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Testing Piezoelectric Injectors 1
Testing Piezoelectric Injectors 1
Testing piezoelectric
JOBS
injectors
When you squeeze quartz an odd thing happens, it will produce a
current. When you apply current to quartz, it will rapidly change
shape and stay in that new shape. Piezoelectric injectors uses this
characteristic to provide fast, precise control of injection timing,
while eliminating all other moving parts. Joe Clarke, from DIT, Joe Clarke, D.I.T.
Figure 1 - A scope trace from a Euro 5 compliant diesel engine Figure 2 - This injector was triggered twice in about 1 millisecond
AUTOBIZ TECH TIPS December 2012 Compendium >> originally published in Autobiz December 2011
Testing of the injector, with the engine running or n Figure 4. If an excessive
Unfortunately there is no single check that can being turned over using the starter motor. difference is observed
be applied to diagnose a faulty injector, aside between cylinders, then an
from substitution with a known good Note: Do not display two injectors at the injector fault could be the
component. This is not recommended, as a same time using an oscilloscope with a cause.
faulty wiring circuit could lead to damage to common earth between channels, as this
the new injector. could result in an injector being held open and Note: An engine
causing engine damage. mechanical fault
The following tests may be carried out on resulting in reduced
Piezo-electric injectors. The values obtained To display the voltage pulse from the engine compression could also
may vary according to the injector and the ECU, the following oscilloscope settings lead to excessive fuel
injection system variant. should be selected: being injected to
• Amplitude: 50V/Div compensate. This can
•Test 1 - Resistance Test: The resistance • Time scale: 1ms/Div be identified by
of the control actuator may be measured by • Trigger threshold: 40V. swapping the injectors
connecting an ohm meter across the two Result: Figures 1, 2 & 3 scope traces are taken between cylinders. If
injector electrical pins, when the injector is from a Euro 5 compliant diesel engine the imbalance stays
disconnected from the wiring harness. equipped with the Continental SID807 with the cylinder, the
Result: The resistance should be in the region injection system. injector is not the fault.
of 200KΩ. If the imbalance moves
Pilot injection is used to reduce engine noise with the injector, then
•Test 2 - Capacitance Test: This test is and emissions at low to medium engine the injector is faulty.
carried out by connecting the multi-meter in speeds. Above 4,500 rpm, the engine tone
the same way as during the resistance check, will change as pre-injection is no longer Conclusion
except the capacitance test is selected on the carried out and the Exhaust Gas Recirculation In order to efficiently
multi-meter. (EGR) valve will be closed. diagnose a Piezo-
Result: The capacitance should generally be electric injector fault, a
between 6µF and 8µF. Some systems require a learning programme detailed knowledge of
to be carried out in order for pilot injection to the injection system’s
• Test 3 - Injector Leak-off Test: All function. This involves driving the vehicle strategies and
injector leak-off pipes must be disconnected within specified parameters to learn injector characteristics is
and blocked to prevent leakage. A separate drift. When injector current is displayed using required. A systematic
pipe is connected to each injector, with the the oscilloscope, the value may range from 5 approach must be
free end in a graduated cylinder. This test to 10 amps positive and negative as the taken, involving the
normally consists of holding the engine at current flow changes direction. skilled use of various
high idle for a duration of 2 minutes and specialised tools and
observing the quantity of fluid contained in • Test 5 – Injector Flow Correction Test: equipment, all while
each graduated cylinder afterwards. With the engine at idle, the ECU will observe ensuring personal
the acceleration of the crankshaft during each and system
Result: The quantity of diesel contained in power stroke and determine an average value. safety.
each graduated cylinder is normally less than If one cylinder under-performs, compared to
30ml, with nearly identical leakage in all of the average, the ECU will inject slightly more
the cylinders. A faulty injector control fuel into that cylinder to compensate. This can
chamber may be identified by excessive diesel be viewed using the diagnostic tool in the live
A Delphi piezoelectric injector
in the corresponding container, while some data section. This correction may be displayed
faults can lead to a reduced leak off quantity. as a percentage, the injected fuel quantity (in
mg/stroke) or the value for each cylinder may
• Test 4 - Electrical Control Test: An be given in relation to the average, as shown i
oscilloscope is connected across the two pins
Figure 3 - This injector was triggered only once during this event Figure 4 - data from the ECU can be used to find a faulty injector
AUTOBIZ TECH TIPS December 2012 Compendium >> originally published in Autobiz December 2011