DIGITRONIC gas equipment: models, device, self-installation of the 4th generation system on a car

Last updated - October 12, 2022 at 09:56

For obvious reasons, the market for automotive gas equipment continues to grow worldwide. Perhaps one of the most popular brands among car owners is HBO from the Digitronic company.

The variety of configurations, types, as well as the ease of installation of gas systems of this brand are quite capable of satisfying the needs of professional service stations with a large flow of private and commercial vehicles, as well as those car owners who decided to install gas equipment with their own hands. But like any technology, this equipment has a number of pros and cons. We will talk about all this in this article.

Brief information about the brand

The products of the Polish company Digitronic are multi-brand gas equipment for any car. The key suppliers of components are such well-known companies as Stako, Valtek, Tomasetto, AC, AEB, EMER Palladio, Fagumit, whose production is located both in Europe and around the world.

Today, certified digital installation stations operate in sixteen regions of Russia. In addition, the company has a developed dealer network in all regions of the country.

The company is actively promoting its product, which has a positive effect on its promotion. Not counting retail customers, only the company’s wholesale customers are located in more than 200 cities of the Russian Federation and the CIS, whose number is about 1,300.

The main reasons why HBO Digitronic is in great demand among car enthusiasts and companies involved in the operation of vehicles:

• individual proposals for the selection of equipment;
• prompt technical support (online adjustment);
• personnel training (for equipment installation stations);
• providing a guarantee for work and equipment (with the possibility of extension);
• availability of a full range of spare parts in warehouses;
• fast delivery of spare parts;
• flexible pricing policy;
• high level of service.

In addition, due to the wide distribution of gas equipment of this brand throughout the world, the LPG market is flooded with counterfeits. “Chinese digitronic”, which has nothing to do with the original manufacturer, is especially common.

Differences between the original control unit and the fake

Therefore, the company has developed a number of measures to combat counterfeiting, one of which is to confirm the authenticity of products by registering them in its own system.

Mass air flow sensor device

The internal structure of the sensor is a fine mesh, in the middle of which a platinum thread is stretched. The latter warms up to a temperature of about 700 degrees in a short time. When air passes through it, the thread cools slightly. By how many degrees the filament temperature has dropped in comparison with the reference value, the amount of air passing near it is measured. The output value varies in the range from 0 to 5 Volts. If there is no air flow and the engine is turned off, then the output of the mass flow sensor will be exactly 1 Volt. If you start the engine, air will begin to flow through the mass air flow sensor. The higher its consumption, the greater the voltage will be at the output of the sensor.

Types of HBO Digitronic

Due to their applicability to modern cars, 4th generation gas equipment has become especially widespread. The digitronics line also includes systems for converting vehicles to run on methane or propane.

The list of manufacturer’s capabilities does not end there; there are models for cars with different types of fuel systems (carburetor/injection), engine power, fuel supply method and its type, such as:

1. FSI/GDI engines (direct injection), also ke/k-jetronic (jetronic)
2. diesel internal combustion engines
3. 4, 6, 8 and even 12 cylinder power units
4. turbocharged engines
5. with distributed injection
6. with single injection
7. equipped with a Valvetronic type servo drive.

Self-tuning

Before tuning, it is recommended to drive a little on gasoline, this is necessary so that the gasoline brains “feel” the normal mode and correct the correction factors.

All self-tuning can do is accurately determine the timing of gas injection at idle. All other engine modes require manual adjustment. It’s a pity, most often gas workers limit themselves to only this mode.

We connect the cable to the car, turn on the Lovato Easy Fast program, initialization occurs, which takes some time. In the lower right corner the cable icon is displayed with a green check mark. From this moment you can start setting up.

What's included in the 4th generation kit

Installation equipment kit

For this class of equipment, the 4th generation digital gas equipment is standard. It may include brands and components from the following manufacturers:

mechanical part

• VZU (filling device)
• gas cylinder (Stako, BAJ) with Tomasetto multivalve
• copper or plastic lines for the liquid phase of a propane-butane mixture or high-pressure steel pipes (in the case of a methane system)
• reducer-evaporator (Emer Palladio, Tomasetto, AC Autogas)
• filters
• hoses/tubes for the vapor phase of gas fuel (Fagumite)
• a set of mounting hardware (adapters, clamps, tees, brackets, tank mounting bracket with tapes)

electronic components

• gas supply solenoid valve (Valtek, OMB, Tomasetto)
• nozzles with ramp or individually (AEB, Dymco, Valtek)
• wiring
• electronic control unit (ECU) Maxi 2, IQ, iq-3D, AEB MP-32, MP-48, MP6C, 2568D, Stag 400
• gas/gasoline switch iq-401, iq-500, ds-11/10
• reducer/gas temperature sensors, fuel level
• ignition timing variator (optional) TAP-01/02/03
• MAP sensor PS-02/PS-04
• buzzer

Some digitronic kits, table with prices for 2019:

Products

The company supplies items such as:

• HBO cylinders are cylindrical and toroidal of various capacities;
• Nozzle (Injection) rails;
• Additional components and parts (multi-valves, filters, dispensers, mixers, clamps, tubes, rubber hoses and other consumables);
• Gearboxes;
• Various electronics (injection and traditional gas equipment, CVTs, emulators, sensors and indicators);
• Kits (for four, six and eight cylinders, as well as FSI with direct injection).

In addition, tuning systems, adapters, programming interfaces and much more are provided.

Principle of operation

The 4th generation GBO device provides for operation on gas fuel in automatic mode, i.e. When starting a cold engine, the solenoid valve of the cylinder shut-off device is in the closed position.

After warming up the internal combustion engine, with the gas/gasoline switch activated in advance, the gas system controller (ECU), having received readings from the evaporator temperature sensor, opens the multivalve, where fuel in a liquefied state (or compressed (methane)) begins to flow to the gearbox.

It is also possible to start a cold engine on gas. For this purpose, the fourth generation of gas-cylinder equipment has an emergency start mode. But this creates a risk of damage to the membrane of the evaporator reducer.

The gas, passing through the channels of the gearbox, heated by the engine coolant to the programmed temperature (set when adjusting the gas equipment), begins to evaporate.

Then the computer sends a signal to the gas fuel supply valve, through which the gas, bypassing the liquid/vapor phase filters and the Map sensor, enters the injectors (nozzles). They supply gas in portions to the engine intake system, or, if the internal combustion engine has direct injection, directly into the combustion chamber. In this case, the gasoline injectors are deactivated by the computer or are in after-injection mode.

The quality, quantity, and rate of supply of propane/methane are controlled by the “brains” of the gas equipment, through the obtained readings of the lambda probe, temperature sensors, map sensor, and also the UOZ variator.

The warmed-up engine automatically starts on gas fuel.

Installation of cylinder, lines and filling equipment

You should start installing HBO from a cylinder. If the car has a car body and a trunk of impressive size, then it is better to use a cylindrical cylinder with a larger capacity. It must be secured to the rear of the luggage compartment of the car.

Hatchbacks have small luggage compartments, so it is better to use a toroidal cylinder. To ensure that the cylinder is securely fastened, you need to use rubberized tapes. To properly secure the cylinder, you should take measurements and mark points for future holes. It is also worth noting the places where the highest pressure line is planned. Having made the markings, you should drill holes in the body in the appropriate places and apply an anti-corrosion primer.

When installing the cylinder, you need to make sure that the special valve is located on the highest part of the cylinder. Subsequently, you need to install a refueling device. It can be placed in every comfortable place that is little dirty during operation of the machine. The main requirement is to place the line from the filling device to the cylinder in a place that is difficult to access for damage.

The main line is made of brass tubes. To avoid damage, the line should be located next to the gasoline pipeline.

Advantages and disadvantages of HBO Digitronic

Studying numerous reviews from owners of cars with 4th generation digitronic gas equipment, you can find both positive and negative sides.

Of the minuses, it is worth noting only complaints about the impossibility of self-adjustment, as well as premature failure of individual components of the system. But these disadvantages may be only partly true.

In practice, upon detailed analysis, it often turns out that the first and second statements are due to the incompetence of the technician who installed/configured the equipment. Also, untimely or low-quality maintenance of gas equipment or its absence at all.

However, do not forget about fake digital electronics. The advantages are obvious:

• a wide selection of trim levels for both budget small cars and premium cars.
• ease of self-installation, configuration, and maintenance. All instructions/manuals are available
• maintainability (spare parts/repair kits available)
• high quality of system parts and reliability of components (all components undergo multi-level testing)
• manufacturability, it is possible to diagnose and adjust equipment parameters directly from a smartphone through the original application.

Connection diagram

As you can see, the connection diagram for the LPG on the VAZ 2110 injector is not particularly complicated. For example, let's look at the connection features of some more models. When installing gas equipment on a VAZ 2109 with a carburetor, the gas reducer and valve are installed directly in the engine compartment. The output on the valve is connected to the input on the gearbox. The inlet side of the valve is connected to the fuel line. The evaporator reducer is connected to the cooling system. To ensure quick heating, it is advisable to place it next to the stove (on the right side). To connect to the cooling system, the following steps will be required:

• the tube going to the heater radiator is disconnected;
• the tube through which heated antifreeze is transferred is placed in the direction from the gearbox housing to the booster pump;
• the next tube connects the reducer to the heater tap.

When the gearbox is installed, you need to start installing the regulator that supplies gas to the carburetor, which you will have to cut into if there is no mixer for supplying fuel. To do this, holes are drilled in its chambers to accommodate special fittings, to which gas pipes are connected.

When installing gas equipment on a VAZ 2121, there is one feature: you can save space in the trunk by placing the cylinder under the bottom of the car. To do this, you will need to make the appropriate fasteners; This arrangement will allow it not to take up trunk space.

Many car enthusiasts are interested in how to remove gas equipment from a VAZ if they are not satisfied with the installed gas equipment due to its obsolescence, or due to the need to free up space in the trunk? It's easy to do it yourself. Dismantling is carried out in the reverse order; plugs can be inserted into the previously drilled holes.

But it is much easier to use the services of professionals: they will not only dismantle your unnecessary gas equipment for a third of the cost of its installation, but will also offer you the option of installing more modern equipment. In any case, the decision is up to the car owner.

Multivalve

Gas systems of any type must be equipped with shut-off valves. For cars, a multivalve is used, which combines up to ten functions, in addition to shut-off. The device includes several elements: actuator, shut-off, control and safety. Multivalves can also be divided into two types: without a safety valve with a volume limitation for equipped cylinders and with a valve.

• Possibility of manually shutting off the fuel supply;
• Availability of gas supply speed control;
• Blocking the loss of the gas mixture in the event of a disconnection from the filling column;
• Emergency gas release in case of cylinder depressurization;
• Fuel level sensor.

Digitronic control unit MAXI 2

For four cylinder engines, Digitronic has developed the MAXI 2 control unit. This line is designed to reduce installation and calibration time.

The basis of the unit is a thirty-two-bit processor with the possibility of upgrading. Such a unit can be quickly installed thanks to a small number of wires and a sealed compact housing. Calibration is carried out through functions located on two panels, which eliminates the problem of switching between tabs. There is a separate button with a buzzer, which is connected using three wires.

The software capabilities of the unit include displaying engine operating parameters on an oscilloscope, a gasoline injection time map in 2D format, functions for correcting gas pressure and temperature with corresponding maps, heating gas injectors, setting the maximum load on the gas mixture, changing the time for opening and closing injectors, as well as the flow through them, and much more.

The MAXI 2 unit is compatible with almost forty manufacturers of gas injectors, including AEB, Hana, Valtek, Rail, Matrix. Functional and software characteristics have made Digitronic MAXI 2 one of the most popular on the Russian market.

Digitronic gearboxes

For a gas cylinder system, the gearbox is one of the most important parts. Digitronic works with TOMASETTO gearboxes, which are designed for carburetor and injection engines and are part of the gas equipment starting from the second generation. Different models from this manufacturer differ in power and some variations in functions, such as preheating at the inlet or without an additional heating stage.