IP Library Patent Application 19156433
Patent Application
App. No. 19/156,433

FUEL PUMP DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUSES, METHODS, AND SYSTEMS

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
19/156,433
Abstract

A method of testing a fuel pump of an engine includes cranking the engine with a starter motor, inhibiting fuel injection to the engine concurrent with the cranking and opening an inlet metering valve to provide fuel to the fuel pump concurrent with the cranking and the inhibiting. The method includes measuring fuel pressure at or downstream of an outlet of the pump concurrent with the cranking, the inhibiting, and the opening, and diagnosing a condition of the pump in response to the measuring.

Claims (40)

1 . A method of testing a fuel pump of an engine, the method comprising:

cranking the engine with a starter motor;

inhibiting fuel injection to the engine concurrent with the cranking;

opening an inlet metering valve to provide fuel to the fuel pump concurrent with the cranking and the inhibiting;

measuring fuel pressure at or downstream of an outlet of the pump concurrent with the cranking, the inhibiting, and the opening;

diagnosing a condition of the pump in response to the measuring; and

terminating the cranking and one of (a) disinhibiting fuel injection and allowing the engine to start, and (b) and allowing the engine to stop.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the diagnosing comprises performing a gain of pressure test to evaluate whether a minimum net fuel pressure increase is achieved during a test duration.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the diagnosing comprises performing a pressure test to evaluate one or more individual pumping events associated with a respective pumping element of the fuel pump.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed during an out-of-mission service event.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the method is performed to test a newly installed fuel pump.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed during an in-mission engine start event.

7 . A system comprising:

an engine system including a fueling system including a fuel pump, and a starter motor operatively coupled with the engine, and an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to perform the operations of:

cranking the engine with a starter motor;

inhibiting fuel injection to the engine concurrent with the cranking;

opening an inlet metering valve to provide fuel to the fuel pump concurrent with the cranking and the inhibiting;

measuring fuel pressure at or downstream of an outlet of the pump concurrent with the cranking, the inhibiting, and the opening;

diagnosing a condition of the pump in response to the measuring; and

terminating the cranking and one of (a) disinhibiting fuel injection and allowing the engine to start, and (b) and allowing the engine to stop.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the ECU being configured to perform the operation of diagnosing comprises ECU being configured to perform a gain of pressure test to evaluate whether a minimum net fuel pressure increase is achieved during a test duration.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the ECU being configured to operation of diagnosing comprises ECU being configured to perform a pressure test to evaluate one or more individual pumping events associated with a respective pumping element of the fuel pump.

10 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the ECU is operatively coupled with an external diagnostic tool.

11 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the fuel system is a high-pressure, common-rail fuel system and the pump is a high-pressure pump.

12 . The system of claim 7 , including a fuel rail configured to receive pressurized fuel from the pump and a pressure sensor configured to measure fuel pressure of the fuel rail.

13 . An apparatus for testing a fuel pump of an engine, the apparatus comprising:

a non-transitory memory medium configured to store instructions executable by a processor to perform the acts of:

cranking the engine with a starter motor;

inhibiting fuel injection to the engine concurrent with the cranking;

opening an inlet metering valve to provide fuel to the fuel pump concurrent with the cranking and the inhibiting;

measuring fuel pressure at or downstream of an outlet of the pump concurrent with the cranking, the inhibiting, and the opening;

diagnosing a condition of the pump in response to the measuring; and

terminating the cranking and one of (a) disinhibiting fuel injection and allowing the engine to start, and (b) and allowing the engine to stop.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the act of diagnosing comprises performing a gain of pressure test to evaluate whether a minimum net fuel pressure increase is achieved during a test duration.

15 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the act of diagnosing comprises performing a pressure test to evaluate one or more individual pumping events associated with a respective pumping element of the fuel pump.

16 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the instructions are configured to operate during an out-of-mission service event.

17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the instructions are configured to test a newly installed fuel pump.

18 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the instructions are configured to operate during an in-mission engine start event.

19 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the apparatus comprises an on-engine electronic control unit (ECU).

20 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the apparatus comprises apparatus comprises an on-engine electronic control unit (ECU) in combination with a diagnostic tool external to the ECU.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2025
From: CUMMINS INC.
To: CUMMINS SCANIA HPCR SYSTEM, LLC
Reel/Frame 073461/0836 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 14, 2025
From: TIDWELL, MICHAEL R.; JAVVAJI, ABHISHEK; GNAU, SARAH E.
To: CUMMINS INC.
Reel/Frame 072016/0307 →