TechStream Parameters Meaning
TechStream Parameters Meaning
Engine speed
Engine revolutions. Same as the instrument rev counter, only this reading is digital.
Calculate load
Indication of the amount of load in terms of airflow generated by the engine (not torque or
horsepower) during idle, when towing, travelling uphill, accelleration etc. It is not measured by a
dedicated sensor, but rather calculated using various parameters. The output is in percentage from
the peak airflow. How it is calculated exactly is different for each manufacturer but it might include
readings from the MAF, MAP, engine speed, throttle position or intake air temp and pressure
sensors.
Reference: Idle - around 16%, WOT - 95% and above (peak airflow)
MAF
MAF or mass airflow is the amount of air being sucked (technical term, honest ) into engine
measured just after the airfilter. The output is in grams per second.
MAP
Manifold absolute pressure is the pressure measured inside the manifold just before the EGR where
the feed for the sensor is located. The ECU uses these readings to determine EGR flow and boost
pressure among others. The output is in kiloPascals.
Intake air
Temperature of the air past the air filter, measured by sensor inside the MAF meter. Output in
degrees Celsius
Coolant temp
Actual coolant temperature with the engine running. Sensor is located just above waterpump.
Engine is considered warm when coolant temp is upwards of 86 deg C.
Battery voltage
Voltage of either the battery or the charging system (alternator), depending on wether the engine is
running or not. Output in Volts.
Reference: Engine off - around 12 Volts (battery), Engine on - around 13.5 Volts (charging)
Accelerator position
Position of the accelator pedal, calculated in percentages.
Injection volume
The total amount of fuel being injected into the cylinders. Output is in cubic millimeters per stroke.
Fuel press
Actual common rail fuel pressure. Output in kiloPascal (gauge).
Reference: 30.000-40.000 kPag, with fluctuations of about 2000 kPa in either direction considered
normal
Fuel temperature
Temperature of the fuel entering the fuel pump. Output in degrees Celsius.
Reference: 0-95%
EGR VSV
State of the EGR vacuum switching valve, which is used to open and close the EGR valve. Located on
the side of the EGR (brown if I'm not mistaken).
VN Turbo command
Opening of the turbo variable vanes. At low rpm the vanes are partially closed for better boost at
lower RPM's and they open up as the engine speed climbs. Closing vanes are indicated by an
increasing percentage, and the percentage decreases with the vanes opening up.
SPD (NO)
Transmission input shaft speed. Output in rpm's
ECT Lock-up
State of the torque converter lock-up mechanism. Lock-up improves fuel economy at highway
speeds.
MAF
An out of spec MAF reading might be an indicator of either a dirty MAF or blocked EGR flow among
others. Usually this is accompanied by a P04XX for the blocked EGR or a P2008 fault code for the
dirty MAF. Use together with MAP readings and active test within Techstream to diagnose EGR
problems.
MAP
Same as out of spec MAF readings, as they usually work hand in hand. In addition, the MAP filter
might be cracked or blocked. Clean, repair or replace.
Accelerator position
Problems with the accelerator pedal (dead spots or sudden power loss) are best diagnosed with the
graph function within Techstream. If there are dead spots, they will show up there as sudden valleys
approaching or equal to 0% when slowly pressing down or releasing the pedal.
Actual throttle position & close learning val.
Sometimes after cleaning the EGR, people forget to connect the plug of the position sensor. As it sits
under the intercooler, and is hard to see afterwards this has lead to a lot of swearing.
Fuel pressure
Malfunctioning pressure limiter in common rail, malfunctioning pressure sensor or suction control
valve. Fluctuations in actual rail pressure of 2000 kPa or 300 PSI (difference between highest and
lowest readout) is considered normal. When it starts to fluctuate in the 5000 kPa (800 PSI) range it
may be time to replace the suction control valve.