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Common-Rail Diesel Fuel Systems

Today most new diesel engines are equipped with Common-Rail fuel injection systems. These systems use electronically controlled fuel injectors to inject fuel from a common high-pressure fuel rail, rather than a mechanical injection pump which pressurizes fuel to a fuel line which forces a single fuel injector open. These systems also differ from a 7.3L Powerstroke injection system, where low-pressure fuel is pressurized within the injector by high-pressure oil.

 

Ford 6.4L Common-Rail Diesel       


 

Fuel Supply System

The fuel supply system on a Common-Rail diesel uses either an electric fuel pump or a mechanical lift pump incorporated into the high-pressure fuel pump. Fuel is drawn from the fuel tank and sent to the high-pressure fuel pump. On some systems, a Suction Control Valve controls fuel flow into the high-pressure pump, thereby regulating the pressure in the high-pressure fuel rail. This would be an example of a one-line supply system. A two-line supply system works in a similar way to a gasoline 2-line supply system, except the the fuel is delivered to the high-pressure pump rather than the fuel rail. Excess fuel is then returned to the fuel tank. On a one-line system, fuel returns to the tank from the fuel delivery side of the system.  

 

 

Isuzu 5.2L Common-Rail Diesel      

High-Pressure System

Fuel is pressurized within the fuel rail by a high-pressure fuel pump. This pressure can vary between about 4,000PSI at an idle and over 26,000PSI under load. These fuel rails have overpressurization valves that will allow pressure that exceeds a safe limit to bleed off and return to the fuel tank. A pressure sensor feeds a signal to the Engine Control Module, which adjusts either the Suction Control Valve or the high-pressure pump output to regulate this pressure.

 

Fuel Delivery

High-pressure fuel within the fuel rail is delivered to each cylinder by electronic fuel injectors. The amount of fuel delivered to each cylinder is controlled by the Engine Control Module, which monitors the pressure in the fuel rail and adjusts the fuel injector pulse width, or "on-time" of each fuel injector. The amount of power produced by each cylinder every time it fires is also monitored by the PCM, and power imbalances are compensated for by adjusting fuel injector pulse width for each cylinder, allowing Common-Rail Diesels to run very efficiently and smoothly compared to mechanically-injected diesel engines.

 

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