Abstract: A fuel injection system, comprising a low pressure fuel delivery pump with constant output in fluid communication with a low pressure fuel line; said fuel line connected to an electronic controlled fuel pressure regulator and fuel pressure sensor; an electronic control module to monitor and adjust fuel pressure in said low pressure fuel line to a desired fuel delivery pressure and supply fuel to an injector at a feed-back controlled pressure; and at least one injector in fluid communication with a cylinder in an internal combustion engine; said injector having an injector body equipped with a fuel metering orifice to supply fuel from the fuel line to a fuel cumulative chamber within the injector, a reciprocating plunger within said injector; said plunger equipped with a plunger; said plunger passage opening at one end to said fuel cumulative chamber, and, upon reciprocation of the plunger within the injector, opening at its other end to said metering orifice; said injector further equipped with an electronic

Abstract: A system and method for detecting engine malfunctions based on crankcase pressure include determining a reference value indicative of current engine operating conditions and using the reference value to determine a crankcase pressure limit which varies as a function of the reference value. The sensed crankcase pressure is compared to the limit to determine when a fault condition exists. The reference value is preferably a function of engine speed and requested engine torque and includes a second order term multiplied by a calibratable constant which controls sensitivity of the fault determination. The sensitivity may be adjusted to provide equally detectable faults across all engine speeds and loads, to be more sensitive to faults occurring at higher engine speeds, or to be more sensitive to faults occurring at higher engine loads. The system and method control the engine based on the determination of an engine fault.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting cold engine operation include determining at least two fluid temperatures and providing an output signal based on the at least two temperatures. Preferably, an engine coolant temperature, an intercooler temperature, and an engine air temperature are determined via appropriate temperature sensors. In one embodiment, the cold engine output signal is activated or asserted if any one of the at least two fluid temperatures is below a corresponding temperature threshold. The cold engine output signal is deactivated when all of the fluid temperatures are above corresponding temperature thresholds (plus hysteresis where applicable). An optional user-selectable parameter provides for actuation of the cold engine output only during idle. The cold engine output signal may be used to control various accessories including coolant heating systems, shutters, or the like.

Abstract: A system for controlling a vehicle having an internal combustion engine and a variable geometry turbocharger includes a turbocharger sensor having an output indicative of a current turbocharger geometry Turbocharger geometry is varied by a controllable actuator. Control logic determines a desired turbocharger geometry based on the current engine conditions. Control logic determines an error signal by comparing the current turbocharger geometry to the desired turbocharger geometry. The actuator is controlled based on the error signal to change the current turbocharger geometry so as to track the desired turbocharger geometry.

Abstract: A fuel injector assembly for an internal combustion engine including an injector body in fluid communication with a source of fuel and a nozzle assembly through which the fuel is dispersed from the fuel injector assembly during an injection event. A high pressure fuel delivery system provides high pressure fuel to the nozzle assembly. In addition, the fuel injector assembly includes a combined initial injection and peak injection pressure regulator which is operable to control the nozzle assembly to regulate the rate of fuel injection at the beginning of an injection event and is further operable to limit the maximum pressure of the fuel dispersed from the nozzle assembly.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling an engine to limit engine output include determining engine speed, determining vehicle speed, determining a ratio based on the engine speed and the vehicle speed, comparing the ratio to a threshold, and controlling the engine to limit engine output based on the comparison. The ratio used for comparison may be selected from a plurality of ratios based on a current gear ratio which may be an actual or virtual (computed) gear ratio. The threshold may represent a low gear torque limit threshold in one embodiment. A vehicle speed sensor fault may also be considered to determine whether to limit the engine output. In one embodiment, engine output is limited by limiting engine torque.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine including an engine block having a pair of cylinder banks arranged in a V-shaped configuration such that each of the pair of cylinder banks presents a top wall disposed at an acute angle relative to the horizontal. Each cylinder bank includes a plurality of cylinders. A pair of cylinder heads are associated with each pair of cylinder banks. Each of the cylinder heads includes upper and lower walls disposed at an angle relative to each other such that each cylinder head is substantially wedge-shaped in cross-section. Each cylinder head is mounted to the engine block such that the upper wall of each cylinder head is substantially parallel to the horizontal. A pair of exhaust manifolds are mounted to each pair of cylinder heads. A single, integrated intake manifold and rocker cover is mounted to the horizontal upper wall of the pair of cylinder heads.

Abstract: A circular cross-sectional fuel pipe can be prevented from undesired rotation in an engine cylinder head, by a key-key slot combination having a relatively small radial dimension. The key slot is formed by a groove formed in a cylindrical sleeve that is press fit in a counterbore machined in the cylinder head. The mating key can be a ball, or pin, or bar press fit into a side surface of the fuel pipe.

Abstract: A fuel injector assembly for an internal combustion engine including an injector body in fluid communication with a source of fuel and a nozzle assembly through which fuel is dispersed from the fuel injector assembly during an injection event. A high pressure fuel delivery system provides high pressure fuel to the nozzle assembly. The injector body defines a low pressure fuel spill gallery in which unused fuel is collected from the high pressure fuel delivery system. The high pressure fuel delivery system includes a cylindrical bore, a plunger supported for reciprocation within the cylindrical bore, a pump chamber defined by the plunger and the cylindrical bore, and a high pressure fuel passage extending through the injector body from the pump chamber to the nozzle assembly for dispersing fuel at high pressure from the injector assembly.

Abstract: An improved electrical system for internal combustion engines which transfers electrically generated energy from the alternator to heat engine fluids, such as the coolant and the oil, thereby reducing engine warm up time, and/or exhaust emissions and/or fuel consumption.

Abstract: A real-time maintenance alert system and method for use in a heavy-duty truck having an engine controller with memory are provided. The system includes a sensor operative to indicate an engine condition from the group consisting of: oil filter restriction, air filter restriction, fuel filter restriction, oil level, and coolant reserve tank fluid level. Control logic at the engine controller processes the sensor signal to determine a real-time fault condition, when appropriate.

Abstract: A method for controlling a compression-ignition internal combustion engine which provides delivery of multiple fuel injection pulses per cylinder firing with precision of pulse quantities, separation, and timing adequate for transition between split and single injection at any speed and load, without disturbing the primary engine governor. The method compensates for variable operating conditions such as supply voltage, injection pressure, injection pulse separation, and injector actuation latency or rise-time.

Abstract: An improved piston ring is disclosed, together with a process form making the ring. An annular steel base body has a lower layer formed by electro-plating a peripheral surface of the body with either a chromium or titanium nitrided gas. The ring is normally lapped until dull, smooth and free of residual metallic plating nodules, yielding random micro-abrasions in the lower layer. An upper layer of metallic nitride or chromium ceramic is formed onto the lapped lower layer, using physical vapor deposition means.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine including an engine block having a top wall and a plurality of longitudinally aligned, spaced cylinders. A cylinder head has upper and lower walls with side walls extending therebetween. The cylinder head is mounted to the engine block with the lower walls sealingly opposing the top wall of the block so as to close the open ends of the cylinders. The cylinder head includes at least four passages associated with each of the cylinders extending through the cylinder head for delivering intake air to the associated cylinder and for removing exhaust gas from the associated cylinder. Each of these passages include an inlet, an outlet in fluid communication with the associated cylinder and a flow path extending therebetween. At least one of these passages includes a boss which is recessed in the passage and aligned with the inlet and which is adapted to receive a fastener employed to clamp the cylinder head to the engine block.

Abstract: A variable geometry turbocharging system for use in an internal combustion engine utilizes a voice coil assembly. The voice coil assembly includes a field and an armature. The voice coil assembly is actuatable to move the armature relative to the field, and is connected to the turbocharger such that movement of the armature relative to the field changes the geometry of the turbocharger.

Abstract: A system for controlling a vehicle having an internal combustion engine and a variable geometry turbocharger includes a turbocharger sensor having an output indicative of a current turbocharger geometry. Turbocharger geometry is varied by a controllable actuator. Control logic determines a desired turbocharger geometry based on the current engine conditions. Control logic determines an error signal by comparing the current turbocharger geometry to the desired turbocharger geometry. The actuator is controlled based on the error signal to change the current turbocharger geometry so as to track the desired turbocharger geometry.

Abstract: A drive gear train including a flexible coupling built into one of the gears to absorb shock load forces generated during gear train operation. The flexible coupling can include an inner annular member having a series of circumferentially spaced vanes projecting away from the gear rotational axis, and an outer annular member having a series of circumferentially spaced vanes projecting toward the gear rotational axis in the spaces formed between the firstmentioned vanes. Resilient deformable plugs are disposed between the confronting vane surfaces to absorb peak load forces.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring and controlling an engine based on an engine fluid pressure include sensing an engine fluid pressure, determining a current value for an engine operating parameter, determining whether the engine fluid pressure has crossed a first threshold corresponding to the current value of the engine operating parameter, determining whether the engine fluid pressure has crossed a second threshold corresponding to the current value of the engine operating parameter, generating a warning signal when the fluid pressure has crossed the first threshold but has not crossed the second threshold, and generating a shutdown signal when the fluid pressure has crossed the second threshold. In one embodiment, the second threshold is determined based on the first threshold by applying a constant offset value.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling fuel delivery from a fuel injector includes determining engine speed, determining a proposed pilot pulse width time based on engine speed, determining injection pressure, determining a proposed first quantity of fuel to be delivered by the fuel injector based on the proposed pilot pulse width time and injection pressure and determining a desired engine torque output. A desired total quantity of fuel to be delivered by the fuel injector is determined based on the desired engine torque output and engine speed. The proposed first quantity of fuel is compared with the desired total quantity of fuel. A desired first quantity of fuel to be delivered by the fuel injector is determined based on the desired engine torque output and engine speed if the proposed first quantity of fuel is greater than the desired total quantity of fuel. A desired pilot pulse width time is determined based on the desired first quantity of fuel and the injection pressure.

Abstract: A turbocharged V type engine can be equipped with an exhaust gas recirculation cooler integrated into the intake manifold, so as to achieve efficiency, cost reductions and space economization improvements. The cooler can take the form of a tube-shell heat exchanger that utilizes a cylindrical chamber in the air intake manifold as the heat exchanger housing. The intake manifold depends into the central space formed by the two banks of cylinders on the V type engine, such that the central space is effectively utilized for containing the manifold and cooler.