Introduction
The Z 32 SE engine is included in the engine range for the introduction of the MY 2007 Antara. The Z 32 SE V6 petrol engine represents a further development within the Opel ECOTEC engine generation.
The Z 32 SE is a V6 petrol engine that conforms to Euro IV exhaust emission regulations.
View of the Z 32 Se Engine
Engine Compartment — Component Location
The main engine components, relative to their location in the engine compartment are shown below.
| 1. | Air cleaner assembly |
|---|---|
| 2. | Engine oil filler cap |
| 3. | Ignition coil |
| 4. | Intake manifold |
| 5. | Throttle body assembly |
| 6. | Engine control module (ECM) |
| 7. | Washer fluid tank |
| 8. | Battery |
| 9. | Engine fuse block |
| 10. | Surge tank cap |
| 11. | Power steering fluid reservoir cap |
| 12. | Brake fluid reservoir |
| 13. | Evaporative (EVAP) emission canister purge solenoid |
| 14. | Intake manifold tuning control (IMTC) |
| 15. | Mass air flow (MAF) sensor |
General Description
The V6 engine has two cast aluminium cylinder heads with powdered metal valve seat inserts and valve guides.
Each cylinder head contains four valves per cylinder, and houses separate exhaust and intake camshafts which are supported by four bearings machined into the cylinder head.
Camshaft covers are fitted to the cylinder heads which house the ignition coils and spark plugs.
The aluminium alloy cylinder block is has cast-in-place iron cylinder bore liners, which house piston and rod assemblies.
The pistons are manufactured from cast aluminium and incorporate a polymer coated skirt to reduce friction.
The crankshaft is made of forged steel and fits to the bottom of the cylinder block. It has four main bearings and is fixed to the block with crankshaft bearing caps and bolts. The crankshaft possesses an integral oil pump drive machined into the front of the unit, and a crankshaft position reluctor wheel at the rear.
The engine has three timing chains; a primary chain, a right hand secondary chain and a left hand secondary chain.
The primary timing chain connects the crankshaft sprocket with the left hand and right hand intermediate drive shaft sprockets. The intermediate drive shaft sprockets drive the camshaft position actuators, fitted to the front of each camshaft.
The engine is fitted with a variable camshaft timing system. This allows camshaft phasing changes within a range of 25 degrees as engine operating conditions vary.
The camshaft phasing optimizes the engines performance and fuel economy without affecting the overall engine response and driveability. It also contributes to a reduction in exhaust emissions, thus, the need for an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system is eliminated.
An upper and lower Intake manifold are fitted to the top of the engine in between the cylinder heads, and house the fuel rail and fuel injectors.
The throttle valve body is fitted to the side of the upper intake manifold with an intake manifold tuning control valve fitted at the end.
The exhaust manifold is bolted to the side of the cylinder head and utilizes inner and outer heat shields.
A cast aluminium oil pan is fixed to the bottom of the cylinder block, and holds the oil suction pipe, oil deflector, oil baffle and an oil level sensor.
Z 32 Se Torque and Output Curve
| A. | Torque curve |
|---|---|
| B. | Output curve |
Engine Controls
The engine control system for the Z 32 SE uses the BOSCH ME 9.6.1 engine control module (ECM) at it's core to control all engine operations. The ECM uses information from the engine sensors to effectively control the fuel and exhaust systems, and is connected to the other on board control modules via the CAN bus.
The ECM, located in the engine compartment next to the battery, constantly monitors data from various sensors and other inputs, to assure optimal driveability and economy whilst guaranteeing minimum exhaust emissions. The unit performs continuous diagnostic tests on the system to insure that the engine is operating at its most efficient.
CAN Bus
The CAN bus is a series of data communication buses that allow the on board electronic control modules to communicate with each other, or, with a diagnostic tester.
The CAN bus allows the control modules to access information from each other, enabling them to work together as a functional unit and also coordinate their own operations more efficiently. Other vehicle components such as actuators, sensors and electric motors are connected to the control modules using conventional wiring.
The CAN bus supports three types of buses; high speed (HSCAN), mid speed (MSCAN) and low speed (LSCAN).
The HSCAN is used for communicating real time data such as engine torque and steering angle, while the MSCAN is typically used for infotainment display and navigation systems.
LSCAN is the only CAN bus that is able to communicate with ignition turned off, so as to enable system functions such as remote controlled central door locking and anti theft systems.
Using the data buses for communication between various control modules has several advantages over using separate wires.
The main advantages are:
- Fewer wires in harnesses and fewer plug-in terminals on the control modules contribute to a considerable weight reduction
- More efficient data exchange between the various control modules
- Improved reliability and serviceablity
Diagnostic Trouble Codes
Diagnostic trouble codes (DTC's) are stored on the ECM when a malfunction in the system is detected. For each DTC, a code (type A, B or C) is allocated to signify whether the problem is an emissions related or non-emissions related fault. Fault types A and B are emissions related while type C is non-emissions related.
When a malfunction is detected by the ECM, one of three warning lamps in the instrument panel light up. These are, the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL), service vehicle soon (SVS) lamp and the change engine oil lamp. The MIL indicates that there is an emissions related fault, while the SVS lamp indicates a non-emissions related fault. The MIL blinks continuously in the event of a severe misfire. The vehicle's electronic system will switch to an emergency running program.
The Z 32 SE has an engine oil life system. The driver is informed when to change the engine oil by illuminating a control indicator in the instrument panel.
Data Link Connector
The data link connector (DLC) is located under the instrument panel on the driver's side, and provides a means of accessing data from the ECM for diagnosis.
The TECH 2 diagnostic tool can be connected to the DLC to identify DTC's that have been stored by the ECM. TECH 2 can also clear stored DTC's, perform output control tests and read serial data.
• Service: Refer to the trouble code diagnosis in the service manual for the descriptions of the DTC's.
Control Systems
The electronic ignition system for the Z 32 SE uses individual ”pencil type” coils for each cylinder which are mounted in the centre of each camshaft cover. The ECM monitors various sensors, and uses information from the four camshaft position (CMP) sensors and the crankshaft position (CKP) sensor to synchronize the fuel injectors. This will determine the correct injector pulse width for starting the engine.
The camshaft actuator system enables the ECM to change the timing of all four camshafts while the engine is in operation. The camshaft position actuator is driven by the timing chain and is responsible for varying the position of the camshaft. The ECM constantly monitors the four CMP sensors and a CKP sensor to determine any malfunctions within the system.
In addition The ECM also uses with added information to calculate the desired positions of the camshafts.
- Engine coolant temperature (ECT) sensor.
- Engine oil temperature (EOT) sensor.
- Mass air flow (MAF) sensor.
- Throttle position (TP) sensors.
- Vehicle speed sensor (VSS).
The throttle actuator control system uses accelerator pedal position (APP) sensors and throttle position (TP) sensors to establish a connection between the accelerator pedal and the throttle, thus, eliminating the requirement for a mechanical link.
The two APP sensors located in the accelerator pedal, give the actual position of the pedal to the ECM. The ECM directly controls the opening and closing of the throttle valve depending on the accelerator pedal position and several other inputs.
Two TP sensors and an actuator are integrated into the throttle valve housing. The actuator is able to change the position of the throttle valve while the TP sensors send the positional information to the ECM. The ECM requires this information to alter the air/fuel mixture in the engine.
The ECM uses front (H2OS1) and rear (H2OS2) heated oxygen sensors to adjust and maintain desired engine air/fuel mixtures to control exhaust emissions and improve fuel economy.
The H2OS1 is located below the exhaust manifold on the exhaust pipe, and used as the primary measuring device for the fuel control system, to determine whether the engine is running too rich (excessive fuel) or too lean (too little fuel). The H2OS1 is constantly comparing the levels of oxygen inside the exhaust manifold to the levels outside the engine. If the H2OS1 detects that the levels of oxygen in the manifold are too high or too low, a signal is sent to the ECM. The ECM will then alter the air/fuel ratio to the engine accordingly by controlling the fuel injectors.
The H2OS2 is located in the exhaust system after the catalytic converter. This sensor is used to check the performance of the converter and may also be used to aid in adjusting the engine air/fuel ratio. Achieving the correct air/fuel ratio (14.7 parts air to 1 part fuel) is also essential for the operation of the catalytic converter to effectively minimize emissions.
Emission Control Systems
The evaporative emission control (EVAP) system is designed to store and dispose of fuel vapours created in the fuel system and prevent them being released into the atmosphere. The EVAP system consists of a canister, containing a carbon element and a purge solenoid that is connected to the ECM.
The EVAP canister is located under the vehicle in front of the fuel tank, and stores fuel vapours from the fuel tank in the carbon element. The ECM monitors various air and fuel sensors to determine when the canister is to be purged. The ECM activates the EVAP purge solenoid valve allowing intake vacuum to draw the fuel vapours into the engine.
Engine Sensors
The intake air temperature (IAT) sensor is a thermistor type (a resistor which alters its voltage based on temperature) and is an integral part of the mass air flow (MAF) sensor. The ECM determines the air temperature in the manifold by measuring the change in voltage from the IAT sensor.
The MAF sensor on the vehicle is a hot film type and is located between the air cleaner and the air intake duct. The MAF sensor measures the amount of air coming into the engine, while the integrated AIT sensor monitors the air temperature in the manifold. The ECM calculates the information from the MAF and IAT to maintain a constant air flow temperature.
The ECT sensor is a thermistor type and is required by ECM functions such as fuel injection and ignition timing. The ECT sensor is fixed to the cylinder block and accesses the engine coolant passage.
The Z 32 SE engine uses two knock sensors, one for each bank. The sensors are installed to detect abnormal knocking in the engine. The ECM monitors the voltage signal from the sensors and alters the ignition timing to eliminate the knock.
The four camshaft position sensors are mounted at the end of each camshaft and used by the ECM to determine their position. The sensors are also used by the ECM to detect the camshaft rotation speed and trigger the fuel injectors in the correct sequence. As the engine rotates the sensor will signal to the ECM that cylinder number one is approaching top dead centre and the timing of the injection pulse can be determined.
With the aid of the CKP sensor and the CMP sensor, the ECM can determine the engine rotational position at all times. The CKP sensor is attached to the side of the engine cylinder block and operates in conjunction with a 58 slot reluctor wheel on the crankshaft. The ECM receives voltage signals from the sensor to establish the actual position of the crankshaft. The ECM uses the information from the sensor to calculate ignition timing and injection pulses to send to the ignition coils and fuel injectors.
The engine oil level (EOL) sensor and the EOT sensor is a combined sensor and is fitted in the oil sump. The ECM uses the information from the EOT sensor to determine many engine operations including camshaft phasing. When the ECM is informed of a low oil situation by the EOL sensor, a control indicator in the instrument panel will illuminate.