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

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.

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.

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:

maxi2 functionality

The Digitronic maxi 2 gas control unit is equipped with a 32-bit processor, designed for efficient modernization and firmware updates in the future. Placed in a durable, sealed plastic box.

The device is equipped with a fuel level sensor. The fuel switches accompanied by sound. The maxi2 kit includes universal electrical wiring, fittings, terminals, pressure and temperature sensors.

The function of additional injection of gasoline fuel is provided at a certain number of engine speeds, the period of gasoline injection and gas fuel pressure.

The connection diagram and pinout of the Digitronic dgi for maxi 2 multi-connector is simple due to the small number of cables and connectors. It will not take much time to install the device and connect to the equipment. The pinout of multi-connectors is simple. Many craftsmen make the adapter cord for tuning themselves, but you can also buy an inexpensive ready-made one.

The calibration program is easy to understand. There is no need to switch between bookmarks. There are detailed instructions for connecting the Digitronic maxi 2.

The 32-bit Digitronic maxi 2 process of the 4-cylinder engine offers unlimited prospects for updates and additions of functions. Digitronic Maxi is suitable for two types of fuel - propane-butane mixture and methane. The software can be run in Demo version.

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.

Controller Features and Functionality

The production of an electronic control unit for gas systems is established in Polsky, whose products have long proven themselves in the gas equipment market.

The device was developed on a 32-bit high-performance processor, has a compact design, assembled in a sealed plastic case, convenient for installation.

Main features of Digitronic Maxi 2/Titan:

• compatible with methane/propane gas equipment
• designed for engines up to 4 cylinders, with distributed fuel supply (paired, phased, asynchronous)
• building a 2D map based on injection time
• work in conjunction with a parameter recorder and an oscilloscope
• Suitable for turbocharged internal combustion engines, also with Valvatronic system
• there is an adjustment for t° and gas pressure
• work with heating of gas injectors
• adjusting the number of emergency starts with sound alarm
• a start-stop system is available (compatible with hybrid power plants, a warmed-up engine starts immediately on gas)

• automatic adjustment of fuel level sensor
• tests components (gas valve, buzzer, injectors, LED alarm), reads and records system errors
• automatic calibration
• reading engine speed from gasoline injector signals
• setup via bluetooth connection
• adaptation to work with the main types of gas injectors
• possibility of setting a lock with a PIN code (after the programmed time has elapsed, the machine will stop switching to gas)
• records the parameters of the machine and gas equipment with subsequent information about the maintenance of gas equipment

Maxi 2 Titan used to differ from the regular Maxi-2 by the possibility of additional injection of gasoline fuel. After updating the firmware, these blocks are no different.

According to the manufacturer's plant, the electronic control unit for gas equipment of the 4th generation digitronic maxi two, compared to its predecessor (maxi-1 (also discontinued digitronic four maxi)), has increased quality and reliability, proven by numerous tests. In addition, for a moderate cost, the average price for the original Maxi-2 electronics kit, which includes a map sensor, a gas/gasoline button, and a wiring harness, is 7,150 rubles .

Also, based on reviews from car owners, we can conclude that no global problems arise during the operation of a gas system with a maxi-2 controller.

The causes of malfunctions are usually:

1. poor installation
2. non-compliance with the service interval (TO)
3. The supplied controller is not the original one.

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.

Advantages and disadvantages

If you read reviews online, many car owners write that after installing gas equipment of this brand, they received instant savings; in addition, the entire system is reliable and safe.

Moreover, many write that the installation instructions for 4th generation Digitronic gas equipment allow you to understand the installation principle, therefore, if you have the proper experience, appropriate knowledge, and tools, you can do the work yourself. But here we should not forget that there are many nuances. The electrical circuit of the 4th generation Digitronic gas equipment, for example, requires special understanding.

Gas equipment Digitronic 4th generation, reviews of which are positive, allows everyone to understand that its choice is the best solution.

1. The main advantage is that it is economical. In any case, every driver who wants to install such equipment on his car must understand that now the engine power will not decrease, which again is a serious plus. 2. It is also impossible not to appreciate the fact that it is possible to start a car engine with gasoline fuel, thereby switching to gas at the moment when the vehicle warms up.
2. It is impossible not to add that in the process of creating 4th generation gas equipment, as a rule, Euro 4 standards were strictly taken into account. This leads to the fact that the equipment is actually environmentally friendly when compared with similar products produced by other manufacturers.

But there are still some disadvantages that you should be aware of, such as the price of the equipment. It should be immediately noted that it is actually higher when compared with previous generations.

In addition, you will definitely need to spend money on installing gas equipment - the procedure for re-registering a vehicle with the traffic police is also an indispensable expense. You can find out what documents will be needed from this article.

I will try to answer Alexander’s question asked on the forum, perhaps it will be useful to someone else.

Setting up equipment from Stag, Digitronic and some other companies is carried out using the coefficient curve (orange curve). And to understand the current state of the settings, a system for collecting and analyzing data on gasoline injection when operating on gasoline and gas was used. Injection data is displayed as green and blue curves.

• The green curve is the gasoline injection time when running on gas; it is plotted relative to the vacuum in the manifold (data from the MAP sensor).
• The blue curve is the gasoline injection time when running on gasoline; it is also plotted relative to the vacuum in the manifold (data from the MAP sensor).

1. At the beginning of the Digitronic LPG settings, data on installed injectors, pressure in the reducer, sensors and other parameters are entered.
2. Then auto-tuning is performed (make adjustments only on a well-warm-up engine).
3. Next, you need to switch to gasoline and drive steadily, without accelerating sharply (preferably on an open highway, in 4th gear) for several kilometers to collect the gasoline curve (blue). Let's call it a reference - it shows what injection times are depending on the load when running on gasoline.
4. Next, you switch to gas and repeat your trip. This is necessary to collect the green curve.