Material for the Poppet Valve of a Fuel Injector

Poppets for fuel injectors are provided with an improved sealing surface by making the poppet from a softer material than is known in the prior art. Instead of providing a Rockwell C hardness value of 50 or greater, as is known to those skilled in the art of poppet manufacture, the improved poppet (20) is made of a softer material that allows the valve head (24) of the poppet to wear in such a way that its shape conforms more accurately with a valve seat (18) of the nozzle (14) of a fuel injector. This also provides the beneficial result of improved salt water corrosion resistance. By using a softer metal to make the poppet, the improved sealing characteristic improves fuel efficiency of the engine and reduces emissions of undesirable compounds.