28
EFI System
KohlerEngines.com
66 690 14 Rev. A
Throttle position sensor (TPS) is used to indicate throttle
plate angle to ECU. Since throttle (by way of governor)
reacts to engine load, angle of throttle plate is directly
related to load on engine.
Mounted on throttle body/intake manifold and
operated directly o
ff
end of throttle shaft, TPS works
as a potentiometer, varying voltage signal to ECU in
direct correlation to angle of throttle plate. This signal,
along with other sensor signals, is processed by ECU
and compared to internal pre-programmed maps to
determine required fuel and ignition settings for amount
of load.
Correct position of TPS is established and set at factory.
Do not loosen TPS or alter mounting position unless
absolutely required by fault code diagnosis. If TPS is
loosened or repositioned, appropriate TPS Initialization
Procedure must be performed to re-establish baseline
relationship between ECU and TPS.
Engine (oil) temperature sensor is used by system to
help determine fuel requirements for starting (a cold
engine needs more fuel than one at or near operating
temperature).
Mounted in intake manifold assembly, it has a
temperature-sensitive resistor that extends into oil
fl
ow. Resistance changes with oil temperature, altering
voltage sent to ECU. Using a table stored in its memory,
ECU correlates voltage drop to a speci
fi
c temperature.
Using fuel delivery maps, ECU then knows how much
fuel is required for starting at that temperature.
Temperature/Manifold Absolute Pressure (TMAP) sensor
is an integrated sensor that checks both intake air
temperature and manifold absolute pressure.
Intake Air Temperature control is a thermally sensitive
resistor that exhibits a change in electrical resistance
with a change in its temperature. When sensor is cold,
resistance of sensor is high. As sensor warms up,
resistance drops and voltage signal increases. From
voltage signal, ECU can determine temperature of intake
air.
Purpose of sensing air temperature is to help ECU
calculate air density. Higher air temperature less dense
air becomes. As air becomes less dense ECU knows
that it needs to lessen fuel
fl
ow to achieve correct air/fuel
ratio. If fuel ratio was not changed engine would become
rich, possibly losing power and consuming more fuel.
Manifold Absolute Pressure check provides immediate
manifold pressure information to ECU. TMAP sensor
measures di
ff
erence in pressure between outside
atmosphere and vacuum level inside intake manifold
and monitors pressure in manifold as primary means
of detecting load. Data is used to calculate air density
and determine engine's mass air
fl
ow rate, which in turn
determines required ideal fueling. TMAP also stores
instant barometric pressure reading when key is turned
ON.
ECU requires a minimum of 6.0 volts to operate.
To prevent engine over-speed and possible failure, a
rev-limiting feature is programmed into ECU. If maximum
RPM limit (4500) is exceeded, ECU suppresses injection
signals, cutting o
ff
fuel
fl
ow. This process repeats itself in
rapid succession, limiting operation to preset maximum.
Wiring harness used in EFI system connects electrical
components, providing current and ground paths for
system to operate. All input and output signaling occurs
through two special all weather connectors that attach
and lock to ECU. Connectors are Black and Grey and
keyed di
ff
erently to prevent being attached to ECU
incorrectly.
Condition of wiring, connectors, and terminal
connections is essential to system function and
performance. Corrosion, moisture, and poor connections
are as likely cause of operating problems and system
errors as an actual component. Refer to Electrical
System for additional information.
EFI system is a 12 VDC negative ground system,
designed to operate down to a minimum of 6.0 volts.
If system voltage drops below this level, operation
of voltage sensitive components such as ECU, fuel
pump, ignition coils, and injectors will be intermittent
or disrupted, causing erratic operation or hard starting.
A fully charged, 12 volt battery with a minimum of 350
cold cranking amps is important in maintaining steady
and reliable system operation. Battery condition and
state of charge should always be checked
fi
rst when
troubleshooting an operational problem.
Keep in mind that EFI-related problems are often caused
by wiring harness or connections. Even small amounts
of corrosion or oxidation on terminals can interfere with
milliamp currents used in system operation.
Cleaning connectors and grounds will solve problems
in many cases. In an emergency situation, simply
disconnecting and reconnecting connectors may clean
up contacts enough to restore operation, at least
temporarily.
If a fault code indicates a problem with an electrical
component, disconnect ECU connector and test for
continuity between component connector terminals and
corresponding terminals in ECU connector using an
ohmmeter. Little or no resistance should be measured,
indicating that wiring of that particular circuit is OK.
Crankshaft position sensor is essential to engine
operation; constantly monitoring rotation and speed
(RPM) of crankshaft. There are 23 consecutive teeth
cast into
fl
ywheel. One tooth is missing and is used to
reference crankshaft position for ECU.
During rotation, an AC voltage pulse is created within
sensor for each passing tooth. ECU calculates engine
speed from time interval between consecutive pulses.
Gap from missing tooth creates an interrupted input
signal, corresponding to speci
fi
c crankshaft position near
BDC for cylinder #1. This signal serves as a reference
for control of ignition timing by ECU. Synchronization of
inductive speed pickup and crankshaft position takes
place during
fi
rst two revolutions each time engine is
started. Sensor must be properly connected at all times.
If sensor becomes disconnected for any reason, engine
will quit running.
