QuestionI want to buy a 2002 mitsubishi lancer 1.5 GDI,
when I test drive I see the GDI ECO Blinking on dashboard, is this ok and what does it mean.
AnswerHi Jr,
They didn't offer a 1.5L here in the States, but here's what I know about this technology. The 2002 Lancer came with the 2.0L mentioned here. Hope this helps.
There are currently two GDI engines in the Mitsubishi car line, the 2.0-litre engine in the Shogun Pinin, Mitsubishi Lancer and the 3.5-litre V6 in the Shogun. These were the world's first production direct-injection petrol engines, the term direct-injection meaning that the mixing of fuel and air takes place inside the cylinder rather than in a chamber before entering the cylinder.
Aside from the Pinin, Lancer and Shogun installation, the GDI engine is used as a 2.4-litre unit in the Space Wagon.
A key aspect of the high efficiency is the fuel-injection system which operates in two different combustion modes according to the demands the driver puts on the engine.
In conditions when there is only a low load on the engine, such as idling or driving at modest speeds where the accelerator is being pressed lightly, the GDI engine runs in 'Ultra-Lean Combustion Mode'. This means there is a higher proportion of air in the air/fuel mixture fed into the cylinders.
The driver knows when the engine is running in this mode thanks to a 'GDI-ECO' light that comes on in the instrument panel.
When a greater load is placed on the engine, in other words when increased power is sought by the driver, the GDI system goes into 'Superior Output Mode', during which a more conventional air/fuel mixture is employed. To provide greater torque for accelerating from low speed or a standing start, the fuel-injection switches to 'Two-Stage Mixing', whereby a second spray of fuel is fed into the chamber during the combustion cycle.
The precision of the fuel-air mixture is enhanced by the 'drive-by-wire' throttle, whereby the driver's 'instructions' to the engine are delivered electronically rather than by a traditional cable.
A telling indicator of the efficiency is that the Shogun's 3.5 V6 GDI engine delivers nearly 80 percent of its torque at an amazingly low 1500rpm - a characteristic that gives it supreme low-down pulling power. This is not only very useful on-road, but invaluable when tackling the toughest off-road terrain.
