TECHNOLOGY
HOW DO YOU KNOW
WHAT YOU BURN?
Electronically Controlled Diesel Engines Are Decidedly Accurate
Photo courtesy of Paul Tortora
STORY BY BILL PARLATORE
any boat owners I’ve spoken with have
wondered about the accuracy of the fuel-consumption
information presented by today’s electronic diesel engines.
Whenever this topic arises, whether at the dock or in
an online forum, I am surprised by the diversity of the
responses—so much so that I felt compelled to check into
the matter and provide an explanation of fuel consumption
as it relates to what your engine’s display tells you.
M
After speaking to engineers affiliated with several
manufacturers and distributors, I can report that all of the
engine companies seem to use essentially the same
method of calculating fuel consumption. I was repeatedly
reminded that the majority of marine engines in today’s
boats are from the automotive/industrial/agricultural
world, where millions of dollars have been invested in the
research and development of electronic fuel injection
When stricter emissions regulations forced electronic engines into boating, many feared the simple reliability of diesels would be lost.
Such fears have been widely silenced by the tremendous benefits this technology brings to the modern cruising boat.
