Abstract: To detect a failure of the fuel heaters of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine of vehicles by utilizing a microcomputer of a vehicle operation control device and sensors already provided in the vehicle such as an air/fuel ratio sensor or a crankshaft rotation sensor, with a supplement of substantially only a software, a failure of the heater corresponding to one of the cylinders is detected based upon a change exhibited in at least one parameter with regard to the operating conditions of the engine such as exhaust air/fuel ratio, crankshaft rotation angular speed, etc. by the injected fuel not having been heated as expected by a predetermined operation of each heater.

Abstract: In a control system of an internal combustion engine including an intake flow control valve disposed downstream of a throttle valve, a controller controls opening and closing of the intake flow control valve, depending upon an operating state of the internal combustion engine. Upon detection of a failure in the intake flow control valve, the controller controls an intake air amount or flow rate to a different value.

Abstract: An intake device of an internal combustion engine is provided that includes an intake flow control valve shaped so as to be capable of effectively forming a tumble flow within a combustion chamber when there is a projection within an intake pipe located downstream of the intake flow control valve. The intake device of the internal combustion engine includes an intake flow control valve between a throttle valve provided within an intake pipe and a fuel injector located downstream of the throttle valve, for producing a tumble flow in a combustion chamber. The intake flow control valve includes a valve body. The valve body has a bypass airflow producing portion formed at a position corresponding to that of the fuel injector (i.e., a projection within the intake pipe) when viewed in a flow direction of the airflow.

Abstract: An engine is provided with a variable valve mechanism capable of changing a degree of an operating angle and a phase of a valve-open period of an intake valve. A controller selectively executes at least one of a plurality of knock controls including a phase adjustment of the valve-open period of the intake valve when a knocking is detected by a knock sensor. When the operating angle of the intake valve is smaller than 180 degrees, a knock control is selected and executed such that a valve-open timing IVO of the intake valve does not exceed a predetermined timing (TDC+&agr;) retarded from a top dead center TDC by a predetermined angle &agr;. Specifically, for example, when the operating angle is smaller than 180 degrees and the valve-open timing UVO of the intake valve is after the top dead center TDC, the valve-open timing IVO is advanced.

Abstract: A warm-up control apparatus of an internal combustion engine is installed in a vehicle equipped with a brake booster that uses a negative pressure in an intake pipe of the internal combustion engine. The apparatus performs a warm-up control of the engine by retarding the ignition timing and increasing the amount of intake air. If during execution of the warm-up control, the brake pedal is operated, or the accelerator is off while the vehicle is running at or above a predetermined speed, or the decreasing rate of the amount of accelerator operation is greater than or equal to a predetermined value while the vehicle is running at or above a predetermined speed, the control apparatus recovers the intake pipe negative pressure by reducing the amount of intake air set in relation to the warm-up control.

Abstract: When starting an engine, the engine is driven by a starting motor and, at the same time, a fuel heating heater can be operated. If the engine is stopped and then immediately restarted, the operation of fuel heating heater is controlled according to the operation time of the fuel heating heater in the last operation. That is, if a period of time is brief between a stopping and a restarting of the engine, heat generated when the fuel heating heater was operated last remains and, in consideration of the amount of that residual heat, generation of heat by the fuel heating heater is restricted.

Abstract: The power circuit device for vehicles is provided with a grounding portion for grounding portions closer to a power consumption device side than a relay of main conductive routes when the relays used for the main conductive routes extending from an accumulator of a vehicle to a fuel heating device, a catalyst heating device, an electric pump, or the like is turned OFF, so that a false power application is not executed even a short-circuit occurs in a part of a power circuit. Also, when two relays are arranged in series, the grounding portion is provided for the relay closer to the power consumption device in order to monitor a voltage level of the main conductive route and make it easy to detect a short-circuit or a disconnection occurrence.

Abstract: A fuel heating control method and apparatus includes an operation of a heater heating a fuel for an engine started by being driven by a starting motor. The heater is not operated until after an operation of the starting motor is substantially terminated at a time of starting the engine.

Abstract: A warm-up control apparatus of an internal combustion engine is installed in a vehicle equipped with a brake booster that uses a negative pressure in an intake pipe of the internal combustion engine. The apparatus performs a warm-up control of the engine by retarding the ignition timing and increasing the amount of intake air. If during execution of the warm-up control, the brake pedal is operated, or the accelerator is off while the vehicle is running at or above a predetermined speed, or the decreasing rate of the amount of accelerator operation is greater than or equal to a predetermined value while the vehicle is running at or above a predetermined speed, the control apparatus recovers the intake pipe negative pressure by reducing the amount of intake air set in relation to the warm-up control.

Abstract: In a control system of an internal combustion engine including an intake flow control valve disposed downstream of a throttle valve, a controller controls opening and closing of the intake flow control valve, depending upon an operating state of the internal combustion engine. Upon detection of a failure in the intake flow control valve, the controller controls an intake air amount or flow rate to a different value.

Abstract: An intake device of an internal combustion engine is provided that includes an intake flow control valve shaped so as to be capable of effectively forming a tumble flow within a combustion chamber when there is a projection within an intake pipe located downstream of the intake flow control valve. The intake device of the internal combustion engine includes an intake flow control valve between a throttle valve provided within an intake pipe and a fuel injector located downstream of the throttle valve, for producing a tumble flow in a combustion chamber. The intake flow control valve includes a valve body. The valve body has a bypass airflow producing portion formed at a position corresponding to that of the fuel injector (i.e., a projection within the intake pipe) when viewed in a flow direction of the airflow.

Abstract: To detect a failure of the fuel heaters of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine of vehicles by utilizing a microcomputer of a vehicle operation control device and sensors already provided in the vehicle such as an air/fuel ratio sensor or a crankshaft rotation sensor, with a supplement of substantially only a software, a failure of the heater corresponding to one of the cylinders is detected based upon a change exhibited in at least one parameter with regard to the operating conditions of the engine such as exhaust air/fuel ratio, crankshaft rotation angular speed, etc. by the injected fuel not having been heated as expected by a predetermined operation of each heater.

Abstract: When starting an engine, the engine is driven by a starting motor and, at the same time, a fuel heating heater can be operated. If the engine is stopped and then immediately restarted, the operation of fuel heating heater is controlled according to the operation time of the fuel heating heater in the last operation. That is, if a period of time is brief between a stopping and a restarting of the engine, heat generated when the fuel heating heater was operated last remains and, in consideration of the amount of that residual heat, generation of heat by the fuel heating heater is restricted.

Abstract: A fuel heating control method and apparatus includes an operation of a heater heating a fuel for an engine started by being driven by a starting motor. The heater is not operated until after an operation of the starting motor is substantially terminated at a time of starting the engine.