Abstract: A combination heat exchanger and expansion tank are provided having an integral housing with a self-de-aerating design. Particularly suitable for cooling marine internal combustion engines, the housing holds an elongated heat exchanger core configured with at least one straight seawater passage, such that an embodiment of the housing facilitates access to opposite passage ends for cleaning through respective openings in the housing, eliminating a need to remove the core. The housing forms an upper expansion chamber, a lower collection chamber, and a coolant channel in communication with these chambers. The coolant channel receives and directs a main flow of engine coolant over the core; the coolant flow subsequently dropping into the lower collection chamber, from where the coolant exits for recirculation through the engine. The upper expansion chamber includes vents which receive vented coolant flow from remote engine components.

Abstract: A closed crankcase ventilation system for a turbocharger internal combustion engine which uses differential pressure between the turbo compressor inlet and the crankcase to force blow-by gases through a separation device. The zone of low pressure of the turbo compressor inlet is located at the innermost diameter of the compressor inlet shroud. The difference between the pressure in the compressor inlet and the crankcase creates a vacuum which pulls gas from the crankcase into the ventilation system. The ventilation system includes a high restriction separator for removing oil from the blow-by gases. A control valve bypasses the separation device when insufficient pressure differential exists to drive the separator.

Abstract: Check valves (500) are incorporated into a fuel injector so as to form a controlling orifice in the system between the solenoid vales which direct fuel to the respective injection and timing chambers of the fuel injector and the chambers themselves. The precision fuel metering capability of the valve (500) is determined by an annular clearance created between the plunger (512) of the valve and the valve body (510) when the valve is in its maximum stroke. For achieving a bi-stable operation of the valve, the ratio of the plunger valve seat (510d) area to the maximum plunger valve (512b) area and the spring (514) are key parameters. The check valves (500) are formed as cartridge type check valves that can be calibrated outside of the injector prior to the installation thereof.

Abstract: A replaceable cylinder liner for an internal combustion engine. The position of the liner within the block is established by a midstop. An interference fit below the midstop seals the bottom end of a cooling passage that extends around the liner. The top end of the cooling passage is sealed by an o-ring, and when the engine is warmed up by an interference fit also. The top of the cooling passage is close to the top dead center position of the top piston ring, and reduces the temperature of the top piston ring.

Abstract: Both an apparatus and method for truing and dressing a grinding wheel with a constant tangentially dressing force is provided. The apparatus includes a rotatable diamond dressing roll, an engagement assembly including a servo-motor for forcefully engaging the dressing roll against the peripheral work surface of the grinding wheel, a sensor for sensing the force of engagement between the dressing roll and the grinding wheel, and a microprocessor connected to both the sensor and the power supply for the servo-motor for modulating both the voltage and polarity of a DC current connected to the servo-motor so that the engagement assembly presses the diamond dressing roll against the grinding wheel with a constant force during the entire dressing operation.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for adjusting a gear in a gear train assembly. A first gear with a first rotational center and a second gear with a second rotational center are coupled to an engine. A third gear with a third rotational center is provided to form a first mesh with the first gear. The first mesh has a predetermined minimum backlash. The third gear also forms a second mesh with the second gear. The third gear includes an adjustable positioning mechanism which allows the rotational center of the third gear to be adjusted along a predetermined adjustment path that is substantially tangent to the first mesh. The adjustment mechanism of the third gear allows the minimum backlash of the first mesh to be maintained while the second mesh is adjusted to likewise achieve a generally minimized backlash.

Abstract: A servo-controlled fuel injector is provided which includes a leakage limiting valve device for limiting the quantity of high pressure fuel available for leakage into the combustion chamber in the event the closed nozzle valve element fails to sealingly engage its seat between injection events. The servo-controlled fuel injector includes a control volume positioned adjacent an outer end of the nozzle valve element, a control volume charge circuit for supplying fuel to the control volume, a drain circuit for draining fuel from the control volume to a low pressure drain and an injection control valve positioned along the drain circuit for controlling the flow through the drain circuit so as to cause reciprocal movement of the nozzle valve element. The leakage limiting valve is integrated into the fuel injector body and positioned along a fuel transfer passage to block the flow of high pressure fuel to a nozzle cavity between injection events.

Abstract: An improved turbocharged internal combustion engine is provided having a system and method for preventing a rapid decrease of turbocharger power during rapid fuel reduction transients in engine operation due to reductions in fuel flow rate to the engine. The engine includes a turbocharger power enhancing system including an exhaust valve control device capable of varying the timing of opening of the engine exhaust valves. The turbocharger power enhancing system also includes a processor which generates a control signal when a reduction in the fuel delivery rate is detected. The control signal operates the exhaust valve control device to advance the timing of opening of the exhaust valves to cause additional exhaust gas to be delivered to the turbine thereby preventing a rapid decrease of compressor speed and preventing compressor surge.

Abstract: A multi-cylinder internal combustion engine is provided with an intake port injection system capable of effectively delivering port injected quantities of fuel to each cylinder while minimizing the number and size of the fuel injectors. The intake port injection system of the present invention includes a siamese or shared port arrangement having a plurality of common intake inlets, each delivering air from an intake manifold to one intake port of one cylinder and an intake port of a different cylinder. Two single intake inlets are also provided for delivering intake air solely to a single respective cylinder. Importantly, in a multi-cylinder engine having a total number of cylinders equal to N, the number of intake inlets, both common and single, equals N+1. Importantly, the total number of injectors also equals N+1. Although each intake inlet is served by only one injector, two injectors operate simultaneously to deliver fuel to a single cylinder via respective intake inlets.

Abstract: A vehicle having an internal combustion engine with a throttle control is disclosed. The throttle control is responsive to a vehicle operator to generate a throttle setting signal to adjust vehicle speed. An operator-controlled input device is also provided to generate a selected signal corresponding to a selected one of a number of predetermined engine control relationships. A controller responds to the selection signal to govern engine operation in accordance with the selected one of the relationships and the throttle setting signal. The throttle control has a different performance characteristic for each of the relationships and is adjustable by the operator to increase or decrease speed for each of the relationships. The relationships may each correspond to a different type of engine governing technique and include different droop characteristics.

Abstract: An apparatus for diagnosing and controlling an ignition system of an internal combustion engine includes an ignition coil controllable by an ignition control circuit, a spark voltage sensor electrically connected to the high tension side of the ignition coil secondary and an ion voltage sensor electrically connected to the low tension side of the ignition coil secondary. A computer processes the spark voltage signal by comparing the signal to a number of predefined spark voltage waveforms in memory. If the spark voltage signal matches any of the spark voltage waveforms in memory that correspond to a predefined ignition system failure mode, a corresponding error code is stored in memory. The computer is further operable to process a voltage peak of the spark voltage, wherein the voltage peak corresponds to the breakdown voltage in the spark gap of a spark plug connected to the secondary coil.

Abstract: An improved method and system for automatically continuously replacing an engine's used lubricating oil with fresh lubricating oil throughout operation based on engine operating conditions is disclosed. The present system includes an injection control device for injecting small amounts of used lube oil into the engine's fuel system and an auxiliary flow control device for directing controlled quantities of fresh oil into the engine's lube oil system. An electronic controller is provided to vary the amount of used lube oil injected into the oil system based on the severity of engine operation. The process periodically determines an engine operating severity value, i.e. fuel consumption value, for an interval of engine operation and calculates a base line quantity of oil for injection based on the current fuel consumption of the engine during the current interval.

Abstract: An electronically controlled lube oil and fuel blending system is provided which controls the amount of lube oil delivered from an engine lube oil supply system to an engine fuel supply system based on the amount of fuel added to the fuel supply system thereby maintaining a constant lube oil/fuel ratio or lube oil concentration in the fuel supply system 16 regardless of variations in engine operation thereby minimizing emissions, such as particulate matter. The system includes a lube oil injection circuit connecting the engine lube oil supply system to the fuel supply system and an emission compliance lube oil concentration control system for controlling a lube oil concentration in the fuel supply system to maintain compliant engine emissions during engine operation.

Abstract: A pump system for preventing hot start knock in a diesel engine following engine shut down carried by fuel leakage into one or more of the combustion chambers of a multiple-cylinder internal combustion engine equipped with a fuel system including open nozzle injectors connected with a common rail. The system includes a transfer pump (46) in fluid communication with the common rail (50) and the fuel tank (48) for pumping fuel out of the common rail and into the fuel tank. A transfer pump control module (82) is provided for actuating the transfer pump (46) for a period of time following engine shut down to remove a sufficient amount of fuel from the common rail to prevent fuel from leakage through the open nozzles. The control system module may include a timer (96) and a voltage sensor (86) to sense condition of a fuel shut off valve (64). A retrofit kit (FIG. 5) is provided including a control module bracket (98) and a transfer module bracket (102).

Abstract: A reinforcing insert for an engine block formed of an engine block material is provided which is positioned in the bearing saddle area of the block for increasing the strength and stiffness of the bearing saddle area to ensure a secure connection of the main bearing cap throughout engine operation thereby ensuring proper crankshaft support and operation. The reinforcing insert is formed of a material having a higher modulus of elasticity than a modulus of elasticity of the engine block material. The insert includes a lower transverse surface for positioning at a lowermost position in the engine block, an upper surface positioned farthest from the crankshaft, a first and second linear side surfaces for positioning on opposite sides of the crankshaft. The linear sides extend from the lower surface along respective planes in nonparallel relation to each other. The linear sides may extend either in a converging or a diverging manner from the lower surface.

Abstract: A fuel system includes a pair of electronically controllable high pressure fuel pumps operable to supply high pressure fuel from a lower pressure fuel source to a high pressure fuel collection chamber having a pressure sensor associated therewith. The fuel collection chamber feeds an electronically controllable valve operable to dispense the high pressure fuel to a fuel distribution unit supplying fuel to a number of fuel injectors. A control computer is provided for controlling the high pressure fuel pump and valve in response to requested fueling, engine speed and fuel pressure provided by the pressure sensor. The accumulator pressure profile is processed in accordance with various techniques forming part of the present invention for diagnosing pressure sensor in-range failures, fuel pump injector valve blow shut failures and failure of one of the fuel pumps.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for real-time data stamping via datalink and volatile ECM timer/clock. An engine control module (ECM) includes a volatile time-keeping mechanism, such as time-keeping software code inserted into the ECM software, which is capable of keeping track of elapsed time as long as the ECM microprocessor is powered. The ECM initially sets the volatile time-keeping mechanism with real time (RT) at ECM power up by retrieving the current RT over an attached datalink from a non-volatile RT clock (i.e. a clock that keeps track of time even during ECM power down). Thereafter, the ECM microprocessor may time stamp stored data using RT from the volatile time-keeping mechanism. The present invention thus precludes the need to provide a dedicated RT clock for the ECM, or the need for the ECM to request RT over the datalink every time the ECM wishes to time stamp data to be stored.

Abstract: A system and a method for hydraulic actuation of poppet valves. The poppet valve is opened by application of hydraulic pressure to a piston, and is closed by action of a mechanical spring. Hydraulic pressure comes from either a high pressure source of a low pressure source, the low pressure source being higher than ambient pressure. Application of hydraulic pressure is made by a pressure control device based upon signals received from an electronic controller. Hydraulic pressure is applied in a way that minimizes the power required to actuate the valve by making use of valve inertia.

Abstract: A flow control valve having a controllable flow area which varies with the valve displacement. The flow control valve includes a poppet-type valve element mounted to reciprocate between a closed and open position in a valve cavity formed in a valve housing. The valve housing has an inlet and outlet passage to allow fluid to flow therethrough. A removable insert having a flow passage is positioned in the valve cavity adjacent the poppet-valve for controlling the flow rate of gaseous fluid from the inlet passage to the outlet passage while the poppet valve is in an open position. Movement of the poppet valve from a closed to an open position varies the effective cross-sectional flow area of the flow passage.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an engine governor which interpolates between several fueling power curves based upon throttle position and engine speed. Each of the curves are chosen so as to provide a consistent power rise with decreasing engine speed at throttle positions less than maximum. The curves are chosen so as to eliminate an abrupt transition between the given fueling curve and the 100% fueling curve. This is preferably accomplished by having the fueling curve exhibit a knee at the transition to the 100% fueling curve. This gives the driver an indication that the throttle position will not maintain the desired speed under the current loading conditions, thereby prompting the driver to increase the throttle position, thereby allowing the throttle to be used to simulate infinite gear shifts between actual transmission gear shifts.