Outdoor power equipment manufacturers are constantly innovating and bringing to market the most efficient equipment. Electronic fuel injection (EFI) for small engines is just one example of that, giving landscape contractors a technology that helps improve efficiency and contributes to fuel savings.
A standard within the automotive industry, EFI has become more common on smaller engines, specifically the commercial mowers. Recent data suggests nearly a quarter of the commercial zero turn mower market was running on EFI engines. It is fast becoming the ecologically responsible choice in gasoline-powered engines.
“The natural progression to lower emissions points to more-and-more EFI mowers,” says Brian Schoenthaler, marketing specialist, Grasshopper. “They promise greater fuel efficiency, lower emissions and smart diagnostics.”
Commercial landscapers can justify the investment more than a homeowner, as they can use the added power to cut through more lawns and tough conditions without having to slow down.Hustler Turf Equipment
Engine manufacturers in general are showing about a 25% cost reduction in fuel savings with use of EFI technology. For a contractor, that's not something small to consider, especially as prices go up.
“EFI engines make OPE engines perform more like the engine in your car or truck, tweaking fuel usage based on operating conditions to operate at peak efficiency,” says Kris Kiser, president of Outdoor Power Equipment Institute.
According to Tom Billigen, training and development manager, Vanguard, the two primary benefits of EFI are the potential for a generous increase in fuel efficiency and engine calibration for peak performance in a wide range of operation conditions. “This provides the operator with consistent performance, quality of cut and intuitive engine operation,” he says.
Joshua Sooy, segment director of professional equipment, Cub Cadet, suggests that for the landscapers and large residential owners alike it comes down to a few factors: fuel efficiency, cold weather starting, e-governing that helps keep engine RPMs at an optimal range under load for peak engine performance and eliminating the need to use a choke to start your engine. “While we develop, test and demo our products in the field, we consistently heard how EFI options were important to landscapers,” he says.
Why EFI?
EFI brings several advantages to the table over its carbureted counterparts.
“When talking about commercial-grade equipment a top priority is ensuring the reliability of the equipment,” says Kody Van Sistine, brand manager, Ferris Mowers. “Technologies like EFI ensure more consistent starting in all temperatures, and reduced fuel consumption. That assurance of reliable power means less downtime and more grass being cut.”
Among the benefits of an EFI engines is the ease of the starting process and the elimination of concerns about cold weather starts. There’s no choke, so no special cold starting routine is required, and there’s no risk of flooding the engine. Simply start it up and you’re off and running.
“Unlike a carbureted engine with a manual choke, an EFI engine starts instantly at any temperature with a simple turn of the key or push of a button,” explains Steve Stenz, turf product manager, Kohler Engines. “This also makes operator training easier.”
Additionally, operators at higher elevations don’t need to make adjustments to the engine for it to run well above 3,000 feet. “With EFI, the scaling of proper fuel delivery is calculated the moment the key is turned on,” Billigen explains.
Closed loop EFI systems such as what Kohler Engines use, are self-tuning, which provides higher blade speed for better cut quality and faster ground speed.Kohler Engines
For most contractors, the first thing they look at is fuel efficiency, and the ability to reduce their overall fuel-related expenses.
Stenz explains that an EFI fuel system is completely sealed from the atmosphere, unlike a carburetor float bowl, to help keep fuel fresh. “This takes away the hassle of stale fuel issues caused by seasonal storage,” he says. “The improved fuel economy of EFI means more time on tank with fewer trips to the pump.”
EFI engines are more resistant to stale fuel than carbureted engines. In EFI engines, fuel is exposed to far less oxygen, which helps prevent fuel degradation. EFI engines are more capable of burning degraded fuel due to high-pressure injectors that atomize the fuel into a mist creating an ideal blend that burns even when the fuel is highly degraded.
Lower total fuel cost, elimination of carburetor related failures and quicker service all reduce overall operating costs with EFI engine powered mowers.
“Ease of use is a benefit that doesn’t get talked about enough,” says Larry Mangnall, product manager, Exmark. “With the limited labor pool, one of the best things about EFI engines on a day-to-day basis is that it’s as easy to start and run as a modern car or truck. It automatically adjusts engine settings to the conditions at hand, so starting and running performance are consistent regardless of altitude or temperature.”
Also, he explains that because the fuel mixture is optimized in real time, based on the actual conditions, emissions are reduced considerably.
Perhaps the bigger benefit outside of fuel efficiency lies in the plug-in diagnostics capability to analyze the engine. This results in quickly diagnosing the problem thereby reducing maintenance by having no carburetor to maintain or replace.
Is it worth it?
EFI engines are fuel-efficient and typically give a mower the power it needs when it’s needed, but they aren’t for everyone. Unruh says that’s why Hustler Turf offers both EFI and carbureted models.
The mowers with the EFI engines are generally more expensive than their carbureted counterparts which turn some people away.
“A more complex system can be intimidating at first for operators and repair technicians, but manufacturers provide computer-aided troubleshooting analysis support,” Kiser adds.
What are the concerns contractors have when considering switching? Cost is an obvious consideration with EFI offerings costing $800 to $1,000 more. “There is also a little more complexity in the design of an EFI engine which scares away some contractors because of fear of breakdown,” Sooy says.
However, the green industry is continually viewing the technology from a different point of view as time goes by. For example, Exmark has been building EFI-powered mowers for more than fifteen years, and in that time, contractors have seemingly become much more comfortable with the technology.
The potential of fuel savings up to 25 percent with EFI continues to draw attention within the industry to make the return on investment feasible. For commercial landscapers, whose engines run for hours at a relatively steady speed, the opportunity to benefit from those fuel savings quickly becomes apparent.
“Some people are still wary of the increased complexity, thinking that anytime you add electronics, it’s just one more thing that can go wrong,” Mangnall says. “However, in practice that theory doesn’t pan out. EFI engines are often more reliable than their carbureted counterparts, and when there is a problem, the engine can often tell you what the issue is.”
Most manufacturers support the idea that EFI technology should be viewed as an investment into reliability for equipment and performance in the most demanding conditions. “While the entry cost may be more, that is offset by the value a user gets through year over year reliable performance and productivity,” Van Sistine says.
Unruh notes that commercial landscapers can justify the investment more than a homeowner, as they can use the added power to cut through more lawns and tough conditions without having to slow down.
Questions still arise in making the decision. “Will they get the value of the EFI when paying a higher price for it? Will it be easier for the operators to use it, will there be additional training to use it? They may not be sure how to work on it or what is wrong with it,” says Troy Smith, new product development engineering manager, Kawasaki Engines.
If it is a matter of taking it to the dealer for repairs, then consideration of ensuring the dealer has the right equipment and training to service the engine should also be considered. Some manufacturers offer EFI training programs to educate and equip dealers with knowledgeable resources.
“Dealers will want to consider purchasing their own diagnosing equipment and training their employees how to use it if they have not already done so,” Schoenthaler says.
Can I fix it?
There is no question that EFI engines are more technologically advanced than their carbureted engines. However, some would argue that with self-diagnostic capabilities tools and information available, total repair time and labor cost is reduced as they are often easier to maintain.
Most engine components, aside from the fuel system, remain unchanged between carbureted and EFI engines. The fuel filter is often the only difference as EFI engines require more advanced filter media and occasionally have a second filter to prevent any impurities from reaching the fuel injectors. This is necessary because EFI systems force fuel through a high-pressure injector that atomizes the liquid into a fine mist, creating a more volatile mixture while using a lower concentration of fuel.
“From a maintenance perspective, EFI engines feature controlled fuel delivery which decreases oil dilution issues and makes them more suitable for long term storage,” Billigen says. “Because the EFI fuel delivery system remains sealed from the atmosphere, fuel degradation is less likely to occur over time. That means far less potential service work needed after extended storage intervals, such as during the winter months.”
Overall, the EFI engines follow similar maintenance schedules to carbureted engines, relating to keeping the filters clean and the oil changed at regular intervals.Kawasaki
First and foremost, an EFI engine eliminates the carburetion problem due to bad gas and replaces it with a much more reliable fuel system. Overall, the EFI engines follow similar maintenance schedules to carbureted engines, relating to keeping the filters clean and the oil changed at regular intervals.
“Troubleshooting engine related problems is quicker with EFI thanks to the system’s self-diagnostic capability,” Stenz explains.
The additional hardware that can help connect to the engines makes it easier to track and know what maintenance needs to be done. “This can help plan for maintenance when it is needed rather than guessing or fixing when there is a problem resulting in the machine staying in operation longer,” Smith says.
While the electronic control provides analysis, it still represents a change to those used to working on traditional carbureted units. Fortunately, Kiser says manufacturers now have robust dealer support networks and in-the-field training programs to further train operators and repair technicians.
Sooy admits that there are some potential failure points around the sensors and added electronics needed to keep EFI running efficiently. “Although failures are rare, engine manufacturers have built extensive diagnostics into the engines which will allow your dealer to easily evaluate the health of the system during your yearly tune up,” he says.
Apart from that, Mangnall says he has found that there really is no additional maintenance time or cost related to EFI engines. In fact, he says because EFI engines run closer to optimal fuel/air ratios, they run cleaner, so components such as spark plugs can last longer. In theory, because of how efficient an EFI engine runs, it should require less maintenance.
What’s Next?
Currently, EFI is more prevalent on commercial equipment. Consumer EFI does exist and manufacturers are working to develop less expensive consumer options, as well as improve open-loop versions, to help EFI further expand beyond commercial markets. For instance, some consumer versions being developed feature fewer components to simplify the system as a whole, while offering comparable performance in a more cost-effective package.
Adding benefit to EFI is the use of Electronic Throttle Control technology, which is already available on various mowers including the Ferris ISX 3300 with Vanguard EFI-ETC engine. “ETC is a mower exclusive feature that uses a flywheel speed sensor to react instantaneously to any applied load which delivers smooth, consistent power in any condition,” Van Sistine says.
Eventually, EFI—in one form or another—is going to find its way into nearly every product segment and carbureted engines will be the exception and not the standard.
“In the end, EFI technology is a big win to a commercial landscaper’s bottom line as it means less time spent fixing issues and more time spent making money,” Van Sistine says.
