DIESEL COMMON RAIL SYSTEM

CHAPTER OBJECTIVE
2.1Understand the function, construction and operation of Diesel
Common Rail system
2.1.1 Explain the application of common rail
2.1.2 Identify and explain functions of common rail components
2.1.3 Explain the injection characteristics with common rail

2.1.4 Explain the application of electronic diesel control

2.1.5 Describe trouble shooting using diagnostic tool

Demand On Modern Diesel Engine

Development

Low fuel consumption

Low pollutant emissions
Quiet running engines
Improved engine performance
Improving the diesel engine
capabilities

Application of Common Rail

Concern for the environment
Strict limits on particle emissions lead to
increasingly higher injection pressures
Makes available provides better fuel
atomization
Optimizing injection timing and quantity for
variations in fuel quality

Conventional

Common Rail Diesel

COMPONENT OF CRD

BASIC CONCEPT COMMON RAIL

SYSTEM

ACCUMULATOR (RAIL)
Used to create a common reservoir of fuel
under a consistent controlled pressure
That separate from the fuel injection points
Also damps pressure vibrations caused by high
pressure pump & injection processes

FUEL RAIL PRESSURE SENSOR

A fuel rail pressure sensor is located on the fuel rail

Monitors the fuel pressure in the common rail
Inputs the information to the ECU
3 wires:
- 5 volt supply from engine
- Sensor ground via engine
- Linear signal voltage output to ECM

FUEL RAIL PRESSURE CONTROL VALVE

Controls fuel pressure by opening & closing a
return port in the rail
Excess fuel returns to the fuel tank via the fuel
return

PRESSURE LIMITER VALVE

Located at the end of the fuel rail

To relieve rail pressure if abnormally high
system pressure is generated

HIGH PRESSURE PUMP

Interface between low pressure & high
pressure side of fuel system
Ensure that enough fuel is delivered at
sufficient pressure across the engines entire
operating range
The pressure is set by ECU

FUEL METERING CONTROL VALVE

Located at back of high pressure

pump
Controls the fuel intake volume to
pump
Receives battery voltage supply from
engine

INJECTOR
used in Common Rail systems are triggered
externally by an Electronic Diesel Control
(EDC) unit
controls all the engine injection parameters
including the pressure in the fuel rail and the
timing and duration of injection

Injector Sizes

Injector
Injects exactly the correct amount
of fuel in to the combustion
chamber at precisely the right
moment in time
The injector is equipped with:
- 2/2 electromagnetic servo valve
- Nozzle
- Valve control chamber
- Return line

Components of Injector

Common Rail Fuel Injection System

Provide the diesel engine with fuel
Generate the high pressure needed for
fuel injection and distribute the fuel to
the individual cylinders

Inject precisely correct amount of fuel at

exactly the right moment in
time

Operation
(Diesel Common Rail System)

How does a CR system operation?

Sub functions of a CRFI system

COMMON RAIL FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

Low pressure circuit

High pressure circuit

ECU with sensors

The Common Rail Sub functions (LOW PRESSURE)

The low pressure circuit is responsible for
transporting the fuel to the high pressure circuit
Low pressure circuit comprises of:
Fuel tank ,Pre-supply pump, Fuel filter & the
respective connection lines

The Common Rail Sub functions (HIGH PRESSURE)

Responsibility of the high pressure circuit to generate a constant
unvarying high pressure
Inject the fuel through the injectors into the engines combustion
chambers
High pressure circuit comprises:
High pressure pump with pressure control valve
The high pressure accumulator (Rail )with the rail pressure sensor
Injectors
The respective high pressure connection lines

The Common Rail Sub functions (ECU & SENSOR)

Sensor - responsible for measuring important

physical quantities
ECU - calculates injected fuel quantity, start of
injection, duration of injection, and rate of
discharge curve, as well supervises the correct
functioning of the injection system

The Common Rail Sub functions

ECU and sensors
The common rail ECU evaluates the signals from the
following sensors
Crankshaft - speed sensor, Camshaft sensor
Accelerator - pedal travel sensor
Boost pressure sensor, air temperature sensor
Air mass meter & rail pressure sensor

EDC Electronic Diesel Control

APPLICATION
Advances in fuel delivery and engine
management systems
Injectors controlled by the engine computer
Sensitive controls
Ability to process additional parameters
Tighter tolerances & increased accuracy even
over very long periods of operation

EDC Electronic Diesel Control

SENSOR
- Control collar in the injection pump by angle sensors
- detect the start of injection by sensing the needle movement

ECU
- Employs digital technology
- Function of parameters : load, e/g speed coolant temp, air
quantity
- Protective circuitry & mechanical shielding provide a high
level of EMC (electro-magnetic compatibility)

TROUBLESHOOTING
Low Compression
not enough heat being produced to
ignite the diesel fuel and cause
hard starting
compression readings average
approximately (275-400 psi)
Low Fuel Pressure
diesel injector rail not holding the fuel within the system and
poor fuel supply
Check pressure supply from the fuel tank to the high pressure
pump

Low Cranking Speed

vehicle is turning over slowly
diesel pump can't generate enough fuel pressure
to initialize fuel injection causing hard starting
problems
During the colder periods of the year low
cranking speed is more common due the battery
being flat or faulty
Diesel Injector/s Faulty
injector failure is due to excessive back leak or return flow
Cause by internal worn parts (pilot valve, nozzles or seals)
The outcome of excessive leakage is a drop in rail pressure
Injector Wiring Harness
Faults occur with injector wiring harness with vehicles that have cam
driven injectors ( Unit Injectors ) under the rocker cover which allow
engine oil to come into contact with the electrical connectors

ADVANTAGES USING COMMON RAIL DIESEL

Delivers a more controlled quantity : Atomized fuel, which leads to better fuel economy
A reduction in exhaust emissions
Significant decrease in engine noise during
operation