Bare minimum electronics

Bodacious

Bodacious

Comp Diesel Sponsor
Joined
Jul 8, 2013
Messages
2,177
I apologize in advance if this isn't the correct place for this post.

I would like to know what is the bare minimum of controlling electronics that is needed to get a competition (drag racing) common rail engine running for competition. I'll give the list I know of needing and hopefully someone can add or direct me in the right direction.

  • crank sensor
  • cam sensor
  • throttle pedal
  • rail pressure sensor
  • oxygen sensor (could this be eliminated and pre set?)
  • water temp (could this also be eliminated and pre set?)

Please keep in mind I'm really new to this electronic stuff. I don't car how much smoke it blows or anything like that. I'm not going to have VG turbos. I'd like to be able to get around in the pits, pull to the line, bring up to a pre set rpm and drop the clutch.
 
Bodacious said:
Aftermarket controller for sure.
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That is extremely vague and depends on the controler. A stock 06/07 Cummins ecm will run and drive with crank, cam, rail and tps. But also a map/oil sensor should be used aswell for certain benefits. Their easy enough to install. Wit the benefits of Efilive it has made it possible to shut of dtc codes which allows these engine to operate with much less.
 
Map was the one other that I think it will need and spurred my question
 
A competition engine can run without one because you can shut off dtc reporting but I would want one as there are many tables that reference it.
 
Sounds like I need to include a little more info. I am not looking for cummins controlling specifically. I'm talking any diesel that has common rail injection.

I don't care about the DTC's. I am looking for least amount of wiring/sensors necessary to make it run and run well. For instance, I would rather the engine stay at a constant rate regardless of barometric pressure, temperature, or any other variable.
 
Why would you cripple the performance ability of an electronic engine by making the injection a mechanical event rather than dynamic?
Please don't take this wrong. I understand the simplicity of it, or as a tool for a building block.
 
Why would you cripple the performance ability of an electronic engine
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I'm not sure how I would be crippling the electronic engine. I just want it to fuel like a p-pump when the pedal starts going down. I realize the benefits of having self adjusting tuning options when the variables change, however, on an all out race application, how much difference could it possibly make? Cram the fuel in, get the turbo lit and lets go fast. I don't want the cp pump caring obout the manifold pressure. I want to step down on the pedal and the cp pump say here ya go.
 
biggy238 said:
Why would you cripple the performance ability of an electronic engine by making the injection a mechanical event rather than dynamic?
Please don't take this wrong. I understand the simplicity of it, or as a tool for a building block.
Click to expand...
Agree
Bodacious said:
Sounds like I need to include a little more info. I am not looking for cummins controlling specifically. I'm talking any diesel that has common rail injection.

I don't care about the DTC's. I am looking for least amount of wiring/sensors necessary to make it run and run well. For instance, I would rather the engine stay at a constant rate regardless of barometric pressure, temperature, or any other variable.
Click to expand...

Your question is impossible to answer without knowing the controler spacifics and what engine requires to run. I know a little about what your doing by reading your thread but most on this forum can only tell you based off Cummins cr system myself included. Depending on what the controler and software will allow you to do the bare minimum would be crank, cam, tps and rail. Crank and cam tell it what position its running. Tps and rail will tell it a fueling value. A cr system can run off those values only using a Cummins controler. That doesn't necessarily mean it has to be controlling a Cummins.
 
Thanks ComnRailPwr, you seem to understand what I am after. So far, the NIRA controller seems to be the only one available to fit my needs. Yea, it shouldn't matter if its a 6.7, 5.9, 2.8, etc... any common rail fuel system should be controllable with the basics. Does the TPS have to be separate or can the fuel pedal signal be used as the tps??
 
I'm not sure. It is whatever the NIRA is looking for to reference a mm3 or torque amount. I am not up to par with the NIRA internal structure or software it uses. I would think as long as it has the APPS signal like the cummins controller uses then all will be happy.
 
For the basics Nira only needs

Cam
Crank
APS - throttle position or piggybacked to one
Rail pressure - FCA loop
Injector twisted pairs
Power

However you'd get pummeled by the same Nira using MAP based fueling and timing.
 
You could omit one speed sensor. I would use the cam for reference.
You would have to find out if the TPS needs to be an analog 5V, duty cycle based, so on.

JSP should know the answers.
 
I don't doubt at all, but why are manufacturer based engines (my kitty cats) using the cam so heavily?
 
However you'd get pummeled by the same Nira using MAP based fueling and timing.
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lol, I'm gonna get pummeled for sure if I can't figure this stuff out. lol Forgive my ignorance, what does MAP stand for? lol See, I told you all I didn't know anything about this stuff. lol

What all do I need to get to the MAP based fueling?

If I get everything hooked up and ready, can I get ya to come out help me with it??? I'm serious here. I'd rather pay someone who's been there to save blowing the thing up on start-up.

Edit: I just held the curser over the green map and it told me 'Manifold Absolute Pressure'. lol Damn I'm get'n sharper!! lol
 
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