N54 Engine
The N54 engine uses the new High Precision Injection (HPI) system. The HPI system is a "direct" fuel injection system which represents the second generation "DI" system from BMW. The first generation was on the N73 engine from 2003.
The N73 engine used a "wall guided" method of injection which used a recess in the piston to aid in mixture formation. The HPI system on the N54 uses a "spray guided" process which allows the mixture to form and ignite without the aid of any "walls" (i.e piston, cylinder wall etc.).
The spray guided system allows for more efficiency by cooling the cylinder charge without excessive cooling of the associated engine components. The wall guided system cools the piston crown which reduces thermal efficiency.
The HPI system also uses the new "piezo-electric" fuel injectors which are a vital components of the spray guided process. These new injectors open in an outward direction, which forms a precise tapered spray pattern.
With the aid of high system pressure (200 bar), the HPI system is now capable of providing new levels of efficiency which were not achievable with previous manifold injection systems.
