Checking Out an Intermittent Engine Exhaust Leak
One of the 2009 Cummins ISB diesel engines we have in our fleet was experiencing an exhaust leak intermittently. The driver reported that when he was coming to a stop with the exhaust brake on he would be overtaken by exhaust fumes.
Originally I went with him on a road test to see for myself and nothing was really obvious. I thought of the extra load of passengers and wheel chairs (it’s a handicapped run) would make a difference since we checked this out with the bus empty. That was not a factor since it was an intermittent problem.
Using Cummins Insite Lite Software
It came down to trying a parked regeneration to clean out the engine after treatment system. This is usually done automatically by the ECU (engine control unit) but forcing this action using Insite Lite software is easy to do with the click of a button. This software is an essential tool to have loaded into a laptop computer to read trouble codes and perform actions like a regeneration.
Insite Lite Software requires a yearly subscription which is worth it if you have multiple vehicles in your fleet. The diagnostics and tools are invaluable considering the cost of taking jobs to a repair shop. To force a regen cycle using the software all you need to do is go to ECU Diagnostics, click on the regeneration link and click on Start.
The engine will immediately go into high idle and start to heat up to around 1000 degrees. This operation takes about an hour. The heat accumulated in the exhaust system requires the vehicle to be parked out of the way in the yard so no one happens to walk by unaware of the high heat exhaust coming out of the tail pipe.
