3126B HEUI Fuel System

PRODUCT INFORMATION
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CONTENTS
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Low Pressure Fuel System Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Operation of the 3126B HEUI Fuel System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7

Benefits of the 3126B HEUI Fuel System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Electronic Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Basic Diagnostics and Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

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3126B HEUI FUEL SYSTEM

As diesel engine applications have become
more demanding, Caterpillar has responded
with development of innovative new designs.
Among the advanced components engineered
by Cat is a patented breakthrough fuel system
which combines hydraulic and electronic
technology. The Hydraulically actuated
Electronically controlled Unit Injection
(HEUI) system, introduced in 1992, delivers
cleaner, quieter, more reliable, and more
efficient engine operation — and better
performance — through precise control of fuel
injection timing, fuel delivery, and injection
duration.
By 1998, more than eight million HEUI
injectors were in operation, helping engines
achieve unprecedented levels of performance
and fuel economy meeting today’s emissions
standards.
HEUI technology offers the following
advantages over mechanically actuated
systems:
• Improved fuel economy
• Improved engine performance
• Reduced smoke and particulate emission
• Reduced engine noise
• Outstanding cold and hot startability
• Improved high altitude operation
Today’s 3126B HEUI injector improves on the
original HEUI system in four ways:
• In-line design eliminates jumper tubes for
improved reliability and serviceability
• Higher injection pressure atomizes fuel into
smaller droplets for reduced exhaust
emissions and improved fuel economy.
• Injection rate shaping (splitting of each fuel
injection into two separate injections)
reduces combustion noise and nitric oxide
(NOx) emissions
• Adjustment-free design maintains precise
performance without rocker arm or governor
adjustments

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LOW PRESSURE FUEL SYSTEM
COMPONENTS
The 3126B HEUI fuel system uses four main
components in the delivery of fuel to the
injectors for combustion and cooling, and
removal of air from the system:
• Vehicle fuel tank
• Fuel filter
• Fuel transfer pump
• Fuel pressure regulator
Operation of the system begins as fuel is
drawn from the fuel tank. It flows to the inlet
side of the fuel transfer pump. The inlet
check valve opens to allow fuel to flow into
the pump but closes to prevent fuel from
flowing back out to the inlet port.
Fuel flows from the inlet port in the pump to
the outlet port, which also has a check valve.
The outlet check valve opens to allow
pressurized fuel flow out but closes to prevent
fuel from flowing back through the pump. Fuel
flows from the outlet port of the transfer pump
to the fuel filter.
The high efficiency two-micron fuel filter
removes abrasive fuel contaminates, extending
fuel system life by preventing premature
wearout of HEUI injectors. Fuel then flows
from the filter to the fuel supply passage in the
head. This passage connects with each injector
bore to supply fuel to the injectors. Excess fuel
flows out of the back of the cylinder head and
into the fuel pressure regulator.
NOTE: the latest HEUI fuel system used on
the 3126B incorporates a hand priming pump
to assist in priming the system after fuel filter
changes and to further reduce the potential for
contaminants in the system.
The fuel pressure regulator controls fuel
pressure using a fixed orifice and a spring-
loaded check valve. Pump flow passes through
the fixed orifice. The spring-loaded check
valve then opens at 5 psi, allowing return fuel
that has flowed through the orifice to return to
the tank. When the engine is off and no fuel
pressure is present, the spring-loaded check
valve closes to prevent fuel in the cylinder
head from draining back to the tank. Retaining
fuel in the head maintains a supply of fuel for
the injectors at engine startup.
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OPERATION OF THE
3126B HEUI FUEL SYSTEM
HEUI Injector
The HEUI injector has five main components: with short duration; low injection pressures
and high duration; and all combinations in
• Solenoid
between. HEUI allows peak injection pressure
• Poppet valve at lug or idle conditions. This flexibility is not
available with any other diesel fuel system.
• Intensifier piston and plunger
• Barrel
Electronic Injection Pressure Control
• Nozzle assembly HEUI

All diesel fuel systems use a plunger and

INJECTION PRESSURE
barrel to pump high pressure fuel into the
combustion chamber in precise amounts to
control engine performance. HEUI uses high
pressure engine oil to power the plunger, while
Conventional
all other fuel systems use a camshaft to power Fuel System
the plunger.
ENGINE SPEED
Solenoid

Armature
Electronic Injection Duration Control
Upper Poppet Seat
Adapter Conventional
Fuel System
INJECTION DURATION

HEUI
Poppet Valve
Lower Poppet Seat

Intensifier Piston
Plunger

Plunger Cavity
Barrel ENGINE SPEED

Mechanically Actuated Injectors

Nozzle
Assembly With a mechanically actuated unit injector, the
camshaft rotation causes the injector lobe on
HEUI HI300 the camshaft to lift one end of the rocker arm
INJECTOR PARTS
bridge, forcing the other end of the bridge
down on the injector tappet which pushes
Because the patented HEUI system is not tied
down on the plunger. The downward travel of
to a cam profile, injection characteristics are
the plunger pulses fuel out of the plunger
completely independent of engine speed. It is
cavity and into the combustion chamber.
possible to achieve high injection pressures

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OPERATION OF THE
3126B HEUI FUEL SYSTEM
As engine speed increases, so does camshaft components are in their non-actuated positions
speed. This causes a corresponding increase in — the solenoid is not energized, and the
the downward speed of the injector plunger. poppet valve is blocking high pressure oil from
This increased speed results in a higher entering the injector.
injection pressure. Conversely, reduced engine
speed results in reduced injection pressure.

How HEUI Works

The high pressure oil pump located on the left
front of the engine supplies oil — up to
3300 psi — to each injector via a fluid manifold
located on the right side of the engine. Then the
engine’s computer, the Electronic Control
Module (ECM), uses sensors installed on the
Pilot injection
engine and software maps programmed in the
When the ECM determines that the injector
ECM to determine when, at what pressure, and
should fire, it sends a current to the injector
for how long injection should occur in order to
solenoid. This causes the solenoid to produce a
achieve optimal performance and fuel economy.
strong magnetic field which forces the poppet
valve to open. High pressure oil then flows
around the poppet, to the top of the intensifier
piston which pushes the piston and plunger
downward. This movement pressurizes the
fuel, lifting the nozzle check valve off its seat
and initiating injection.

The injectors operate in five stages:
Pre-injection
During this stage, the engine is running and
the injector is between firing cycles. All
Injection delay
The plunger’s downward movement produces
an initial pilot injection of fuel into the
combustion chamber. When the plunger groove
aligns with the spill port, high pressure fuel
can flow upward through the bottom of the
plunger and back into the fuel supply passage.
The resulting loss of high pressure fuel causes
injection pressure to drop, closing the nozzle
check, and stopping injection for a short time.

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OPERATION OF THE
3126B HEUI FUEL SYSTEM
Main injection Injection Actuation System
As long as the injector solenoid is energized,
the poppet remains open, and high pressure oil The injection actuation system takes lube oil
continues to flow, pushing down the intensifier from the main oil galley and pressurizes it to
piston and plunger. Main injection occurs power the HEUI injectors. The system takes
when the plunger groove passes the spill port the place of the gear train, camshaft, and
and injection pressure builds again, opening rocker arms used to power mechanically
the nozzle check. Main injection continues actuated unit injectors and performs two main
until the solenoid is de-energized and the functions:
poppet is closed. • Supplies high pressure oil to power injectors
End of injection • Controls injection pressure
When the ECM stops the current to the
solenoid, injection ends. The magnetic field of The injection actuation system has five basic
the solenoid collapses, the poppet closes, and components:
the oil pressure actuating the piston drops. The
resulting upward force of the fuel injection Engine Lube Pump
pressure on the plunger and intensifier piston Takes lube oil from the sump and pressurizes
causes the downward travel of the plunger to it to 65 psi, which fills the engine lube circuit
stop, which in turn stops fuel flow. and provides supply oil to the hydraulic pump
The injector works like a hydraulic cylinder to that powers the injectors
multiply the force of the high pressure oil to
produce very high fuel injection pressure. Engine Oil Filter
Removes soot and abrasive contaminants from
(3350 psi actuation pressure = the engine oil to prevent component damage
20 000 psi fuel injection pressure)
The multiplication of pressure occurs by Hydraulic Pump (High Pressure Oil Pump)
applying the force of the high pressure oil to a Pressurizes engine lube oil to between 870 and
piston about six times larger than the plunger. 3500 psi to power the HEUI injectors
The piston, in turn, pushes on the plunger.
A low actuation pressure results in a low fuel
injection pressure. Low injection pressures
work well with low speed conditions such as
idle and start-up. In contrast, a high actuation
pressure results in high fuel injection pressure.
High injection gives better throttle response
and reduced emission at higher speeds and
loads.
This system provides infinite control on
injection pressure in this range, regardless of
engine speed.

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OPERATION OF THE
3126B HEUI FUEL SYSTEM
Injection Actuation Pressure Control Valve
(IAPCV)
The IAPCV is controlled by the ECM and
regulates pump outlet pressure by returning
excess flow from the hydraulic pump to the
sump. This valve acts like an electrically
controlled relief valve. The higher the current
to the valve, the higher the relief pressure. The
lower the current, the lower the relief pressure.
A lack of current to the valve results in a base
relief pressure of 250 to 300 psi, which is the
value of the valve’s spool spring.
Injector Actuation Pressure (IAP) Sensor
This sensor detects the pressure level of the
high pressure oil used to power the HEUI
injectors and sends a continuous signal to the
ECM.
Actuation Pressure Control
Desired Pressure vs Actual Pressure
Desired actuation pressure is the pressure the
system needs for optimum performance. The
ECM determines desired pressure using
software maps and inputs from engine sensors.
Desired pressure is constantly changing based
on the sensor inputs and changing engine
speed and load. Desired pressure is only
constant under steady state conditions.
The IAPCV is constantly changing the amount
of pump flow returned to the sump in order to
make actual actuation pressure match desired
actuation pressure.
The ECM, IAPCV, and IAP control sensor
work together in what is known as the Closed
Loop Pressure Control Cycle to make actual
pressure match desired pressure at all times.
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BENEFITS OF THE
3126B HEUI FUEL SYSTEM
In addition to the advantages associated with
controlling injection characteristics
independent of engine speed, the HEUI system
delivers several other valuable benefits.
Fewer mechanical components
The HEUI design eliminates the governor,
injection pump, high pressure fuel lines, and
nozzles found on competitive systems.
Customer advantages are:
• Improved reliability
• Improved durability
• Easier servicing
• Quieter operation
Rate shaping
Rate shaping controls the amount of fuel
delivered during ignition delay (the time
between start of ignition and start of
combustion). The HEUI system uses Pre-
Injection Metering which breaks a single
injection into two separate injections. The first
produces a small pilot injection. This is
followed by a brief delay during which the
pilot injection starts burning. The main
injection is then delivered to the flame front.
Because the flame front is already established
when the main injection occurs, ignition is
immediate and burning is smooth and
complete. The result is more efficient
combustion because rate shaping operates over
the entire speed and load ranges.
Engine performance can be optimized by
varying the idle and light load rate
characteristics independent of rated and high
load conditions which result in:
• Lower nitric oxide emissions
• Lower combustion noise by up to 50%

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ELECTRONIC CONTROLS
The new ECM is much faster and has more Major electronic features:
memory to allow electronic integration of
• Cruise control and SoftCruise
engine, transmission, and anti-lock brake
systems, as well as additional customer • Vehicle Speed Limiting (VSL)
features.
• Expanded range of electronic PTO functions
• Faster processing power, more memory and
• Engine Protection System
RAM
• Exhaust brake control
• J1939 communications data link allows
faster electronic integration/communication • Idle and outside air shutdown
between vehicle and other systems
• Password protection
• Two 70-pin connectors for future expansion
• Fast idle control
of electronics
• Theft deterrent
• Withstands temperatures from -40° to 120° F
• Survives exposure exceeding 100 V per meter, The newest electronic features include:
reducing failure due to electrical interference
Parameter Lockout
(Radio Frequency Interface — RFI)
For additional security, key parameters require
• Year 2000 compliant a factory password.

ECM Fan Control

(For applications with an on/off cooling fan)

Progressive Shift
Programmable hard and soft engine speed
limits improve fuel economy.

Coolant Level Monitoring

Users may select one of three available low
coolant response options.

Wireless Download Capability

Compatible with Fleet Information Software
and Cat Driver Display.

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BASIC DIAGNOSTICS
AND TROUBLESHOOTING
The advanced monitoring and diagnostic
capabilities of Cat electronic diesel engines
make the 3126B fuel system easier to
troubleshoot than mechanically controlled fuel
systems. For engine owner/operators, this
translates to:
• Less downtime
• Lower maintenance and repair costs
• Higher product satisfaction
Electronic Technician (ET)
ET is a diagnostic and troubleshooting
software package used with a laptop PC that:
• Displays tests and results in full screen
graphics for easier interpretation
• Prints test results for further analysis
• Flashes (installs) new software into
electronic engines

Because no engine is completely self-

diagnostic, however, users should equip
themselves to perform basic diagnostic
procedures. The first step is gaining a good
understanding of how the 3126B HEUI system
operates, and how the engine electronics
communicate its status. Knowing how to
quickly locate information in the engine’s
service manual is also important. Finally, you
can learn how to perform and interpret basic
electronic tests, such as:
• Active and logged faults Example:
• Logged events If no active faults are present, the ET screen
will read No Active Codes. If an open circuit
• Injector solenoid circuit test occurs in the injection actuation pressure
• Injection actuation pressure test circuit, ET will identify it as an active fault
and display the numerical code for an open
• Cylinder cutout test circuit within a few seconds. Detailed
There are several electronic tools that may be information on how to respond can then be
used to perform these tests, including: found in the Troubleshooting Guide.

Electronic Control Analyzer

Programmer (ECAP) and Pro-Link
These tools provide simple LED readouts of
test steps and results.

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BASIC DIAGNOSTICS
AND TROUBLESHOOTING
Cylinder Cutout Test
This test determines if all cylinders are firing
evenly and is the best indicator of individual
injector performance. The contribution of each
individual cylinder is compared to the system
average.
The importance of this test is the relative
difference between the results from cylinder to
cylinder — not engine to engine.
Injection Actuation Pressure Test
This test checks the performance of the
hydraulic pump, IAPCV and IAP sensor. This
test requires the actuation circuit to operate at
(four) different pressure levels to determine if:
• the actuation system responds to ECM
commands
• actual actuation pressure matches desired
actuation pressure
• the pump, IAPCV and IAP sensor are
working properly
Warranty
Caterpillar offers competitive standard
warranties with several purchaseable extended
service coverages to meet customer needs.
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3126B HEUI FUEL SYSTEM

In 1992, Caterpillar unveiled a breakthrough advantage is its reliable, easily serviced design
fuel system — the HEUI — which would go with few mechanical parts.
on to change the diesel engine industry. This
The advanced capabilities of Cat engine
patented system pairs hydraulic actuation with
electronics and the availability of electronic
electronic control to allow cleaner, quieter,
service tools make the HEUI easy to
more reliable, and more efficient operation. The
troubleshoot. And when a component
key to these performance benefits is the
replacement is necessary, Caterpillar customers
system’s ability to precisely control fuel
can depend on one of the most comprehensive
injection timing and duration independent of
warranties in the industry.
engine speed. Another HEUI system

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FACEBOOK COMO: FULL MOTORES CHECK

LEKT8282 Materials and specifications are subject to change without notice. © 1998 Caterpillar Inc.
All rights reserved.
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