MOSSVILLE, Ill. (May 4) — Caterpillar Engine has given its brawny lineup of truck engines beefier brains, introducing new electronic controls for Cat C-10, C-12, and 3406E 14.6-litre and 15.8-litre diesels.

ADEM 2000 (Advanced Diesel Engine Management) uses a faster processor, more memory, and improved compatibility with other electronic controls throughout the powertrain to monitor and control performance. It should all add up to better fuel economy, said David Semlow, marketing manager for the Caterpillar’s truck engine division.

Semlow said the new system “represents a new generation of electronics.”

With the introduction of ADEM 2000, Cat’s medium-duty and heavy-duty engines will share the same core electronic controls, simplifying service. The unit uses industry-standard J-1939, J-1587, and J-1922 data links to communicate with service tools, dash displays, wireless communications systems, and other powertrain controls on the vehicle.

The 32-bit, 24-MHz processor is three times faster than the previous electronics package, and ADEM 2000 has eight times the RAM and flash memory to support diagnostics and other information management functions. There are more than 100 customer-set parameters.

And upgrades are easy, Semlow said, adding that there are 140 inputs/outputs to allow for future expansion.