The conception of new engines as well as the further development of those already existing, is influenced to an ever accelerating extent by the aspects of cost, besides the need for driveability, fuel economy and ecological conservation. For an independent engine manufacturer it is especially important to be able to offer products that, considering the competition in terms of performance, fuel consumption, exhaust emissions and noise levels, have favourable price ranges. The growing need for environmental preservation, in particular, has forced the introduction of normaly more expensive technology such as new injection and turbocharging systems. In relation to the criteria involved in minimising the production costs, this results in a conflict of objectives.
Taking the 4.10 TCA Engine as an example will show that, using simple mechanic injection systems of low cost, which produce a maximum level of injection pressure clearly lower than 90 MPa (900 bar), it is possible to reach a very low level of exhaust emissions (in this case EURO 2), without having to consider disadvantages within the aspects of driveability and fuel economy. Following on from the EURO 1 model, steps will be laid down for the reduction of NOx and particulate emissions, specially the work done on the fuel injection system and improving the combustion process. For this, the influence of critical parameters affecting exhaust emissions will be examined, also taking into account the tolerances of these parameters in production. In addition to this, the results of acoustic analyses of the engine will be presented and, to finish with, there will be further steps wich foresee future reductions in exhaust emissions put forward and discussed.