The Engine Control Unit (ECU) is a device which controls a number of features of the internal combustion engine. ECUs are found on the large majority of modern cars and will be available when it comes to all cars like Dodge Avengers and other quality models. The earliest ECUs used to only control exactly how much fuel is injected into each cylinder, but now the ECU controls a wide variety of functions.
But what does the Dodge Avenger ECU do, and how does it make the car perform at its very best?
Fuel Injection
The Dodge Avenger ECU will play a vital role when it comes to fuel injection. It plays this role by deciding exactly how much fuel will be pushed through into the cylinders. Not all engines use a fuel injection system, but the large majority of the Dodge franchise does and continues to use engines which operate with this process
The way it works is that the sensors will regularly report the status of the engine to the vehicle's control unit. For example, the throttle position sensor may report that the throttle pedal is being pressed down. The mass flow sensor will then be activated and will measure the amount of air being sucked through the valves and into the engine. This will tell the ECU to inject some more fuel into the cylinders.
Idle Speed Control
The large majority of systems have the idle speed function built into them. The Dodge Avenger ECU is no exception. The main function of the idle speed control is to monitor the timing of the engine.
But why does this matter in the slightest? Well it monitors the revolutions per minute (RPM) of the engine and it will dictate the functions for valve timing, fuel injection, and spark events. Essentially, the idle speed control is designed to regulate the speed of the whole system.
Electronic Valve Control
Electronic valve control is a vital part of the whole system because it delivers the benefit of being able to start the engine without using a starter motor. It does this by controlling the exhaust and intake valves electronically.
Variable Valve Control
This is a crucial feature when it comes to the Dodge Avenger because it will ultimately save on fuel bills and other costs as it optimises the economical features of the whole car. Furthermore, it also harnesses and optimises the full power of the Dodge's engine.
In a nutshell, the variable valve control function means that the ECU times the opening of the valves according to the speed of the vehicle.
For example, if the vehicle is going at a high speed then the Dodge Avenger ECU will open the valves sooner than it would if the vehicle was going at a lower speed. This gives the vehicle direct control over the air flow to the cylinders, and this also means that it simultaneously controls the amount of fuel injected into the Dodge's engine.