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Thread Title:

Running DDEC Engines from a laptop

Created On Saturday July 31, 2010 13:43

dieselsdownunder

Posts: 3
Joined: Jul 2010

Saturday July 31, 2010 13:43

Hi Folks
We have an engine rebuild shop where we build a number of different engines (out of frame). We build up to 50 engines a year to Dyno Stage. Every engine is Dyno Tested befroe being painted and given back to the customer. We are now getting involved with rebuilding more electronically controlled engines such as the DDEC engines and every time we Dyno one we have to get the Detroit Dealer down to control the engine on the Dyno with his laptop. This is getting expensive and a little frustrating so we are looking at buying one of the Laptops preloaded with all the Cat Cummins and Detroit software so that we can do this work ourselves. Before I buy the laptop though I want to make sure that it has the correct software that I need to be able to do this. Can someone please confirm what Detroit/Cat/Cummins software I need to be able to control engines on the Dyno.
Cheers

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GoneFishen

Posts: 1325
Joined: Jan 2007

Saturday July 31, 2010 20:32

The Detriot place I worked at had DDDL on all the laptops. Available from any DDC dealer for about $1500 and can be instlled on a laptop. The company I work for now has a different system that moniters all the detroits anf the cumming. Have no idea what brand it is though. Your terminology is different because DDDL does NOT really control the engine on the dyno, it just moniters and you can view the engine as it is being dynotested. I used to provide a printout for the drivers after I ran the engines on the dyno. Punk kids who work there now never care enough about the customer to provide one.

-------------------------
DDA tech for 30 years,all 2 cycle,series 60,50 mbe also.
1995 F250, 191k mi.
Lost Wages, Nv

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JoeZ

Posts: 938
Joined: Dec 2008

Saturday July 31, 2010 21:19

We have a company that comes with a portable set up and dyno's the engines here. He charges us between $500 and $750 per engine for a 4 hour dyno test which sounds like a lot, but he does all the work including loading it onto his machine...hooking everything up....running it and unloads it..... then gives us a print out. I can ask him what he uses next time he is here. Although he couldn't do a pair of 16V149's that had to be dyno tested for 30 hours each. Those cost us $4,500 for the pair and we had to bring them 120 miles away.

-------------------------
One of the last 2 Stroke mechanics left.
44 years in the business and worked on everything from 53 series to 149 series. Winding it down now...time to move on.

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dieselsdownunder

Posts: 3
Joined: Jul 2010

Saturday July 31, 2010 21:33
Thanks for that. What did you use to control the throttle ? Was it a variable resistor (potentiometer) ? I understand about monitoring the engine with the laptop but thought that maybe it controlled the throttle as well. Maybe the new place where you work uses something called Nexiq ? Cheers Dave

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dieselsdownunder

Posts: 3
Joined: Jul 2010

Saturday July 31, 2010 21:40
Wow, that's a deal on a portable Dyno. What Hp can he do up to ? Not much good to us though as we are based down in New Zealand. Thanks for the info though. I would still be interested in what he uses to hook up to the ECMs. Cheers Dave

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JoeZ

Posts: 938
Joined: Dec 2008

Sunday August 01, 2010 07:40
He said he uses a program from "Dyno-Max" which is where he bought his equiptment. He does up to 1,000 hp on his dyno. ------------------------- One of the last 2 Stroke mechanics left. 44 years in the business and worked on everything from 53 series to 149 series. Winding it down now...time to move on.

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GoneFishen

Posts: 1325
Joined: Jan 2007

Sunday August 01, 2010 19:08

We used a 'remote box' setup and this allowed us to actually run any DDEC engine from the 'box'. This allowed us to control the engine even though it was still inside a chassis. We then used DDDL to connect to the control box and could use ANY switches to toggle on or off options. THe box had about 15 switches on it, a throttle, and a vs throttle. The DDDL was the item to actually watch the operation while the box controlled the throttle. Dyno operation was done from another controller linked judt to the dyno. It also had an option for hooking up multiple ecm engines for watching performance. So if this was in a truck for example, useingthe starter controls for the starter motor only then operation of the throttle and optional switches [example jake brake operation] was done with the control box. DDDL was the hooked up for a source of watching the ecm/engine operation.

-------------------------
DDA tech for 30 years,all 2 cycle,series 60,50 mbe also.
1995 F250, 191k mi.
Lost Wages, Nv

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hoove01

Posts: 21
Joined: Nov 2008

Thursday August 12, 2010 14:02

The tool is called a Vehicle Interface Module. It connects to the engine's ECM at the vehicle interface connector port. It takes the place of "the vehicle" and allows the technician to isolate the vehicle from the chassis. Or in your case run the engine on an engine dyno. The laptop doesn't run the engine. It just allows you to monitor engine data through a datalink port provided in the tool. Be aware that there are several different V.I.M's for use with different ECM's according to the level- DDECII, DDECIII & IV, DDEC V, etc... You can purchase the tools at your local DDC distrubitor.

-------------------------
Florida Detroit Diesel- Allison Shop Foreman

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