posted 12-10-2007 09:03 PM ET (US)        

The notion that there are distinct "generations" of the E-TEC recognizable via serial numbers or model years is not a good way to characterize these motors. The software that is loaded into the engine management module is probably a better way to characterize the engine's heritage or pedigree.

The operation of a modern computer-controlled engine is primarily determined by the software operating it, and in the case of the E-TEC this seems particularly true. Bombardier has been quite active in making software changes to improve the operation of the engine, and they have also made these updates available to customers to allow earlier engines to be updated. Someone who bought an E-TEC in 2004 can have the engine management module software updated to the latest revision, and in a sense they can upgrade their motor.

Of course, software cannot make hardware changes, but in the case of the patented Bombardier E-TEC injector, we have already seen and discussed in detail (in the prior discussion) how the characteristics of the injector are modeled in the software! The four coefficients which characterize an injector turn the injector into a piece of software from a piece of hardware. This is really quite a radical concept. Let's explore it further.

With the injector characteristics provided by the software and its four coefficients, the injector is no longer locked into a particular mechanical configuration. Now let me be perfectly clear that what I am about to propose is just my own speculation and should be considered only as that, but it is clear that if Bombardier wished to, they could probably change the actual physical characteristics of the injectors, install the new injectors on old engines, and program the engine to work with the new injectors by changing the software that controls them.

posted 12-10-2007 11:11 PM ET (US)            

I don't doubt that they could. Most good engine platforms have that capability. However, I heard (read?) that there was also a change in the swirl nozzle in the new injectors. They could still maybe be retrofit to older engines, but was there any other geometry changes such as combustion chamber or piston bowl that would preclude the retrofit?

Were they able to eliminate the deflector pins and plug indexing with the new injectors?

posted 12-11-2007 02:21 AM ET (US)            

The original injector has a "swirl tip" also, this one is slightly different as is the cylinder head.

Companies change product designs either to make things less expensive to produce or because the original product needed improvements. Merc has had several injector changes over the years in its Opti motors, XSTech will confirm that or you can check part numbers at a dealership. They even color-coded them to see if the newer ones were installed in a motor.

In the case of the '08 E-TEC injectors, it is internal parts changes that are the difference. Emission outputs are the same, and for upcoming regulations, the new injector can be more finely tuned. Also new motor designs are coming which will incorporate these parts or have them scaled up or down.