Abstract: Methods and systems to determine a presence or absence of engine misfire or spark plug fouling are presented. In one example, rates of change in engine speed are arranged in engine data blocks and root mean square values for the rates of change in engine speed are determined. The presence or absence of engine misfire or spark plug fouling may be based at least in part on the root mean square values.

Abstract: A method for stopping an engine within a desired crankshaft angular range is disclosed. In one example, the method may take no control actions if it is determined that the engine will stop within the desired crankshaft angular range. However, if it is determined that the engine may stop outside of the desired crankshaft angular range, expansion combustion may be initiated in a cylinder so that the engine stops in a desired crankshaft angular range.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a cast-in-place concrete slab load transfer apparatus and method of manufacturing same. In various embodiments, the concrete slab load transfer apparatus includes a plurality of load transfer dowels each having a top surface and a bottom surface, a basket supporting the load transfer dowels, and a plurality of welds including a plurality of breakable welds connecting the bottom surfaces of the load transfer dowels to the basket.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for performing expansion combustion in an engine of a start-stop vehicle. In one example, a method may include, responsive to receiving an auto-start request to restart an engine from an auto-stop, determining a fuel mass to inject into a cylinder for an expansion combustion event based on a duration of the auto-stop, and actuating a spark plug of the cylinder after injecting the determined fuel mass to perform the expansion combustion event. In this way, an air-fuel ratio of the expansion combustion event may be more accurately controlled, resulting in more robust expansion combustion engine restarts.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for performing expansion combustion in an engine of a start-stop vehicle. In one example, a method may include, responsive to receiving an auto-start request to restart an engine from an auto-stop, determining a fuel mass to inject into a cylinder for an expansion combustion event based on a duration of the auto-stop, and actuating a spark plug of the cylinder after injecting the determined fuel mass to perform the expansion combustion event. In this way, an air-fuel ratio of the expansion combustion event may be more accurately controlled, resulting in more robust expansion combustion engine restarts.

Abstract: A method for operating a vehicle that may be automatically stopped and started is described. In one example, the method includes supply electrical current to a starter motor independently from supplying electrical current to a starter solenoid. In addition, the method includes adjusting and amount of electrical current that is delivered to the starter motor in response to a level of urgency of an automatic engine start.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for calibrating an effective area associated with an exhaust gas recirculation valve and/or a variable orifice associated with the exhaust gas recirculation valve. In one example, a method may include attaining a first steady-state intake pressure with the exhaust gas recirculation valve closed, determining a second steady-state intake pressure and a differential pressure across the variable orifice with the exhaust gas recirculation valve open, and estimating the variable orifice effective area based on the second steady-state intake pressure and the differential pressure. In this way, a calibration table may be updated for an exhaust gas recirculation control apparatus that includes an exhaust gas recirculation valve and a variable orifice, such that an actual amount of recirculated exhaust gas reflects a commanded amount.

Abstract: A method for operating a vehicle that may be automatically stopped and started is described. In one example, the method includes supply electrical current to a starter motor independently from supplying electrical current to a starter solenoid. In addition, the method includes adjusting and amount of electrical current that is delivered to the starter motor in response to a level of urgency of an automatic engine start.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for calibrating an effective area associated with an exhaust gas recirculation valve and/or a variable orifice associated with the exhaust gas recirculation valve. In one example, a method may include attaining a first steady-state intake pressure with the exhaust gas recirculation valve closed, determining a second steady-state intake pressure and a differential pressure across the variable orifice with the exhaust gas recirculation valve open, and estimating the variable orifice effective area based on the second steady-state intake pressure and the differential pressure. In this way, a calibration table may be updated for an exhaust gas recirculation control apparatus that includes an exhaust gas recirculation valve and a variable orifice, such that an actual amount of recirculated exhaust gas reflects a commanded amount.

Abstract: A method for stopping an engine within a desired crankshaft angular range is disclosed. In one example, the method may take no control actions if it is determined that the engine will stop within the desired crankshaft angular range. However, if it is determined that the engine may stop outside of the desired crankshaft angular range, expansion combustion may be initiated in a cylinder so that the engine stops in a desired crankshaft angular range.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for operating a variable displacement engine that includes a misfire detection system. The misfire detection system corrects engine crankshaft acceleration according to cylinder firing patterns so that misfire detection may be improved. The corrected engine crankshaft accelerations may be compared to threshold crankshaft levels to determine the presence or absence of cylinder misfire.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for estimating an actual compression ratio of an engine cylinder based on the electric current applied to an actuator of the associated variable compression ratio mechanism. The compression ratio is estimated as a function of both a value and a location, relative to cylinder piston position, of a peak holding current applied by an electric motor on the actuator to maintain the actuator at a commanded compression ratio setting. In this way, the vehicle control system may more accurately infer the current actual compression ratio of each cylinder.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a cast-in-place concrete slab load transfer apparatus and method of manufacturing same. In various embodiments, the concrete slab load transfer apparatus includes a plurality of load transfer dowels each having a top surface and a bottom surface, a basket supporting the load transfer dowels, and a plurality of welds including a plurality of breakable welds connecting the bottom surfaces of the load transfer dowels to the basket.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for accurately estimating intake aircharge based on the output of an intake oxygen sensor while flowing EGR, purge, or PCV hydrocarbons to the engine. The unadjusted aircharge estimate is used for engine fuel control while the hydrocarbon adjusted aircharge estimate is used for engine torque control. A controller is configured to sample the oxygen sensor at even increments in a time domain, stamp the sampled data in a crank angle domain, store the sampled data in a buffer, and then select one or more data samples corresponding to a last firing period from the buffer for estimating the intake aircharge.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for operating a variable displacement engine that includes a misfire detection system. The misfire detection system corrects engine crankshaft acceleration according to cylinder firing patterns so that misfire detection may be improved. The corrected engine crankshaft accelerations may be compared to threshold crankshaft levels to determine the presence or absence of cylinder misfire.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a cast-in-place concrete slab load transfer apparatus and method of manufacturing same. In various embodiments, the concrete slab load transfer apparatus includes a plurality of load transfer dowels each having a top surface and a bottom surface, a basket supporting the load transfer dowels, and a plurality of welds including a plurality of breakable welds connecting the bottom surfaces of the load transfer dowels to the basket.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating an engine that includes a compression ratio linkage for adjusting engine compression ratio are described. The systems and methods provide different ways of changing a compression ratio of an engine based on forecast or anticipated engine operating conditions. In one example, the forecast or anticipated engine operating conditions may include a forecast or anticipated transmission gear shift.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating an engine that includes a compression ratio linkage for adjusting engine compression ratio are described. The systems and methods provide different ways of diagnosing the presence or absence of engine misfire in response to engine operating regions that may be more or less prone to torsional engine crankshaft vibration. In one example, engine misfire may be determined responsive to force applied to an engine compression ratio changing linkage.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for improving fuel efficiency, monitor completion, and tailpipe emissions of a variable displacement engine. Fueling is initially disabled in cylinders selected to be deactivated while pumping air through the cylinders to an exhaust after-treatment catalyst and oxygen sensor. Once the sensor shows a lean response and catalyst monitoring is completed, cylinder valve operation is also disabled to reduce pumping losses and prevent further oxygen saturation of exhaust components.