Abstract: The present invention is directed to a lubrication system having a gasket with integrated lubrication channel for providing lubrication to the surface of an engine part. Preferably, the gasket is a multilayer metal gasket comprised of an upper layer, a bottom layer, and an inner layer disposed between the upper and bottom layers. The gasket further comprises a lubrication channel disposed through the gasket. Lubrication from an oil feed may then be directed through the lubrication channel and directed onto the surface of the engine part to be lubricated.

Abstract: An engine cooling system has a primary cooling circuit having with a coolant pump to pump coolant to the engine, an engine return line, a radiator and a bypass in parallel with the radiator. The primary circuit also has a flow control valve to control flow between the radiator and the bypass to allow fluid to flow from the radiator only when coolant temperature is above normal operating temperature. The system also has a secondary cooling circuit with a heat exchanger and a temperature responsive control valve and a heater circuit connected to a passenger compartment heater. The temperature responsive conrol valve shuts off flow through both or one of the inlets depending on coolant temperature.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine and a method of reducing hydrocarbon emissions of an internal combustion engine during cold start conditions in disclosed. The engine has at least one cylinder provided with a piston which reciprocates between a top dead-center and a bottom dead-center, at least one intake valve through which intake air is provided, a fuel injector assembly arranged to inject atomised fuel particles directly into the cylinder and means for controlling the opening and closing of the intake valve. According to the invention, intake valve opening is adjusted to occur after top dead center of the piston. When the intake valve opens, a pressure differential exists across the valve. Fuel is injected directly into the cylinder during the time of the pressure differential.

Abstract: A system and method for diagnosing ignition system performance of an internal combustion engine. The method operates an engine control unit to produce a sequence of spark ignition current pulses through primary windings of a plurality of ignition coils. The current pulses produce voltage pulses across electrodes of the spark plugs. The voltage pulses produce flyback voltages across the primary windings. Output pulses are produced in response to the flyback voltages having time durations related to the time durations of the sparks produced by the spark plugs. Digital signal are produced in response to each one of the output pulses representative of the spark time duration of a corresponding one of the sparks. A comparison of the digital signals determines whether the spark time duration of one of the spark plugs is substantially different from the spark time durations of the other ones of the plurality of spark plugs.

Abstract: In an exhaust aftertreatment system, which includes a nonthermal plasma discharge device followed by a NOx storage device followed by a precious metal catalyst, a method is disclosed for operating the engine at a lean air-fuel ratio when the NOx storage device is not full and for operating the engine rich when the NOx storage device is substantially full. Electrical energy supplied to the nonthermal plasma discharge device during lean operation is discontinued during rich operation of the engine.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for reducing the exhaust emissions during the cold start of an internal combustion engine (3). According to the method, a starter motor (4) is operated in parallel with the internal combustion engine (3) until the operating temperature of an exhaust gas catalytic converter (1) is reached, to thereby relieve the power demand on the internal combustion engine and thereby to minimize the production of pollutants. The heating of catalytic converter (1) can preferably be accelerated by retarded spark timing, by a delayed shift in automatic transmission (6) and/or by an electrical heater coupled to catalytic converter (1).

Abstract: A method and system to start an internal combustion engine from rest is disclosed. The engine has intake and exhaust valves in each cylinder in which actuation of such valves is independent of engine rotation. The engine also has a fuel injector and a spark plug disposed in each engine cylinder. The intake and exhaust valves are closed in one engine cylinder; fuel is sprayed into such cylinder; the spark plug is fired in such cylinder. Additionally, a second cylinder is identified in which the intake and exhaust valves are closed, fuel is sprayed, and a spark is fired prior to engine rotation.

Abstract: Method and system embody a valve timing strategy to control the autoignition timing of a four stroke internal combustion engine (10) operated in an HCCI mode at different engine operating conditions such as different engine speed and torque. A particular valve timing strategy varies lift timing of the intake valve (20) relative to the exhaust valve (28), or vice versa, and relative to top dead center in response to a change in engine torque, for example, to vary amount of trapped residual burned gas in the combustion chamber (12) flowing to an intake or exhaust port (16,18) and back to the combustion chamber during which the residual gas is cooled. Control of the flow of residual gas between the combustion chamber and intake or exhaust port and thus its temperature by the valve timing strategy, in turn, is used to control the temperature of the fresh air/residual gas/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber (12) and thus autoignition timing in response to a change in engine torque.

Abstract: An engine cooling system has a primary cooling circuit with a pump to circulate liquid coolant through an engine, the coolant being returned to the pump via a radiator and a bypass arranged in parallel. A temperature-responsive control valve controls flow as between said radiator and the bypass. The valve housing defines: a hot inlet connected to the bypass, a cold inlet connected to the radiator, and a valve chamber. The valve further includes a first valve member in the valve chamber movable between two limits to control the flow of coolant from the hot inlet to the outlet, a second valve member in the valve chamber movable between two limits to control coolant flow from the cold inlet to the outlet; and a temperature-responsive actuator to move the first and second valve members.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine having a crankshaft rotatable within an engine block of the engine and at least one camshaft driven by the crankshaft. The crankshaft is fixed to a crankshaft wheel having a plurality of crankshaft wheel marks and at least one crankshaft position indicia. The camshaft is fixed to a camshaft wheel having a predetermined pattern of camshaft wheel marks. A crankshaft sensor is fixed to the engine block for producing a crankshaft signal in response to detection of the crankshaft position indicia. A camshaft sensor is fixed to the engine block for producing camshaft signals in response to detection of the camshaft wheel marks. Rotation of the crankshaft generates a pattern comprising the crankshaft signal and the camshaft signals. A processor compares the generated pattern to a stored reference pattern for determining from such comparison the position of the crankshaft within the engine block.

Abstract: The present invention comprises an oil system for supplying and controlling oil flow in an internal combustion engine having a variable camshaft timing (VCT) device, comprising a pressurized oil supply providing lubricating oil to the engine and the variable cam timing device and an oil circuit connecting the oil pump with the VCT and a main oil gallery of the engine via a valve apparatus. The valve apparatus responds to oil pressure near the outlet of the oil pump so that oil flows to the main oil gallery when oil pressure is above a predetermined pressure. When the VCT requests oil flow, oil pressure in the system drops. If the pressure drops below the predetermined pressure, the valve apparatus causes a reduction in flow to the main gallery.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for cleaning ambient air of a vehicular adsorption unit (8). The vehicle includes a combustion engine (1) and a passenger ventilation system (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11). Adsorption takes place whether the engine (1) is running or not. During adsorption, a fan (11) forces ambient air from an inlet (6) to the ventilation system in a first direction, through an adsorption unit (8), and out of an outlet (10). To desorb when the engine is running, air is supplied to a heater (13). Heated air passes through the adsorption unit (8) to release pollutants and regenerate the unit. Pollutant-containing air passes through a second heater (4,16) and then through the first heater (13) to heat the ambient air. Finally, polluted air is drawn from the heat exchanger (13) to an intake conduit (3) of the engine (1).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for improving the initial conditions for starting a direct injection, spark-ignition internal combustion engine. Measures, such as adjusting the throttle valve, a varying inlet and exhaust valve timings, operating a secondary-air pump, ensures that the internal combustion engine, when running down, scavenges exhaust gases from the cylinder by providing fresh air into the. Furthermore, measures are undertaken for the braking and/or active rotation of the internal combustion engine so that it is a suitable position for renewed starting, the restarting being accomplished without the aid of a starter motor.

Abstract: A method and system for operating an internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine is operable in a plurality of compression ratio operating modes. The method includes determining a relationship between a base engine threshold load where the high compression and low compression provide substantially the same engine fuel consumption and engine speed. The determined nominal relationship is modified by a factor, such factor being a function of a condition under which such engine is operating, to obtain a modified relationship. The modified relationship is a function of engine speed and the condition has an effect on knock generation in such engine. The modified relationship and engine speed are used in selecting one of the plurality of compression ratio operating modes for the engine.

Abstract: A method for controlling torque in an internal combustion engine to cause an increase in temperature in an exhaust aftertreatment device is disclosed. One group cylinders feed exhaust gases to one exhaust aftertreatment device and another group of cylinders feed exhaust gases to another exhaust aftertreatment device. By operating the groups of cylinders at different operating conditions, the desired temperature in one of the exhaust aftertreatment devices can be achieved while also providing driver demanded torque.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling an internal combustion engine during a cold start operation. The engine is supplied with a substantially constant, lean air/fuel ratio immediately after the engine is started, while the engine has an idle speed that is allowed to vary as a function of the difference between a target air/fuel ratio and an actual air/fuel ratio. The invention further relates to an arrangement for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A fan apparatus is disclosed which includes a fan coupled to a drive mechanism via a viscous clutch. The viscous clutch includes a drive chamber containing a hydraulic fluid with an amount of hydraulic fluid in the drive chamber being related to a torque transmitted from said drive mechanism to the fan; a valve coupled to the drive chamber controlling flow of hydraulic fluid into the drive chamber; a bimetallic strip coupled to the valve; and a heating element coupled to the viscous clutch close to the bimetallic strip. The bimetallic strip is located in a position open to ambient air.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for cleaning ambient air of a vehicular adsorption unit (8). The vehicle includes a combustion engine (1) and a passenger ventilation system (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11). Adsorption takes place whether the engine (1) is running or not. During adsorption, a fan (11) forces ambient air from an inlet (6) to the ventilation system in a first direction, through an adsorption unit (8), and out of an outlet (10). To desorb when the engine is running, air is supplied to a heater (13). Heated air is passes through the adsorption unit (8) to release pollutants and regenerate the unit. Pollutant containing air passes through a second heater (4, 16) and then through the first heater (13) to heat the ambient air. Finally, polluted air is drawn from the heat exchanger (13) to an intake conduit (3) of the engine (1).

Abstract: A main bearing cap (20) for an internal combustion engine consists of an aluminum alloy with an iron alloy core (10). The cap has a supporting surface (22) for a bearing shell. The iron alloy core has a central portion (13) with two spaced apart through-channels (15) filled with an aluminum alloy (24) forming a coherent mass with an aluminum layer (23) the outer limiting surface of which forms the supporting surface (22).

Abstract: A system and method for delivering reductant to a lean NOx catalyst receiving exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine operating at a lean air-fuel ratio in disclosed. Reductant supply is based on an amount of reductant stored within the catalyst. Furthermore, reductant is supplied under prescribed conditions including an exhaust gas concentration upstream of the catalyst of less than 25 ppm NOx or the catalyst at a temperature greater than 300° C.