Engine Description
Teledyne Continental Motors, Inc.
TM
2-16
IOF-550 Permold Series Engine Maintenance Manual
1 April 2007
2-2.5. Full Authority Digital Engine Control
Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) is a solid state monitor and control
system for ignition and fuel management. Electronic Control Units function as the system
computer with sensor inputs, fuel injector and ignition control and instrument panel
display interface via the Engine Low Voltage Harness.
The FADEC sensor set includes all sensors used by the FADEC System to monitor
engine performance. The FADEC Sensor Illustrations identify the sensors for six-
cylinder engines with (Figure 2-11) and without (Figure 2-12) the signal conditioner.
For the optimum FADEC system performance, all sensors must be operational. If a fault
with one of the sensors is detected, an annunciator lamp will be illuminated. Each ECU
control channel performs diagnostics on itself and associated circuitry. A laptop computer
with the TCM FADEC Level I Diagnostics Software installed can communicate real time
with each control channel to determine specific information regarding detected sensor
faults to be obtained.
2-2.5.1. Electronic Control Units
Six-cylinder engines employ three Electronic Control Units (ECU); one for cylinder pair.
The ECUs control fuel mixture and ignition timing for respective engine cylinders; ECU
1 controls opposing cylinders 1 and 2; ECU 2 controls cylinders 3 and 4, and ECU 3
controls Cylinders 5 and 6.
Each ECU is has two sections. The lower section contains circuit board mounted control
electronics, the upper section houses the ignition coils. The electronic circuit board
contains two, independent microprocessor controllers; one per control channel. During
normal engine operation, each control channel is dedicated to a single engine cylinder.
Therefore, one ECU controls two engine cylinders, one cylinder per control channel.
The control channels are independent, with no shared electronic components between the
control channel pair within an ECU. If a control channel fails, the other control channel
in the same ECU is capable of operating both assigned cylinders and the other opposing
engine cylinder as backup control for fuel injection and ignition timing.
