STEP TIMING CONTROL SYSTEM

STC Operation
The Step timing control system is used on all
NH/NT 855 engines with the PT fuel system
and is designed to allow the engine to
operate with advanced engine timing during
start up and low load conditions. The engine
will return to normal injection timing for
medium and high load conditions. Cummins
used an earlier NVT system that
accomplished the same effect but used an
electric solenoid to control the step timing.
The STC system however, uses rail pressure
to operate an engine oil control valve to
accomplish the timing advance.

The STC system accomplishes the

following:
During advanced timing.
I. Reduces cold weather white smoke
(hydrocarbon emissions)
2 Improved cold-weather idling characteristics
3 Improves light load fuel economy
4 Reduces injector tip and cup carboning.

Normal timing
1. Increases engine durability
2 Reduces nitrous oxide emissions
The system consists of DFF or direct fuel
feed top stop injectors fitted with a
hydraulic tappet that is controlled by
engine lubricating oil.
Advanced injection timing occurs when
the STC tappet is filled with engine oil.
This action effectively lengthens the
injector plunger, (the tappet can be
likened to the hydraulic lifter used on
gasoline engines), so that as the cam
rotates to outer base circle the plunger
will start its decent earlier in terms of
engine rotational position, (piston
position).
During normal timing mode the tappets
are not filled with engine oil which means
that the camshaft must rotate further
towards outer base circle to start the
plunger moving down. This will cause injection to begin later in terms of engine rotational,(piston),
position.
In the advanced position the plunger starts its decent earlier but it will also bottom in the injector cup
before the cam has achieved peak lift, so the cam is effectively trying to drive the plunger through the
cup. The tappet however, is fitted with a
pressure relief, spring loaded check ball.
When the mechanical motion of the
plunger is stopped by the plunger
bottoming in the cup, the pressure on
the oil in the tappet increases greatly.
When this pressure exceeds 1,100 to
1,500 PSI the check ball is unseated and
the oil spills back to the top of the
cylinder head.

Tappet Assembly Oil Flow

The STC system has a fuel rail pressure
controlled hydraulic valve that either
allows the tappets to be filled with oil or
alternatively, blocks the flow of engine oil
to the tappets.
The oil control valve is externally mounted on the cylinder head and is fed engine-lubricating oil. The
engine oil pressure must exceed 10 PSI for the system to operate properly. The valve also has a line
that delivers engine oil to the tappets, a feed from the fuel rail to sense its pressure and a connection
from the C-Brake, (engine brake), oil system. The connection from the C-Brake ensures that when
the C-Brake is in operation the valve will place the timing in normal mode regardless of rail pressure.

On most engines that employ this system, when rail pressure is below 53 PSI the valve will allow oil
to flow to the tappets and the system will operate in advanced mode. When rail pressure goes higher
than 53 the valve will move to block to flow of oil and the system will revert to normal timing. To stop
the engine from switching rapidly back and forth between advanced and normal should rail pressure
be held close to 53, the system will not return to advanced mode until rail pressure drops to 25 PSI.
On certain engines these pressure are set differently in order to meet the particular engine
performance standards. On the NTCC engine for example, the switch to normal timing occurs at 25
PSI and return to advance is at 20 PSI