Gasoline direct injection - injector current

The purpose of this test is to check the Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) injector
control current from an Engine Control Module (ECM).

WARNING

This test involves measuring a potentially hazardous voltage.

Please ensure you follow manufacturers' safety instructions and working

practices and ensure the rated voltage for all accessories you are using
meets or exceeds the expected voltage.

How to perform the test

View connection guidance notes.

1. Use the vehicle wiring diagram to identify the injector control circuit.
2. Connect the low amp clamp to PicoScope Channel A.
3. Select the 20 A scale and zero the clamp before connecting to the
injector control circuit.
4. Minimize the help page. You will see that PicoScope has displayed an
example waveform and is preset to capture your waveform.
5. Start the scope to see live data.
6. Run the engine.
7. With your waveforms on screen stop the scope.
8. Turn off the engine.
9. Use the Waveform Buffer, Zoom and Measurements tools to examine
your waveform.

Notes

The orientation of the clamp relative to the wire will determine whether it has a
positive or negative output. If a live waveform does not appear on your screen,
or appears to be inverted, try reversing the orientation of the clamp.
Example waveform

Injector current waveform during engine cranking conditions.

Injector current waveform during engine idle conditions.

Injector current waveform during wide open throttle engine conditions.

 Injector current waveform during engine overrun conditions.

Waveform notes
These known good waveform(s) have the following characteristics:

The current builds to 6.25 A to open the injector valve.

Once the injector valve is open, the ECM reduces the current to 2.75 A,
which maintains valve opening for the remainder of the injection
duration.

Waveform Library
Go to the drop-down menu bar at the lower left corner of the Waveform
Library window and select Injector current.
Further guidance
A Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) injector delivers fuel directly to the air charge
within a cylinder.

GDI injector fast reaction times enable an engine management system to

operate across different cylinder charge modes, for example:

a homogenous air charge having the same stoichiometric air-fuel

mixture throughout the combustion volume; or
a heterogeneous air charge having a stratified air-fuel mixture with a
small fuel rich volume within an overall lean combustion volume.

GDI injectors can deliver fuel with complex spray patterns and provide multiple
injections per compression stroke. Furthermore, fuel can be kept from the
cylinder volume until very close to the point of ignition reducing the risk of pre-
ignition or knock and allowing the use of higher compression ratios, all of
which leads to better thermal and fuel efficiencies.

As fuel injection coincides with the compression stroke, GDI injection

pressures must be sufficient to overcome the in-cylinder pressures that occur
across all engine load conditions. Therefore, GDI systems require a high
pressure, up to 200 bar, fuel delivery system consisting of a common fuel rail
supplied by a high-pressure fuel pump.

The ECM improves GDI injector response times by increasing the circuit
voltage during the opening phase providing additional energy to move the
valve rapidly. However, once the valve is fully open, only a relatively small
voltage is necessary to hold it place, which the ECM maintains with a lower,
pulsed, square-wave voltage.

GDI injector failures may cause loss of engine performance, misfire, or

excessive smoking symptoms. Possible failure modes may be:

mechanical inlet or outlet blockages, sticky/stuck injector valves or

defective spray patterns;
electrical open or short circuits and high resistances in the wiring or
solenoids; or
internal ECM faults.
When operating out of their normal tolerances, for example repeated short
runs or cold start operations, excessive soot may build up within the engine
systems and cause a variety of secondary issues (e.g. blocked inlets, EGR
valves, turbo vanes etc.). As such, regular maintenance is essential for
continued operation within tolerances.

Diagnostic trouble codes

Selection of component related Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs):

P0200 – Injector Circuit Malfunction

P0201 – Injector Circuit Malfunction – Cylinder 1

P0202 – Injector Circuit Malfunction – Cylinder 2

P0203 – Injector Circuit Malfunction – Cylinder 3

P0204 – Injector Circuit Malfunction – Cylinder 4

P0205 – Injector Circuit Malfunction – Cylinder 5

P0206 – Injector Circuit Malfunction – Cylinder 6

P0207 – Injector Circuit Malfunction – Cylinder 7

P0208 – Injector Circuit Malfunction – Cylinder 8

P0209 – Injector Circuit Malfunction – Cylinder 9

P0210 – Injector Circuit Malfunction – Cylinder 10

P0211 – Injector Circuit Malfunction – Cylinder 11

P0212 – Injector Circuit Malfunction – Cylinder 12

P0213 – Cold Start Injector 1 Malfunction

P0214 – Cold Start Injector 2 Malfunction

P0216 – Injection Timing Control Circuit Malfunction

P020A – Cylinder 1 Injection Timing

P020B – Cylinder 2 Injection Timing

P020C – Cylinder 3 Injection Timing

P020D – Cylinder 4 Injection Timing

P020E – Cylinder 5 Injection Timing

P020F – Cylinder 6 Injection Timing

P021A – Cylinder 7 Injection Timing

P021B – Cylinder 8 Injection Timing

P021C – Cylinder 9 Injection Timing

P021D – Cylinder 10 Injection Timing

P021E – Cylinder 11 Injection Timing

P021F – Cylinder 12 Injection Timing

P0261 – Cylinder 1 Injector Circuit Low

P0262 – Cylinder 1 Injector Circuit High

P0263 – Cylinder 1 Contribution/Balance Fault

P0264 – Cylinder 2 Injector Circuit Low

P0265 – Cylinder 2 Injector Circuit High

P0266 – Cylinder 2 Contribution/Balance Fault

P0267 – Cylinder 3 Injector Circuit Low

P0268 – Cylinder 3 Injector Circuit High

P0269 – Cylinder 3 Contribution/Balance Fault

P0270 – Cylinder 4 Injector Circuit Low

P0271 – Cylinder 4 Injector Circuit High

P0272 – Cylinder 4 Contribution/Balance Fault

P0273 – Cylinder 5 Injector Circuit Low

P0274 – Cylinder 5 Injector Circuit High

P0275 – Cylinder 5 Contribution/Balance Fault

P0276 – Cylinder 6 Injector Circuit Low

P0277 – Cylinder 6 Injector Circuit High

P0278 – Cylinder 6 Contribution/Balance Fault

P0279 – Cylinder 7 Injector Circuit Low

P0280 – Cylinder 7 Injector Circuit High

P0281 – Cylinder 7 Contribution/Balance Fault

P0282 – Cylinder 8 Injector Circuit Low

P0283 – Cylinder 8 Injector Circuit High

P0284 – Cylinder 8 Contribution/Balance Fault

P0285 – Cylinder 9 Injector Circuit Low

P0286 – Cylinder 9 Injector Circuit High

P0287 – Cylinder 9 Contribution/Balance Fault

P0288 – Cylinder 10 Injector Circuit Low
View less

GT868-EN

Disclaimer
This help topic is subject to changes without notification. The information
within is carefully checked and considered to be correct. This information is an
example of our investigations and findings and is not a definitive procedure.
Pico Technology accepts no responsibility for inaccuracies. Each vehicle may
be different and require unique test settings.

Scroll