A unit injector (UI) is a high-pressure integrated direct fuel injection system for diesel engines, combining the injector nozzle and the injection pump in a single component. The plunger pump used is usually driven by a shared camshaft. In a unit injector, the device is typically lubricated and cooled by the fuel itself.
High-pressure injection delivers power and fuel consumption benefits over earlier lower-pressure fuel injection by injecting fuel as a larger number of smaller droplets, giving a much higher ratio of surface area to volume. This provides improved vaporisation from the surface of the fuel droplets and so more efficient combining of atmospheric oxygen with vaporised fuel, delivering more complete and cleaner combustion.