I'm hoping that someone here has a little bit of knowledge messing around with Diesel engines. One of my tasks for the summer (I'm getting paid by UIUC) is to get this single-cylinder Diesel engine that they have running for lab instruction in the fall. It uses INCA software for the ECU that's pretty simple to use. However I really don't understand what it's doing to the engine.

Let's start with what I do know. In a gasoline engine (speed-density) you adjust manifold pressure and RPM and then change fuel and ignition timing. However for Diesel engines load is now dependent on fuel. So you still have RPM but load is a function of fuel. So if load is a function of fuel then now fuel is a function of both RPM and load which is now a function of fuel. Also somehow there is a throttle controller for the engine. Basically I am not sure how this works at all.

I can post some pictures of the software later tonight. I just need some help understanding what the heck is going on.