flow rate injector I would guess will run rich? Or am I talking boll@~*s?

[Monty]

Why not just send of your old injectors to RC and have them cleaned, they will test them to make sure flow and spray pattern are correct. If they can`t be cleaned then ask them to match them up


The 550 RC i fitted to Dico`s Elan are not identical ie a bit shorter and don`t have the slot for the clips, but with reassurance from Marie they do fit and have been fine. BTW when ordering from RC you need the Bosh style tops

[tweetdriver63]

The injectors I have now were remanufactured to begin with, so I and my mechanic would much rather go with new. I called RockAuto, where I got them, and they said I can return them, but only for store credit, because it's past the 30 return window. I could also send them in to be rebuilt, but I've already explained that we don't want to do that. When I return them, I'll get a store credit at RockAuto for about $340. I asked if I could go ahead and buy new ones, then have them refund me the credit, and they said no. I would have to wait 5-7 days for the credit to be issued, then I could buy the new injectors using the credit. I really don't want to wait. It's already been over 3 months since I drove my car!

I'm going to order from RC Engineering, which will cost about the same as what I would pay at RockAuto if I waited to be able to use the credit. This was I don't have to wait, it costs me the same amount, and I'll still have a $340 credit at RockAuto. God knows how long it might be until I use that! I should be able to ask at RC Engineering about how 370cc injectors would affect performance, and whether there's any legitimate reason to get slightly higher flow injectors than OEM.

[tweetdriver63]

Good news folks!

I just got off the phone with RC Engineering. I ordered the stock replacement size, which is the Peak and Hold, 320 cc, Bosch-type connector injector (part # PL2-320), in case anybody's wondering. Before I got off the phone, I mentioned LEC and that many suppliers offer discounts if you mention your club or website. I got an immediate 10% discount! They said I should also tell everybody here that they will get the same.

[Monty]

Good news folks!

I just got off the phone with RC Engineering. I ordered the stock replacement size, which is the Peak and Hold, 320 cc, Bosch-type connector injector (part # PL2-320), in case anybody's wondering. Before I got off the phone, I mentioned LEC and that many suppliers offer discounts if you mention your club or website. I got an immediate 10% discount! They said I should also tell everybody here that they will get the same.

Glad to hear you`ve got them ordered, fingers crossed that solves the problems.

wished i known about the 10% discount, the 550`s cost me £280 with the postage and duty etc

[tweetdriver63]

Good news folks!

I just got off the phone with RC Engineering. I ordered the stock replacement size, which is the Peak and Hold, 320 cc, Bosch-type connector injector (part # PL2-320), in case anybody's wondering. Before I got off the phone, I mentioned LEC and that many suppliers offer discounts if you mention your club or website. I got an immediate 10% discount! They said I should also tell everybody here that they will get the same.

Glad to hear you`ve got them ordered, fingers crossed that solves the problems.

wished i known about the 10% discount, the 550`s cost me £280 with the postage and duty etc

Asking about a discount was a complete afterthought. I had no expectations. I was just going to make a suggestion. I was very happy to get 10% off. That's about $35 on my order. 10% is better than RockAuto gives, and RCE injectors cost 1/2 what RockAuts new injectors do.

[Dico]

They gave us discount. They matched the price of a company that were less expensive than themselves.

[tigerdog]

Good work on the LEC discount! From what I've read, the rotary-pintle injectors are actually more precise and less prone to clogging than reciprocating pintle injectors, too. Plus the RC injectors look cool peeking out from under the intake plenum. Unless you live in California, that is, where fitting them is deemed an emissions infraction (even if they're the same flow rate). In that case, you might consider applying black electrical tape over the red and white RC Engineering stickers before installing them. It's a knuckle-scraping pain to do after.

[Fubar1764]

I had a set of RC injectors, and they ran great! Thumbs up on the discount!