The Trionic 8 is an advanced

engine management system An engine control unit (ECU), also commonly called an engine control module (ECM), is a type of electronic control unit that controls a series of actuators on an internal combustion engine to ensure optimal engine performance. It does this by re ...

in the

Trionic Trionic is an engine management system developed by Saab Automobile. It consists of an engine control unit (ECU) that controls 3 engine aspects: # Ignition timing # Fuel injection # Acts as a boost controller. The numerical prefix 'tri-' in Trion ...

series, created by

Saab Automobile Saab Automobile AB () is a defunct automotive industry, car manufacturer that was founded in Sweden in 1945 when its parent company, Saab AB, began a project to design a small automobile. The first production model, the Saab 92, was launched in ...

. It is used in both

Saab 9-3 The Saab 9-3 (pronounced ''nine-three'') is a compact executive car initially developed and manufactured by the Swedish automaker Saab. The first generation 9-3 (1998-2003) is based on the GM2900 platform, changing to the GM Epsilon platform ...

and

Opel Vectra The Opel Vectra is a mid-size car (large family car) that was engineered and produced by the German automaker Opel from 1988 until 2010. Available in saloon, hatchback and estate body styles, the Vectra was also sold by the Vauxhall marque i ...

vehicles, and is available with 150, 175 and engines. It will also be used for a

flexifuel A flexible-fuel vehicle (FFV) or dual-fuel vehicle (colloquially called a flex-fuel vehicle) is an alternative fuel vehicle with an internal combustion engine designed to run on more than one fuel, usually gasoline blended with either ethanol or ...

version starting production spring 2007. Saab Trionic T8 has been developed by Saab and is a very advanced engine management system. The

Engine Control Module An engine control unit (ECU), also commonly called an engine control module (ECM), is a type of electronic control unit that controls a series of actuators on an internal combustion engine to ensure optimal engine performance. It does this by re ...

(ECM) is used principally to regulated the air mass, fuel and ignition timing.

Functionality

Trionic monitors

ionization Ionization, or Ionisation is the process by which an atom or a molecule acquires a negative or positive charge by gaining or losing electrons, often in conjunction with other chemical changes. The resulting electrically charged atom or molecule i ...

rates at each

spark plug A spark plug (sometimes, in British English, a sparking plug, and, colloquially, a plug) is a device for delivering electric current from an ignition system to the combustion chamber of a spark-ignition engine to ignite the compressed fuel/air ...

to individually control and adjust the combustion process for each cylinder. Other primary functions are: *

Ignition timing In a spark ignition internal combustion engine, ignition timing is the timing, relative to the current piston position and crankshaft angle, of the release of a spark in the combustion chamber near the end of the compression stroke. The need for ...

Fuel injection Fuel injection is the introduction of fuel in an internal combustion engine, most commonly automotive engines, by the means of an injector. This article focuses on fuel injection in reciprocating piston and Wankel rotary engines. All comp ...

Turbo boost Intel Turbo Boost is Intel's trade name for central processing units (CPUs) dynamic frequency scaling feature that automatically raises certain versions of its operating frequency when demanding tasks are running, thus enabling a higher resulting ...

pressure * Air mass measurement *

Throttle A throttle is the mechanism by which fluid flow is managed by constriction or obstruction. An engine's power can be increased or decreased by the restriction of inlet gases (by the use of a throttle), but usually decreased. The term ''throttle'' ...

Throttle regulation

Trionic 8 calculates how much power the driver wants as early as possible to avoid turbo kick or lag, therefore making driving smooth. As the driver depresses the accelerator pedal, it acts on a pedal position sensor integrated in the pedal bracket. This information, in the form of a

voltage Voltage, also known as electric pressure, electric tension, or (electric) potential difference, is the difference in electric potential between two points. In a static electric field, it corresponds to the work needed per unit of charge to m ...

, is connected to the ECM which converts the voltage value to a

torque In physics and mechanics, torque is the rotational equivalent of linear force. It is also referred to as the moment of force (also abbreviated to moment). It represents the capability of a force to produce change in the rotational motion of th ...

request from the driver. The torque request is then processed by the ECM with regard to current operating conditions and limitations. The result is an air mass request to achieve the torque requested by the ECM. The driver's requested torque can be higher than that requested by ECM when, for example: * Maximum engine torque at the current operating point has already been attained * The

traction control system A traction control system (TCS), also known as ASR (from german: Antriebsschlupfregelung, lit=drive slippage regulation), is typically (but not necessarily) a secondary function of the electronic stability control (ESC) on production motor vehicle ...

(TCS) intervenes * the knock control system intervenes The ECM regulates the throttle area (opening angle) together with the turbo

wastegate A wastegate is a valve that controls the flow of exhaust gases to the turbine wheel in a turbocharged engine system.Robson, D. (2018). Aircraft General Knowledge. Aviation Theory Centre Pty Ltd. . Diversion of exhaust gases regulates the turbine ...

so that the correct torque is attained, i.e. air mass per combustion. Fuel injection is sequential and regulated with air mass per combustion and engine speed as parameters. ;Advantages This system has the following advantages: * Turbocharger delay can be almost eliminated * Exhaust emissions are reduced during changes in load * Idle speed control is integrated * Load compensation is possible over the entire load and engine speed range * Efficient engine torque limitation is achieved over the entire load and engine speed range *

Cruise control Cruise control (also known as speed control, cruise command, autocruise, or tempomat) is a system that automatically controls the speed of a motor vehicle. The system is a servomechanism that takes over the throttle of the car to maintain a ste ...

can easily be integrated into the system

Ignition

Ignition takes place with individual

ignition coil An ignition coil (also called a spark coil) is an induction coil in an automobile's ignition system that transforms the battery's voltage to the thousands of volts needed to create an electric spark in the spark plugs to ignite the fuel. So ...

s placed on the respective

. The spark plugs, together with the ignition coils and

combustion detection module Trionic is an engine management system developed by Saab Automobile. It consists of an engine control unit (ECU) that controls 3 engine aspects: # Ignition timing # Fuel injection # Acts as a boost controller. The numerical prefix 'tri-' in Tri ...

(CDM), are used to detect combustion and possible knocking. This means there is no need for a

camshaft A camshaft is a shaft that contains a row of pointed cams, in order to convert rotational motion to reciprocating motion. Camshafts are used in piston engines (to operate the intake and exhaust valves), mechanically controlled ignition systems ...

position sensor or separate

knock sensor In spark ignition internal combustion engines, knocking (also knock, detonation, spark knock, pinging or pinking) occurs when combustion of some of the air/fuel mixture in the cylinder does not result from propagation of the flame front ignite ...

Comparison with Trionic T7

Compared with the earlier Trionic T7, the following functions are new: ;Throttle body actuator (604) * Contains throttle position sensor and throttle motor with associated reduction gear. * The throttle body is spherical to improve the throttle area control with low loads. * No mechanical limp-home function as with T7. ;Accelerator position sensor (379) * Integrated in accelerator pedal bracket. ;Ignition coil with integrated power module (320) * Separate inductive ignition coils with ionization current measurement. * Power stage integrated in ignition coils ;Combustion Detection Module (740) * Combustion Detection Module (CDM) processes the ion current signal from the ignition coils first. * Provides ECM with information on combustion quality and possible knocking. ; Exhaust temperature sensor (602) * Measures

temperature Temperature is a physical quantity that expresses quantitatively the perceptions of hotness and coldness. Temperature is measured with a thermometer. Thermometers are calibrated in various temperature scales that historically have relied o ...

exhaust gas Exhaust gas or flue gas is emitted as a result of the combustion of fuels such as natural gas, gasoline (petrol), diesel fuel, fuel oil, biodiesel blends, or coal. According to the type of engine, it is discharged into the atmosphere through an ...

es after

catalytic converter A catalytic converter is an exhaust emission control device that converts toxic gases and pollutants in exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine into less-toxic pollutants by catalyzing a redox reaction. Catalytic converters are usually ...

. * Used as enable criteria for catalytic converter diagnosis. ;Pressure sensor, atmospheric pressure (539) * New model located on engine instead of integrated in control module. * Same function as in earlier Trionic T7 system. ;Power steering fluid pressure switch (739) * Informs ECM when

power steering A power steering is a mechanical device equipped on a motor vehicle that helps drivers steer the vehicle by reducing steering effort needed to turn the steering wheel, making it easier for the vehicle to turn or maneuver at lower speeds. Hydraul ...

servo pressure exceeds 17 bar. * Used for idle speed compensation. ;Level monitor, engine oil (243) * Informs ECM when oil level is low. * Used for indication on

Saab Information Display Saab Information Display (SID) later also called "Saab Car Computer"1995 Saab 900SE owner's manual (SCC) is the name for various in-car computer systems found on most Saab automobiles beginning in 1985 with the Saab 9000 and followed in 1994 with ...

(SID). ;Level sensor, fuel (46) * Informs ECM of current fuel level. * Used for certain diagnoses and trip computer, and for indicating fuel level on main instrument unit (MIU). ;Relay, start relay (517) * Controlled by ECM. ;Radiator fan control * Radiator fan logic is in ECM that also activates the radiator fan relays. * Radiator fan can run in four different modes. ;Generator (2) * ECM controls whether the

generator Generator may refer to: * Signal generator, electronic devices that generate repeating or non-repeating electronic signals * Electric generator, a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. * Generator (circuit theory), an eleme ...

should charge or not. * Used to engage generator charging with a certain delay after starting and in certain cases disengage generator charging. In this case, the engine load will be reduced temporarily when idling to stabilise the idling speed. ;Pressure monitor, engine oil (44) * Informs ECM when oil pressure is low. * Used for indicating on MIU and SID. ;Pressure sensor, A/C (620) * Informs ECM of current pressure on the A/C system high pressure side. * Used for load compensating, radiator fan operation and is sent out as a bus message to be used by ACC.

Tuning

Due to countermeasures implemented by Saab to protect their

intellectual property Intellectual property (IP) is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect. There are many types of intellectual property, and some countries recognize more than others. The best-known types are patents, cop ...

, Trionic 8 systems are more difficult to reprogram. Despite those countermeasures, some tuning companies do offer performance-tuned Trionic 8 maps.

References

{{reflist Saab engines Saab Trionic Engine control systems Automotive technology tradenames