INJECTOR AS-FUEL 1543018 - Caterpillar

3116 Industrial Engines Equipped With Jacket Water Aftercooler (JWAC) (Except 3116 Marine Engine)Reference: Engine News, September 1993, Pages 6-9, "Dealer Installed Air Inlet Heater Starting Aid Available".During cold weather conditions, an ether starting aid provides improved starting ability. However, some customers prefer not to use ether until temperatures become extremely cold.
As an alternative on-board starting aid, Caterpillar has released an Air Inlet Heater (AIH) that is adaptable to most 3116 engines equipped with a jacket water aftercooler.
The AIH system includes a battery-powered heating element (heater assembly) mounted in the air inlet system between the aftercooler and the inlet manifold. The heater is powered by the same batteries used for the electric starting motor. A relay (switch) is used to turn on the power to the heater. The heater is grounded to the engine which is grounded to the frame and battery by the starter ground cable. The operator manually controls the AIH system using a push-button switch in order to activate the power relay. An indicator lamp is recommended in order to visually alert the operator when the AIH system is activated. The heater must be preheated up to 30 seconds before engine cranking. When the engine is cranked, air flowing past the heater element is warmed. The warm air entering the combustion chamber helps the engine start more quickly with less cranking time and run more smoothly after it starts. In addition to preheating the element, the AIH can be used during cranking and after starting, up to three minutes, in order to help the engine run more smoothly and reduce white smoke. Normally, the battery power used for preheating is less than the additional battery power that would be needed for longer cranking time if the AIH was not used in the cold weather.
Never exceed 30 seconds of preheating time. The heater uses 90 to 100 amperes of DC current. Preheating longer than 30 seconds with no air flow may overheat the power connections or the heater element.
Parts required depend upon the engine configuration and system voltage (either 12 V or 24 V).
The Reference article provides a general schematic diagram for guidance in wiring the AIH system. However, due to differences in wiring of various applications, it is impossible to provide specific instructions for individual engine applications and machine models. It is the dealer's responsibility to assure proper wire lengths and wire clip locations. The dealer must determine mounting positions of the relay, indicator lamp, pushbutton switch, and make any necessary brackets. The Reference article provides a suggested list of electrical items for wiring the AIH system.
Note 1: Adding the AIH moves the engine aftercooler 25 mm (1.0 in) to the right. Prior to installation, verify that there is adequate clearance for the aftercooler in the installation, including the exhaust elbow, piping, etc. There must be clearance for normal engine movement on its rubber mounts.
Note 2: Some earlier aftercoolers contain an inner core which extends (protrudes) past the mounting surface of the aftercooler and a short