🔍 Key Concepts

• Function of a pintle in a fuel injector and how it shapes/controls the fuel spray • Relationship between spray pattern and engine combustion/efficiency • What mechanical damage vs. chemical processes (like corrosion or erosion) are most directly linked to a broken internal part

💭 Think About

• Think about what the pintle physically does when it lifts and seats in the injector—how would breaking it change how fuel leaves the nozzle? • Which option describes an effect that would appear immediately after the pintle breaks, rather than developing slowly over time? • Look at each choice and ask: is this mainly caused by fuel quality/chemical attack, by deposits, or by a change in the geometry of the spray opening?

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify that a pintle is the small needle-like valve that opens and closes the injector outlet and shapes the spray • Distinguish between problems caused by flow restriction (blocking/plugging) and problems caused by changed spray geometry (shape or direction of the spray), • Before choosing, match the failure: broken mechanical control element → which listed effect depends most on precise control of the fuel spray?