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C-10, C-12, C-15 and C-16 Industrial Engines – Intermittent Engine Shutdown

Note: Use this procedure only if the engine shut down completely and it was necessary to restart the engine.

Probable Causes

  • Diagnostic codes or event codes

  • Operating conditions

  • Electrical connections

  • Faulty remote shutdown

  • Circuit breakers

  • Fuel supply

  • Faulty overspeed verify switch

Note: If the problem only occurs under certain conditions such as high engine speed, full load or engine operating temperature, then perform the test under those operating conditions.

Recommended Actions

Diagnostic Codes or Event Codes

Certain diagnostic codes and/or event codes may cause the engine to shutdown. Connect the Caterpillar Electronic Technician (ET) and check for active codes and/or for logged codes. Troubleshoot any codes that are present before continuing with this procedure.

Operating Conditions

The engine may be shut down due to low pressure levels or other factors. Connect Cat ET and check for active shutdowns or diagnostic codes.

If a shutdown is active, “Injection Disabled” will appear in the third box of any status screen on Cat ET.

An engine shutdown event will appear on a J1939 device if the device is capable of displaying diagnostic codes.

Electrical Connections

  1. Check the following connectors for proper installation:

    • J1/P1 and J2/P2 connectors for the Electronic Control Module (ECM)

    • J61/P61 Customer connectors

    • J300/P300 Connectors for the injector solenoid harness

    • J401/P401 and J402/P402 Engine speed/timing sensor connectors

  1. Check the associated wiring for the following conditions: damage, abrasion, corrosion and incorrect attachment.

    Refer to Troubleshooting, “Electrical Connectors – Inspect”.

Note: Aftermarket engine protection devices usually interrupt power to the ECM. Check for correct installation and for operation of aftermarket engine protection devices. It may be necessary to bypass the aftermarket devices in order to continue testing.

Faulty Remote Shutdown

  1. Access the status screen that displays the remote shutdown switch status. The remote shutdown switch status on Cat ET is called “User Shutdown”.
  1. Refer to Table 1. Measure the voltage between each terminal that is listed and the engine ground.

    Table 1
    “User Shutdown” Status     Measured Voltage at J1-44 or P61-27    
    ON     <0.9 VDC    
    OFF     >10 VDC    

  1. If the voltage is not in the proper range, refer to Troubleshooting, “Switch Circuits – Test”.

Circuit Breakers

Check the circuit breakers. The circuit breakers may exceed the trip point due to overheating. Reset the circuit breakers if the circuit breakers are tripped.

Fuel Supply

Check for a problem with the fuel supply. Verify that the fuel pressure is correct. Verify that the fuel pressure sensor is installed. Refer to Systems Operation/Testing and Adjusting, “Fuel System” for additional information.

Faulty Overspeed Verify Switch (If Equipped)

The overspeed verify switch allows the service technician to quickly verify that the overspeed protection system is operating correctly. When the overspeed verify switch is activated, the engine will shut down when the engine speed reaches 75 percent of the overspeed setpoint.

A problem with the circuit for the overspeed verify feature may be causing the engine to shut down. There are no diagnostic codes or event codes that are associated with the overspeed verify feature. Refer to Troubleshooting, “Switch Circuits – Test”.