Electronic management systems:Caterpillar EMS

Posted on December 14, 2015 by admin Leave a comment

Caterpillar EMS
Figure 6-12 illustrates the EMS used on Caterpillar 3116, 3176, 3406E, and 3500 engines. It is a
relatively simple system, without the bells and whistles mandated by current emissions regulations.
The ECM mounts on the engine, which reduces the electromagnetic radiation given off by the
harness, simplifies packaging, and enables the computer to be cooled by fuel. A major engineering
effort was required to isolate the electronics from the heat, vibration, solvents, steam, and water
blasts that engines are exposed to.
All sensors, with the exception of the oil pressure sensor, input data for efficient fuel allocation.
Abnormally low or high sensor readings cause the ECM to set one or

more trouble codes, which can be retrieved by connecting a scan tool to the SAE J1922 data link
connector. The only computer-controlled actuators in this particular system are the electronic unit
injectors (EUIs), cooling fan, and cruise control.
A more sophisticated system used on current C-10, C-12, and C-15 truck engines is illustrated in Fig.
6-13. Sensor and actuator functions for this and the earlier Cat system
are outlined in Table 6-2. Figure 6-14 shows the location of EMS components on the C-10 and C-12
engines. Sensor location is similar for the C-15, except that boost and intake-manifold pressure
sensors are on the left side forward rather than on the right.
Electronic unit injector
Both the 3100-3500 and C series engines employ EUIs that combine mechanical actuation with
electronic control over fuel volume. Figure 6-15 illustrates an EUI in cross-section. A roller-tipped
rocker arm, acting on in the injector plunger, provides the force necessary to generate the 28,000-psi
injection pressure. The solenoid valve, shown on the left of the drawing, opens the spill/fill port to
admit fuel into the injector barrel during the period of plunger retraction. A spring-loaded check
valve, located near the injector tip and set to open at 5000 psi, remains closed during the fill process.
Injection can be initiated any time after the plunger starts its downward travel. But until the ECM
signals the solenoid valve to close the spill/fill port, fuel merely cycles through the EUIs as a coolant
and as a purge to remove any entrapped air.
Upon signal, the solenoid valve closes the port, trapping fuel in the injector barrel. Further downward
movement of the plunger raises fuel pressure sufficiently to over- come spring tension acting on the
check valve. The check valve opens and injection begins.
Injection continues until the ECM signals the solenoid to open the spill/fill port. Responding to the
sudden loss of pressure at the injector tip, the check valve snaps shut. Injection ceases. The plunger
continues its downward stroke, displacing fuel through the open spill/fill port and into the fuel-return
gallery.
Although the software has primary responsibility for injector timing, plunger movement is affected
by rocker-arm lash. The onset of pressure rise depends upon the clearance between the rocker arm
and the plunger. A Caterpillar PN J 35637 height gauge is used to establish this critical variable (Fig.
6-16).

pump (9), pressure regulating valve (10), check valve (11), fuel tank (12), and drain plug (13).
Courtesy Caterpillar Inc.
Low-pressure circuit
Figure 6-17 illustrates the low pressure circuit for EUI-equipped engines. A gear-type transfer pump
(9) delivers fuel from the tank (12) to the injectors (3). The pump incorporates a check valve (11) that
permits fuel to flow around it during manual priming and a pressure-relief valve (10) to protect the
system from over-pressurization.
Cat supplies dealer mechanics with a special tool, consisting of a pressure gauge, a sight glass, and
the necessary fittings for makeup to mechanical and electronic low- pressure systems. This tool is
similar to the Ford tool described in Chap. 4.
Check fuel pressure by removing the fuel pressure sensor at the base of the fuel filter. Install a
pressure gauge and run the engine at rated rpm and load. Pressure should be 90 psi. If pressure is 75
psi or lower, check the fuel level in the tank, verify that the fuel cap vent is open, and that supply and
return lines are in good condition. Pay particular attention to the return line, which can collapse if
exposed to excessive heat. Replace the fuel filter. If necessary, replace the lift pump.
If fuel pressure is high, that is, 100 psi or greater, remove the fuel-regulating valve (10) and make
sure the orifices near the tip of the unit are open. Flush out any debris and attempt to find the source
of the contamination. Check for a clogged fuel- return line. Verify that the transfer-pump relief valve
functions.
High-pressure circuit
Deactivating one EUI at a time will identify misfiring or dead cylinders. As mentioned previously,
current values are high, and for your own safety, do not tamper with EUI wiring while the engine is
running. Professional-quality scanners can safely deny power to the injectors so that the effect, if
any, on engine performance can be gauged. When a weak cylinder is located, replace the injector and
retest. If a new injector does not solve the problem, check valve lash to make certain that the valves
are seating and, if necessary, make a cylinder compression as described in Chap. 4. Caterpillar
technicians use a boroscope, inserted through the injector mounting boss, to visually inspect cylinder
internals.
Hydraulic/electronic unit injector
HEUI evolved from the EUI, and since mid-1994 has been used on Caterpillar, International T444E,
DT466E, 1530E, certain Perkins models, and, most famously, on the Ford (International) Power
Stroke. Unlike conventional camshaft-driven unit injectors, HEUIs are actuated by high-pressure
crankcase oil. Since injection is no longer tied to camshaft motion, fuel can be injected at any crank
angle. At higher-than-idle speeds, injector pressure is independent of engine rpm and can attain
values of 30,000 psi.
Figure 6-18 illustrates the general layout of the Cat system that differs only in detail from Ford and
other HEUI applications. Figure 6-19 shows the arrangement of the piping for the 3126B truck
engine, which is the focus of this discussion. The high-pressure oil pump delivers crankcase oil to the
injectors at cranking pressures of 500 psi that increase to as much as 3300 psi under speed and load.
The computer-controlled injector actuation pressure control valve (IAPCV) regulates oil pressure by
shunting pump output to the crankcase. Fuel pressure is regulated to 55 psi minimum.
HEUI consists of five major components—a solenoid, poppet valve, mushroom- shaped intensifier
piston, barrel, and a seven-hole nozzle assembly (Fig. 6-20). Approximately 4A is required to
energize the solenoid and 1.5A holds it open.
Upon command, the solenoid opens the poppet valve to admit high-pressure lube oil to the upper end
of the intensifier piston (6 in Fig. 6-20). The oil forces the piston and plunger (7) down against fuel
trapped in the injector body by a ball check valve. The fuel end of the plunger is smaller in diameter
than the upper, or oil, end. The difference in cross-sectional area multiplies the hydraulic force acting
on the fuel times, to produce injection pressures of 3000–30,000 psi. Pressurized fuel lifts a second
check valve, enters the cavity on the lower right of the drawing, and reacts against the needle
shoulder to overcome spring tension. Nozzle-opening pressure (NOP) varies with the application.
Some Cat injectors have an NOP of 4500 psi. Rebuilders of Power Stroke HEUIs look for 2750 +/_
75 psi.
Note that both band width (the time the injector is open) and actuator-oil pressure determine the
amount of fuel delivery.
HEUI injectors have undergone constant refinement. The most significant change is the split-shot
PRIME (preinjection metering) version that first appeared on 1994 California Ford F series trucks
and has since become almost universal.
These injectors work like other HEUIs, except that the plunger incorporates a radial groove that
receives fuel through six bleed ports drilled in the face of the plunger. As the piston moves
downward, the groove aligns with a spill port in the barrel, shunting pressure. The output-side check
ball seats and injection stops. Further piston movement masks the port and injection resumes.
Injector service
The three external o-rings are critical. The upper o-ring, now supplied with steel and elastomer
backup rings, prevents lube oil from leaking up and out of the injector
body. The middle o-ring and its supporting rings prevents lube oil from mixing with the fuel. Sudden
and dramatic increases in oil consumption can usually be attributed to failure of this middle ring
assembly. The lower o-ring keeps fuel from puddling around the base of the injector.
Lubricate o-rings and wait ten minutes or so for the rings to assume their natural shape before
installing injectors or other parts sealed by o-rings. Failure to do so can result in leaks. Seals on all
plumbing, especially the fuel-return lines, are critical. Do not disturb connections without new seals
in hand.
Injector failure is not always easy to diagnose, since rough idle, long cranking periods, and misfires
at particular rpm’s can have multiple causes, several associated with the high-pressure lube oil
system. This subject is explored in more detail in the con- text of Power Stroke systems. It can be
helpful to check individual exhaust runner temperatures with an infrared thermometer. All exhaust-
manifold runners should be at or very close to the same temperature: a hotter-than-average runner
indicates the associated cylinder is receiving too much fuel, and a cool runner means insufficient
fuel. Both of these conditions point to injector failure.
HEUI injectors are not field repairable in the sense that the average mechanic can do the work.
Rebuilt units are available from factory and independent suppliers such as Dipaco.
HEUI hydraulics
A seven-piston swash-plate pump, located forward on the left side of the 3126B engine, supplies oil
pressure to the injectors through a passage in the engine cylinder head. Oil returns to the sump
through ports under the valve cover. The pump, also used by Ford and International, is
nonrebuildable.
The injector actuation pressure control valve (IAPCV), mounted aft of the pump, regulates oil
pressure (Fig. 6-21). The poppet valve floats in suspension between pump-discharge pressure that
tends to move it to the left and force generated by the solenoid that pushes it to the right. When the
oil pressure over-balances the solenoid, the poppet valve opens to shunt a portion of pump output
back to the crankcase. Pressure falls.
How much force the solenoid generates depends upon the amount of current it receives. The ECM
compares oil-pressure data, collected 67 times a second from a
sensor mounted in the cylinder-head gallery, with desired pressure and adjusts cur- rent intensity
accordingly.
Note that HEUI injectors in this application require 870 psi to fire, a figure that varies with ambient
temperature. The engine will not start unless firing pressure is reached. Pressure ranges between 580
psi during initial cranking to 3350 psi with 3500 psi occasionally seen.
When the IAPCV fails, replacing the o-rings can sometimes save the cost of a new part. One should
be very careful when servicing these valves, since wrench torque can easily distort the housing.
Caterpillar supplies a special tool for this purpose, which can be described as a flair-nut crow’s-foot
wrench. That is, the box end of the wrench has been partially cut away so that it will slip over the
valve body. Torque to 37 ft-lb.
Fuel pressure
The piston-type transfer pump runs off an eccentric on the back of the injector oil pump. Nominal
fuel pressure is 65 psi at the pump. When the measurement is made downstream of a new filter,
expect to see a pressure drop of about 5 psi. If pressures are low, clean the inlet screen on the pump
and replace the fuel pressure regulator with a known-good unit. If the problem persists, replace the
transfer pump.
Boost pressure
The amount of boost relative to engine speed and load depends upon the application, with the
specification given for 28.8 in./Hg dry barometric pressure, 77°F (25°C) ambient temperature, and 35
API gravity fuel. If the air is denser, that is, if barometric pressure is higher and/or temperature
lower, boost pressure will be higher than specified. Likewise, a heavier fuel increases turbo output.
When docu- mentation is unavailable, consult the factory for boost specifications. The wastegate is
nonadjustable.
Low manifold pressure combined with high exhaust temperature suggests that the air filter is clogged
or that the aftercooler, pressure-side turbo plumbing, or intake-manifold gasket leak.
Throttle position sensor
The TPS is located under the accelerator pedal and generates a pulse-width signal that can read with
a Fluke Model 97 or equivalent multimeter and a breakout box. The breakout consists of three 12-in.
long No.10 AWG wires that bridge the harness connectors and three 6-in. long No. 12 AWG wires
that make up to the meter.
1. Using Caterpillar PN 1U5804, crimp Deutch DT 04-3P-E008 male connectors to one end of each
of the three long wires and DT 04-3P-E003 female con- nectors to the other ends. See Fig. 6-22.
2. Make up DT 04-3P-E003 female connectors to one end of each of three short wires. These
connectors plug into the meter receptacle.
3. Solder the three short wires to the centers of the longer wires.

Set the meter to measure pulse-width percentage and, with the ignition switch “on,” depress the
accelerator pedal. Pulse width varies with make and model, but should be in the neighborhood of 80–
90% at wide-open throttle and drop to 10 or 20% with the pedal at rest. A spare TPS is good
insurance.
Female deutch
•DT 06–35–E003
Female deutch
•DT 06–35–E003
Male deutch
•DT 04–3P–E008
Trouble codes
Table 6-3 lists the most critical DTCs for this system. PID (parameter identifier) is a two- or three-
digit SAE numerical code assigned to each component. For example, 91 refers to the throttle position
sensor. FMI is a failure mode identifier used to describe the kind of failure detected, and flash refers
to the number of blinks the code triggers on the “check engine” lamp. Some codes are merely
informational and do not affect engine performance. Active codes, that is, those that turn on the
diagnostic lamp and keep it on, mean that the problem requires immediate attention. The lamp will
go out when the malfunction is repaired. Intermittent malfunctions, often caused by loose harness
connectors or bad grounds, cause the lamp to blink and go out. These codes are then logged in
computer memory, where they can be retrieved and erased with the appropriate scanner. Intermittent
codes that are logged repeat- edly need investigation.