Engine STC

System
 STC Operation

STC or Step Timing Control

is a method by which the start
of fuel injection can be
advanced

We will be looking at why we

need STC, how it works and
the benefits available

Two types of STC are

available:-

Mechanically controlled
Electrically controlled

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 STC Operation

Advanced timing means that the

fuel is injected earlier in the
compression cycle

NORMAL timing means that

the fuel is injected later in the
compression cycle

One major reason we must be

able to vary the injection timing
is the strict exhaust emission
laws
By advancing the injection
timing during certain engine
operating conditions, we are
able to produce less damaging
particles into the atmosphere

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 STC Operation

STC offers many advantages. During

ADVANCED injection timing it:-
Improves cold-weather idling
characteristics
Reduces cold-weather white smoke
Improves light-load fuel economy
Reduces injector carboning

During NORMAL injection timing, STC

controls cylinder pressures, and reduces
nitrogen oxide emissions

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 STC Operation

During cold start up and warm idle

conditions, only a small amount of
fuel is metered into the injector cup

At idle, the plunger moves downward at

a relatively slow rate
Consequently, the fuel is not forced
through the spray holes hard enough to
attain good atomization
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 STC Operation

Lets assume the ambient air

temperature is below freezing

Until the air is sufficiently

heated by the after-cooler, it
will not allow the combustion
chamber to become hot
enough to support good
combustion

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 STC Operation

 We have two negative factors:-

1. Fuel that is not atomized enough to burn
thoroughly
2. Intake air that not only cannot support
good combustion, but continuously cools
the piston, liner, valves and cylinder head

The cold air is compressed, resulting in

enough heat to burn only part of the
fuel…usually the finely atomized
droplets, and the outer portions of the
larger droplets

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 STC Operation

These conditions cause white

smoke, soot and carbon
White smoke is formed by
raw fuel and air
Soot and carbon are the
results of partially burned fuel

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 STC Operation

 STC allows the engine to operate at ADVANCED

injection timing during cold-starting and warm idle
conditions
 STC allows the engine to operate at NORMAL timing
during medium to high engine load conditions

 During ADVANCED injection timing, fuel is

injected into the cylinder sooner
 Ignition delay is longer under these
conditions, giving the fuel more time to mix
with the intake air
 When ignition occurs, the fuel is burned
more completely
 The combustion temperature is higher, and
the cylinder pressure is greater
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 STC Operation

We’ll start with the injection

cycle on the Inner Base Circle
[IBC]

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 STC Operation

When the cam follower roller is

on the inner base circle of the
cam, the injector plunger is at
the top of it’s travel

The metering orifice is

uncovered, and the fuel flows
into the injector cup

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 STC Operation

As the cam follower roller

moves up the cam injection
ramp, onto the outer base
circle, the metering orifice
closes, fuel metering ends

Fuel is forced into the cylinder

and the plunger seats on the
bottom of the injector cup

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 STC Operation

Here we see a simple hydraulic

device

An inner piston and an outer

piston

Note how these relate to the

inner and outer pistons of the
STC tappet

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 STC Operation

In NORMAL timing the tappet

collapses [the inner piston
touches the outer piston] before
the injector plunger begins to
move

In NORMAL timing mode, the

STC injector is similar to a
standard injector, except that
the STC camshaft has a higher
lift to take up the space
between the pistons in the
tappet

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 STC Operation

When the system is in

ADVANCED timing, the STC
control valve directs lube oil
pressure to the tappet, filling the
space between the two pistons

The injector plunger starts moving

as the cam follower starts up the
injection ramp. Since it started
early, the injector plunger bottoms
in the cup before the cam follower
reaches the top of the injection
ramp

To allow for this extra camshaft

lift, the oil trapped in the tappet is
forced out, allowing the tappet to
collapse
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 STC Operation

No oil is in the tappet… the

injector is metering fuel

As the cam follower starts up

the cam injection ramp, the
injector rocker lever begins to
force the inner piston
downward

Because there is no oil in the

tappet, the inner piston must
make mechanical contact with
the outer piston before the
injector plunger can begin its
downward travel

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 STC Operation

Now let’s fill the tappet with

oil
The injector is metering fuel
As the cam follower starts up
the cam injection ramp, the
injector lever begins to force
the inner piston downward
The oil between the pistons
form a solid hydraulic link, the
pressure is immediately
transmitted to the outer piston,
and the injector plunger begins
it’s downward travel

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 STC Operation

 Components that make up the

STC tappet:-
1. Bowed retaining ring
2. Socket
3. Load cell spring
4. Ball guide
5. Load cell check ball
6. Sleeve
7. Plunger return spring
8. Spring retainer
9. Inlet check ball spring
10. Inlet check ball
11. Plunger
12. Link
13. Retaining clip
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 STC Operation

Whenever the oil pressure in

the manifold exceeds 10psi
[70kPa], the inlet check ball is
moved from it’s seat and fills
the cavity between the inner
and outer pistons

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 STC Operation

During the injection cycle, the

oil is held inside the tappet by
the inlet check ball and load
cell check ball
When the rocker lever forces
the inner piston downward,
the solid link of oil causes the
injector plunger to contact the
fuel earlier
Injection timing is then in the
ADVANCED mode. At the
end of injection

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 STC Operation

The increased pressure moves

the load cell check ball from
it’s seat
The oil drains past the load
cell check ball and through
the drain holes in the injector
adapter, and returns to the oil
pan through drain holes in the
cylinder head and block
Meanwhile, with continued
cam lift, the inner piston
makes mechanical contact
with the outer piston, and
maintains injector plunger
seating force
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 STC Operation

The STC hydraulic tappet is

located in the injector
assembly
Operation of the tappet is
controlled by the STC control
valve. This valve has two
functions
It senses fuel pressure and
directs lube oil to the tappet to
control timing
It senses C Brake operation
and insures that the engine is
in NORMAL timing mode
when the brakes are activated

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 STC Operation

The STC control valve uses

fuel pressure and spring force
to control the position of the
AFC style plunger

The position of the plunger

dictates whether the oil
passage to the hydraulic
tappets is open or closed

Fuel pressure acts on the

piston end of the plunger

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 STC Operation

During ADVANCED timing,

the spring opposes the fuel
pressure and holds the
plunger in the open position

Pressurized lube oil flows to

the tappets and initiates
ADVANCED timing

The spring holds the plunger

in the open position until the
fuel pressure rises above the
certified switching pressure

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 STC Operation

At this certified level, the

higher fuel pressure over
comes the spring

This action shifts the plunger

and closes the oil passage

The oil supply to the tappets

is interrupted, and the engine
begins to operate in the
NORMAL timing mode

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 STC Operation

As the fuel pressure decreases

and falls below the certified
level, the plunger shifts and
opens the oil flow passage
again

ADVANCED timing occurs

when the pressurized lube oil
fills the tappets

A specific pressure difference

is designed into the valve to
prevent the valve plunger
from fluttering between
ADVANCED and NORMAL
timing positions

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 STC Operation

 Some KV engines have a single STC control block, this will control oil flow to
both oil rails on either side of the engine
 Whilst some engines will have duel STC control blocks, these STC control blocks,
mounted on either side of the engine will control oil flow to the oil rails on either
side of the engine
Oil In

Oil out to STC

Oil Rail &
Injectors

Fuel Out Fuel In

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Engine STC
System