Abstract: A method and apparatus for accurately determining TDC in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine. Gas pressure is measured in the cylinder relative to crank angle, giving rise to a curve of gas pressure with crank angle. An offset is found by first computing the angular position of an inflexion point of the compression pressure curve measured as a function of the crank angle, and then computing the offset as the difference between the angular position of a piston in the cylinder and a theoretical value for said angular position of the piston dependent on a known or measured flywheel angle. The value of TDC corrected by the offset is then used to calculate a value of work output such as the Indicated Mean Effective Pressure (IMEP) which may be used for diagnostic and/or control purposes.

Abstract: A starting apparatus of a diaphragm-type carburetor, a starting pump disposed at a convenient and accessible location which is separate from a carburetor main body, and air is prevented from being mixed into fuel, in such a structure constructed as a suction-type starting pump. A suction passage extends from a fuel metering chamber and extends beyond an outer portion of the carburetor main body. A starting pump conveniently disposed is separate from the carburetor, and an inlet check valve of the starting pump is disposed in the carburetor main body so as to reduce a volumetric capacity of a section extending to the inlet check valve from the fuel metering chamber, thereby preventing the air from remaining within the suction passage.

Abstract: To provide a crankcase emission control system that enables the miniaturization of an internal combustion engine and the reduction in the manufacturing cost. In a crankcase emission control system of an internal combustion engine, a collecting part for collecting blowby gas conveyed in a breather tube on the case side and a breather tube on the cylinder head side and directing the blowby gas to a breather tube on the air cleaner side is provided over a connection, a connecting pipe on the case side, of the breather tube on the case side and a breather on the case side, below a connection, a connecting pipe on the cylinder head side, of the breather tube on the cylinder head side and a breather on the cylinder head side and below a connection of the breather tube on the air cleaner side and an air cleaner.

Abstract: A control system that controls operation of an engine to achieve a desired vehicle drive characteristic includes a pedal sensor that generates a pedal device position signal and an adjusted pedal module that determines an adjusted pedal based on the pedal device position signal and a vehicle speed. An engine torque request module determines an engine torque request based on said adjusted pedal and an engine speed.

Abstract: A personal watercraft is disclosed with a hull, a seating assembly, and a four stroke internal combustion engine below the seating assembly. The engine has at least one intake valve for each of the combustion cylinder chambers, at least one exhaust valve for each of the combustion cylinder chambers, and a valve actuation assembly located in a cylinder head for operating the intake and exhaust valves. At least one air intake passageway is operatively coupled to the combustion cylinder chambers through the intake valves. An air intake manifold is connected to the cylinder head and operatively connected to the at least one air intake passageway. The engine also has a supercharger for boosting air to the air intake manifold. The watercraft also includes a propulsion unit, operatively coupled to the crankshaft, which is located on one end of the two ends of the crankcase.

Abstract: An automatic shutdown control apparatus for a vehicular internal combustion engine, which permits automatic shutdown of an internal combustion engine when a value indicative of vehicle driving history is equal to or greater than a predetermined reference value. The control apparatus automatically shuts down the internal combustion engine when a predetermined shutdown condition including the automatic shutdown permission is satisfied while the internal combustion engine is operating. The control apparatus detects the degree of congestion of the road, and sets the reference value smaller when the degree of congestion is high.

Abstract: A start control apparatus of an internal combustion engine comprises an ignition device for igniting an air-fuel mixture in a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine, a start demanding device for demanding a start of the internal combustion engine, a starting device for starting the internal combustion engine, a determining device for determining a possibility of a self-ignition of the internal combustion engine at a time when a start demand is issued from the start demanding device, and a start procedure control device for igniting the air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber by the ignition device after the start demand from the start demanding device in the case where the determining device determines that the possibility of the self-ignition of the internal combustion engine is higher than a predetermined level, thereafter starting the internal combustion engine by the starting device.

Abstract: A misfire detector for an internal combustion engine sets an operating state of the internal combustion engine as a parameter and detects misfire based on the parameter. The misfire detector includes a friction-torque estimating unit and a misfire determining unit. The friction-torque estimating unit estimates indicated torque and inertial torque of the internal combustion engine when the load of the internal combustion engine is stable, obtains a difference between the indicated torque and the inertial torque, and estimates friction torque of the internal combustion engine using the difference. The misfire determining unit determines misfire by correcting the parameter using the friction torque estimated.

Abstract: A carburetor arrangement of a portable handheld work apparatus includes a carburetor (1) which is fixed to a motor housing (4) of the work apparatus by elastic support elements (2, 3). A warm air channel (5) is provided for conducting warmed air (6) to the carburetor (1). At least one part of the warm air channel (5) runs through at least one support element (2, 3).

Abstract: A rope-operated actuator for an engine starter includes a cover with a shaft, a spool wheel sleeved rotatably on the shaft, a rope connected to the spool wheel for driving the spool wheel, a rope-rewinding member for rewinding the rope on the spool wheel, a pawl-driving member mounted on the shaft, a pair of pawls disposed between the spool wheel and the pawl-driving member and pivotable between engaging and disengaging positions, a wobble-preventing member mounted on the shaft and extending radially and outwardly therefrom, and a retaining member connected to the shaft for retaining the spool wheel, the pawl-driving member and the wobble-preventing member on the shaft.

Abstract: A damper spring having a torsion coil spring-like shape is placed on outer peripheries of bosses respectively formed on a rope reel and a cam. The ends of the damper spring are engaged with the rope reel and the cam, respectively, so that the rope reel and the cam are rotatingly coupled with each other. A wire member constituting the damper spring is formed so as to have a section shape in which at least one side is linearly formed, and the damper spring is formed by winding the wire member into a coil-like shape so that the linear portion of the wire member is placed on an inner peripheral side, thereby enabling the inner side face of the damper spring to be tightly wound in a wide area around outer peripheral faces of the bosses.

Abstract: An actuator is for a vehicle engine including a carburetor having a throttle plate moveable between a minimum open position and a maximum open position. The actuator includes an input member movably coupled with the vehicle so as to be displaceable between an initial position and a maximum displaced position. A flexible connector has a first end connected with the input member and a second end connected with the throttle plate such that movement of the input member displaces the connector to move the throttle plate between the minimum and maximum positions. A guide is configured to direct movement of the connector such that a rate of displacement of the throttle plate is varied as the input member moves between the initial and maximum positions. Preferably, the guide includes two curved guide members engageable with the connector to take up a portion thereof at an intermediate input member position.

Abstract: A system for actuating sequential engine function transducers such as fuel injector solenoids comprising a plurality of switch nodes equal in number to the number of cylinders of the engine. Each switch node includes a high current switch such as a transistor and an individually addressable driver circuit for causing the transistor to conduct when an address unique to the driver is received. The nodes are preferably disposed in close physical proximity to the injector solenoids. Low current address carrying lines are connected between the address generator and the individual switch drivers to activate them in sequence. Only a single high voltage high current supply line need be provided. The transducers may also be intake and/or exhaust valve actuators or spark ignition devices.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine may be provided with independently controllable valves, fuel injectors and ignition elements that may be used to start the engine without a separate auxiliary device such as an electric starter motor. The engine may fire the cylinders under a startup mode of control at the same time it fires the cylinders under a normal mode of control in order to smooth the transition from start up to normal operating mode. Additionally, an internal combustion engine may use independently controllable valves to stop the engine and ensure that one or more of the pistons come to rest at a position which allows them to be used to restart the engine.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling an idle stop-and-go in which an engine control mode is determined according to states and conditions of an engine, so that load calculation of the engine contact unit can be reduced and the engine and the integrated starter generator can be stably controlled.

Abstract: A stop position control apparatus of an internal combustion engine is applied to a vehicle having of a motor or a generator connected to a crankshaft of the engine, such as an economic-running vehicle and a hybrid vehicle. A rotation position of a motor generator is detected by a motor angle sensor, and a crank angle of the engine is detected by a crank angle sensor. A stop position of the internal combustion engine, at the time of stoppage is estimated based on the rotation position of the motor generator and the crank angle. By utilizing the results, the stop position of the internal combustion engine can be accurately estimated. By detecting a rotation direction of the crankshaft, the stop position of the engine can be accurately estimated even when the engine is rotated in the reverse direction at the time of the engine stopping.

Abstract: An engine starter includes a starter motor which has an armature, a series-wound field coil and a parallel-wound field coil and a short-circuiting unit for short-circuiting the series-wound field coil under a predetermined engine starting condition. The series-wound field coil has a suitable current limiting resistance. The short-circuiting unit short-circuits the series-wound field coil after a crankshaft of an engine passes a first top dead center of an engine.

Abstract: In a method of operating an internal combustion engine with direct fuel injection such that, in the engine startup period, a three-way catalytic converter disposed in the engine exhaust system is rapidly heated to a working temperature, in that a fuel quantity which is injected is injected in two separate injection steps with the first fuel volume being injected during the intake stroke and the second fuel volume being injected during the expansion stroke so as to form immediately before the ignition instant a rich stratified charge cloud in the region of the spark plug thereby ensuring reliable ignition of the stratified cloud while, overall, achieving a lean fuel/air mix in the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A method to deliver fuel during a start for an internal combustion engine is described. The method provides individual cylinder fuel control based on the number of fueled cylinder events. The method offers improved engine emissions while maintaining engine run-up performance.

Abstract: A recoil starter capable of introducing cooling air into an engine through the recoil starter and reducing a size and weight thereof. Annular recesses are formed in opposing joint surfaces of a rope reel and a cam, respectively, in a manner to face each other. A damper spring is received in the annular recesses while opposite ends thereof are respectively held at the rope reel and the cam so that the rope reel and the cam are rotationally coupled together via the damper spring. Air inlets for introducing air for cooling the engine are formed in a side wall of a casing. Air passages facing the air inlets of the casing are formed between a drum portion at an outer periphery of the rope reel and a boss portion forming the annular recess of the rope reel.