One of the easier ways to mechanically adjust engine timing is to adjust the fuel injection pump. įor older, mechanical engines, there are still several parts that you can manipulate in some way to change the timing. Need a new ECM? Check out some of the ECMs that Highway and Heavy Parts offers. From there, a mechanic can plug in a Flash tool to reprogram the computer. No mechanical work needs to be done, except for getting to the ECM.
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And by simple, I mean simple for the people that know how to program them. The most common ways to adjust injection timing are programming the ECM, adjusting the fuel injection pump, replacing the camshaft, and replacing the cam followers or gaskets.įor newer engines with advanced engine computer systems, adjusting ignition timing is as simple as programming the ECM.
There are several ways you can adjust injection timing, depending on the type of engine you have and how old it is. The rest of this article will focus on advancing the timing of an engine, as that is the most common timing adjustment. Some of these reasons are fuel economy and performance. People will retard the ignition timing of their engines for various reasons, although it is less common. It is when you adjust timing so that ignition occurs after the manufacturers original specified time. Retarding the timing of an engine is essentially the opposite of advancing. In case you can't figure out degrees just by looking at the crankshaft, here is a handy calculator. For example, 10 degrees BTDC is when the crankshaft is 10 degrees before the piston is at its highest point in the cycle. Usually the location is measured in degrees. A timing advance is the number of degrees BTDC that ignition occurs. So, BTDC would be the point before the piston is at its uppermost point in the engine. The opposite, Bottom Dead Center, or BDC, is when the piston is at its lowest point in the cylinder, closest to the crankshaft. Top Dead Center, or TDC, for a particular piston is when that piston is at the very top of the cylinder, or furthest from the crankshaft.
When talking about timing of any kind, but especially advancing, you'll often hear or see the term BTDC, or Before Top Dead Center. In other words, you are adjusting the timing so that ignition happens earlier than when the manufacturer originally set it to occur. The only difference is how the timing will be adjusted, which is covered later on in this article.ĭiesel Engine Injection Timing Adjustments AdvancingĪdvancing the timing of an engine means that you are moving the combustion up in time. Young or old, timing can be adjusted on any engine. Sometimes, timing is adjusted in the opposite direction to fix a smoking or a lag problem.Ĭan Injection Timing Be Adjusted On All Diesel Engines? Timing can be advanced to create more power. Usually, injection timing is adjusted to create more power in the engine. This timing is usually balanced to get as much power as possible, while still remaining in legal limits for emissions.Īdjusting injection timing is also often referred to as spill timing. The manufacturer of an engine does recommend certain timing, which is the timing they set it at when the engine is first made. The time of when fuel is injected can be altered to be injected at different points in time. Injection timing is the timing of when fuel is injected into the cylinder, which alters when the combustion takes place.
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Looking for more great fuel injector content? We have a free eBook just for you!ĭo you need replacement parts for your diesel engine? Our ASE Certified Technicians are here to help you get the parts you need! Give Us A Call! What is Injection Timing One of the questions that we've gotten a few times is: What is injection timing, and how do I adjust it? If you've found yourself asking that same question, this article has the basics that should hopefully give you the information you're looking for. With all these calls, we notice when multiple questions pop up, meaning it must be a pretty common question. We often get all kinds of calls asking for technical advice, from both owner-operators trying to troubleshoot a problem with their truck to repair shop mechanics who are looking for a second opinion.