Digifant Engine Management system 1

Digifant Engine Management system

The Digifant engine management system is an electronic engine
control unit (ECU), which monitors and controls the fuel injection and
ignition systems in petrol engines, designed by Volkswagen Group, in
cooperation with Robert Bosch GmbH.
Digifant is the outgrowth of the Digijet fuel injection system first used
on water-cooled Volkswagen A2 platform-based models.

History
Digifant was introduced in 1986 on the 2.1 litre Volkswagen Type 2
A Digifant II DF-1 Engine Control Unit used in
(T3) (Vanagon in the US) engine. This system combined digital fuel
'91 Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet with 2E engine
control as used in the earlier Digi-Jet systems with a new digital
ignition system. The combination of fuel injection control and ignition
control is the reason for the name "Digifant II" on the first version produced. Digifant as used in Volkswagen Golf
and Volkswagen Jetta models simplified several functions, and added knock sensor control to the ignition system.
Other versions of Digifant appeared on the Volkswagen Fox, Corrado, Volkswagen Transporter (T4) (known as the
Eurovan in North America), as well as later production versions of the rear-engined Volkswagen Beetle, sold only in
Mexico. Lower-power versions (without a knock sensor), supercharged, and 16-valve variants were produced.
Nearly exclusive to the European market, Volkswagen AG subsidiary Audi AG also used the Digifant system,
namely in its 2.0 E variants of the Audi 80 and Audi 100.

Digifant is an engine management system designed originally to take advantage of the first generation of newly
developed digital signal processing circuits. Production changes and updates were made to keep the system current
with the changing California and federal emissions requirements. Updates were also made to allow integration of
other vehicle systems into the scope of engine operation.
Changes in circuit technology, design and processing speed along with evolving emissions standards, resulted in the
development of new engine management systems. These new system incorporated adaptive learning fuzzy logic,
enhanced and expanded diagnostics, and the ability to meet total vehicle emissions standards.

Features
Fuel injection control is digital electronic. It is based on the measurement engine load (this signal is provided by the
Air Flow Sensor), and on engine speed (signal provided by the hall sender in the distributor). These primary signals
are compared to a 'map', or table of values, stored in the Engine Control Module (ECM) memory.
The amount of fuel delivered is controlled by the duration of actuation of the fuel injector(s). This value is taken
from a programme in the ECM that has 16 points for load and 16 points for speed. These 256 primary values are then
modified by coolant temperature, intake air temperature, oxygen content of the exhaust, car battery voltage and
throttle position - to provide 65,000 possible injector duration points.
Digifant is unlike the earlier CIS and CIS-E fuel injection systems that it replaced, in that fuel injectors are mounted
on a common fuel rail. CIS fuel injection systems used mechanical fuel injectors. The fuel injectors are wired in
parallel, and are supplied with Constant System Voltage. The ECM switches the earth/ground on and off to control
duration. All injectors operate at the same time (simultaneously, rather than sequentially) each crankshaft revolution;
two complete revolutions being needed for each cylinder to receive the correct amount of fuel for each combustion
cycle.
Digifant Engine Management system 2

Ignition system control is also digital electronic. The sensors that supply the engine load and engine speed signals for
injector duration provide information about the basic ignition timing point. The signal sent to the Hall control unit is
derived from a programme in the ECM that is similar to the injector duration programme.
Engine knock control is used to allow the ignition timing to continually approach the point of detonation. This is the
point where the engine will produce the most motive power, as well as the highest efficiency.
Additional functions of the ECM include operation of the fuel pump by closing the Ground for the fuel pump relay,
and control of idle speed by a throttle plate bypass valve. The Idle Air Control Valve (IACV) (previously known as
an Idle Air Stabiliser Valve - IASV), receives a changing milliamp signal that varies the strength of an electromagnet
pulling open the bypass valve.
Idle speed stabilisation is enhanced by a process known as Idle Speed Control (ISC). This function (previously
known as Digital Idle Stabilization), allows the ECM to modify ignition timing at idle to further improve idle
quality.

Digifant II inputs/outputs
The 25 pin electronic control unit used in the Golf and Jetta receives inputs from the following sources:
• Hall sender unit (provides engine speed signal)
• Air Flow Sensor (provides engine load information)
• Coolant temperature sensor
• Intake Air Temperature sensor
• Knock sensor
Additional signals used as inputs are:
• Air conditioner (compressor on)
• Car battery voltage
• Starter motor signal
The Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), three-speed automatic transmission, and vehicle speed sensor are not linked to
this system.
Outputs controlling engine operation include signals to the following:
• Fuel injectors
• Idle Air Control Valve
• Hall control unit
• Fuel pump relay
• Oxygen sensor heater

Additional systems
The evaporative emission system is controlled by a vacuum-operated mechanical carbon canister control valve. Fuel
pressure is maintained by a vacuum operated mechanical fuel pressure regulator on the fuel injector rail assembly.
Inputs and outputs are shown in the following illustration. Digifant II as used on Golf and Jetta vehicles provides the
basis for this chart.

North America variants

In North America, Volkswagen released two other versions of the Digifant fuel injection system (in addition to
standard Digifant II described above).
A limited number of 1987-1990 California Golf and Jetta models are equipped with Digifant II that features an
on-board diagnostics system (OBD). These vehicles have 'blink code' capacity to store up to five Diagnostic Trouble
Digifant Engine Management system 3

Codes (DTCs). Diagnostic troubleshooting is done by pressing the Check Engine switch on the dashboard. This
system can also have carbon monoxide (CO), ignition timing and idle speed adjusted to baseline values.
In 1991, California Golf, Jetta, Fox, Cabriolet and Corrado vehicles were equipped with expanded OBD capabilities.
This version was renamed "Digifant I". These later Digifant versions have 38-pin ECMs with Rapid Data Transfer
and permanent DTC memory. All Eurovans with Digifant also have rapid data transfer and permanent DTC memory.
These systems use a throttle plate potentiometer to track throttle plate position in place of the idle and full throttle
switches used on earlier systems.
Another characteristic of Digifant II equipped vehicles in California is a switch mount on the dashboard which has a
"Check Engine" symbol. Digifant I models in California feature a Check Engine light, with the display of codes done
by a special Volkswagen tool under the shift boot, or by a jumper and an LED by the home mechanic.

Maintenance of older Digifant vehicles

Most of driveability issues can be traced back to a few issues:
• Bad ECM earth/ground
• Bad o2/lambda sensor earth/ground
• Faulty Engine Coolant Temperature sensor (ECT)
The engine coolant temperature sensor is located in the coolant flange,(under the distributor on the Polo Fox Coupe)
on the front of the cylinder head (on transverse-engine vehicles). The bad earth/ground can be traced to an essential
ground strap on the front upper transmission bolt. Without this, the ECU tends to earth/ground elsewhere, causing a
specific trace to burn out on the circuit board and killing the ECU. This causes the injectors to stay open constantly,
flooding the engine.
Common issues that are indicative of a failed ECT are:
• Vehicle idles poorly
• Engine sputters, might stall
• Higher than normal fuel consumption
The part number for this sensor is '025 906 041 A' (always check with
your Volkswagen dealer for the most updated part number). The
resistance of this unit is appriximately 3.2 Kohm at 10 degrees C. If it
measures open circuit this will explain erratic idle and throttle speeds
especially when the engine is cold. 1990 Jetta GL with Digifant engine management

When replacing this sensor, it is important to also replace the clip that
holds it in position ('032 121 142') and the O-ring ('N 903 168 02').
Once the new sensor has been installed, start the engine and disconnect the blue coolant temperature sensor. Rev the
engine through 3,000 rpm three times, each time allowing the throttle to close completely. This clears the Digifant
ECM fault memory.
Digifant Engine Management system 4

References
• Robert Bentley. Volkswagen GTI, Golf, Jetta Service Manual 1985 through 1992. Cambridge: Bentley Publishers, 1992.
• Volkswagen of America. "Digifant Engine Management". Engine Management Systems. Auburn Hills: Volkswagen Service Publications,
2006. 31-36.

External links
• Volkswagen Group corporate website (http://www.VolkswagenAG.com/vwag/vwcorp/content/en/
homepage.html)
• Fuel Injection theory (http://autorepair.about.com/od/enginefuelfuelinjectio/)
Article Sources and Contributors 5

Article Sources and Contributors

Digifant Engine Management system  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=497650025  Contributors: 842U, Aduito, Analogue Kid, C777, Chris the speller, Dawnseeker2000,
Firsfron, Fxhomie, Hu12, Ixfd64, KNM, Letdorf, MacMan2626, Malcolma, Pcressman, Rangoon11, Realkyhick, Rjwilmsi, Sumsum2010, Teutonic Tamer, Vegaswikian, 24 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

Image:Digifant.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Digifant.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Reinis
Image:MVC 071.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:MVC_071.jpg  License: Attribution  Contributors: Pcressman

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