TOPIC: Electronic Controls

IDENT NO: 17-4103B

DATE: January 2019
275GL* SUPERSEDES: 17-4103A

SUBJECT: Start Improvement Software

MODELS AFFECTED: 12V275GL+ and 16V275GL+ Engines

The purpose of this bulletin is to inform the field 4. Start engine.

that updated NOx Control Module (NCM)
If the fuel system has not been set up previously
software with added starting functionality is
or needs adjustment:
available to address difficult starting of a
12V275GL+ or a 16V275GL+ engine. If starting a 1. Follow the instructions in the “Fuel System
275GL+ engine requires manual adjustment of Adjustment” (page 3.00-4) and the “Initial
the stepper motor position, new NCM software Start-Up Procedure” (page 3.00-5 - 3.00-8)
with enhanced air/fuel ratio control functionality sections of Form 6354-2, 275GL+ with ESM
to reduce or eliminate manual intervention is Operation and Maintenance Manual.
available from INNIO Waukesha. Please contact
2. Before initial start of the engine, set stepper
Brad Schieble at: brad.schieble@innio.com. This
START position to 0 steps. If the purge time
update offer expires one year from the date this
programmed in ESP is greater than the
bulletin is published (August 2019).
default value of 2 seconds, a higher stepper
What's new: position may be required (see Tip #3 below).
• NCM programmed with enhanced air/fuel 3. If engine does not start, increase START
ratio control functionality. position to 500 steps.
• Determines the correct stepper position for 4. After adjusting the MAS valve at full speed
starting the engine and ramping up to idle and load, shut down engine.
speed.
5. Reset the START position to approximately
• Adds fuel as necessary before NOx sensor is 50% of the actual value required to start the
activated. engine. Restart engine to confirm fuel system
• Calibration improvements for transition to setup is correct.
closed-loop air/fuel ratio control. Tips for setup:
SETUP GUIDE TIP 1: The starting strategy consists of a series of
up to three stepper position sweeps.
If the fuel system has been set up previously: Please see Figure 1 for example of the start
1. Before removing or programming original assist sequence.
NCM, note current or typical stepper start
position, stepper fence positions and NOx
setpoint.
2. Replace or program original NCM.
3. Once the NCM with updated software is
powered on, program the stepper START
position to 50% of the original value. Program
the original stepper fence positions and NOx
setpoint.

* Trademark of INNIO Waukesha Gas Engines, Inc.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

01/10/2019
Copyright © 2019, INNIO Waukesha Gas Engines, Inc. Page 1 of 3
Service Bulletin No. 17-4103B

Figure 1: Start Assist Example

1. The first sweep occurs while cranking, during Parameters available to adjust for setting up the
which time the stepper motor will adjust by starting strategy:
increasing steps at a rate of 100 steps/s
1. Stepper Start Position (set in HMI) – Stepper
beginning 3 seconds after the main fuel
position at which the initial sweep will begin
valve opens and continuing until the engine
(see Tips 3, 4, 5 and 6).
speed surpasses 150 RPM, crank timeout (20
seconds) occurs, a 2000-step limit is 2. Stepper High Limit (set in HMI) – Maximum
reached, or the user-adjustable maximum stepper position limit (see Tip 6).
stepper position (High Limit) is reached.
3. Purge Time (set in ESP) – Delay time after
2. A second stepper position sweep will only first engine rotation before the Main Fuel
occur if the engine speed does not reach Valve and ignition are turned on (see Tips 4
500 RPM within 3 seconds. This sweep will run and 5).
at a rate of 50 steps/s and will stop once 500
4. Main Fuel On RPM Adjust (set in ESP) –
RPM is reached, a 2000-step limit is reached,
Adjusts the RPM threshold at which the Main
or the user-adjustable maximum stepper
Fuel Valve opens.
position (High Limit) is reached.
3. A third stepper position sweep will only occur
if the engine speed does not reach 700 RPM
within 5 seconds of reaching 500 RPM.

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TIP 2: The stepper START position must always
be set lower than the actual stepper
position required to start the engine.
TIP 3: A purge time programmed in ESP will
shorten the amount of time the stepper
will adjust by the calibrated purge time
value. The longer the calibrated purge
time, the shorter the amount of
adjustment time the stepper will have.
Increasing the purge time may require
setting the stepper START position closer
to (but still less than) the required position
to start the engine.
TIP 4: If a customer fuel shutoff valve is located
upstream of the ESM controlled main fuel
valve, and the two valves are opened
simultaneously when starting the engine,
there may be a transient delay for fuel to
reach the main fuel regulator on the
engine. This may also be the case with a
“double block and bleed” fuel shutoff valve
system. If this delay is significant, the
stepper motor position sweep during
cranking may end up at a position that is
too rich at idle for stable operation or even
to start the engine. If this is an issue,
account for this delay by increasing the
purge time or reducing the stepper START
position. If this does not address the issue,
the customer fuel valve may need to open
several seconds before the ESM main fuel
valve.
TIP 5: Stepper position limits: The Low Limit is
now only in effect when the NOx control is
in closed-loop mode to not interfere with
the starting routine. There is no change to
the High Limit. It is always in effect and can
be set to limit the maximum stepper
position at any time.
TIP 6: If a start attempt fails, the stepper position
will remain at the last position of the
sweep. When the next start attempt is
initiated, the stepper position will change
back to the START position. There is no
need to manually set the position back to
the START position.
TIP 7: When “Manual” control is selected, the
stepper position will be fixed when starting
the engine and the start routine will not
occur. Set to “Auto” to enable the start
routine.
01/10/2019
Copyright © 2019, INNIO Waukesha Gas Engines, Inc.
Service Bulletin No. 17-4103B
NOTES:
• Stepper Motor Reset – The stepper motor
automatically resets to the HOME position
upon shutdown and automatically goes to
the START position at start-up. For more
information on the stepper motor function,
please consult the appropriate Operation &
Maintenance Manual.
• Stepper Position Adjustment – In general, the
Start Improvement Software automatically
adjusts the stepper position as necessary to
start the engine, thereby reducing or
eliminating the need for manual stepper
adjustment while starting. Therefore, the fuel
system must be in proper working order and
adjusted correctly for successful start
attempts. The Start Improvement Software
cannot overcome mechanical issues in the
fuel system such as failed admission valves, a
misadjusted MAS valve, etc. Additionally,
fluctuating or inconsistent fuel pressure,
temperature and WKI may require
readjustment of the fuel system settings for
successful starts.
• Loading the Engine – The Start Improvement
Software can assist in loading the engine
before the NOx control is activated. If load is
applied before the NOx control is activated
and the engine speed drops more than 25
RPM from the speed setpoint for more than 2
seconds, the stepper position will increase by
50 steps/s. The stepper position will increase
until the engine speed reaches the speed
setpoint, a 500-step offset from the stepper
position when the sweep began is reached, or
a 2000-step limit is reached.
• Idling the Engine – It is not recommended to
idle the engine for an extended amount of
time. However, if an engine is idled for at least
5 minutes below an intake manifold pressure
of 90 kPa (26.6 in-Hg), the Start Improvement
Software will reduce the stepper position by
15% at a rate of 10 steps/s. The engine can be
loaded during this sweep as the stepper
position can increase to help accept load as
described above.
• NOx Sensor and Control – Once the NOx
sensor activates and NOx control enters
closed-loop, all start/load assist and lean-out
features of the start improvement software
are disabled and will activate again during
the next start attempt.
• Closed-Loop NOx Control – To improve engine
performance during the transition to closed-
loop NOx control, the time until this transition
takes place has been increased by 15 seconds
on the 16V275GL+ and by 45 seconds on the
12V275GL+.
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