Abstract: A diagnostic method and system includes a control valve configured to control an amount of air drawn into an evaporative emissions (EVAP) system through an air filter and a vapor canister, and a pressure sensor configured to measure pressure in the EVAP system. The system also includes a controller configured to detect an engine idle-to-off transition and, in response to detecting the engine idle-to-off transition: receive a first pressure from the pressure sensor, fully open a purge valve connected between the vapor canister and an intake port of an engine, fully close the control valve, monitor one or more second pressures received from the pressure sensor, and detect a malfunction of the EVAP system based on the first pressure, at least one of the one or more second pressures, and a diagnostic threshold.

Abstract: An evaporative emissions (EVAP) control system for a vehicle includes a purge pump configured to pump fuel vapor trapped in a vapor canister to an engine of the vehicle via a vapor line when engine vacuum is less than an appropriate level for delivering fuel vapor to the engine, the fuel vapor resulting from evaporation of a liquid fuel stored in a fuel tank of the engine. The EVAP control system includes a hydrocarbon (HC) sensor disposed in the vapor line and configured to measure an amount of HC in the fuel vapor pumped by the purge pump to the engine via the vapor line. The EVAP control system also includes a controller configured to, based on the measured amount of HC, control at least one of the purge pump and a purge valve to deliver a desired amount of fuel vapor to the engine.

Abstract: A method and electrical system for detecting and compensating for a failure in a starter circuit that comprises first and second relays in a circuit path to a starter motor of a vehicle. The method and system determine if at least one of the first or second relays is in a closed position when it should be in an open position and disables a vehicle starter operation if it is determined that at least one of the first or second relays is in the closed position when it should be in the open position. The vehicle starter operation could be a stop-start operation of the engine.

Abstract: A method and electrical system for detecting and compensating for a failure in a starter circuit that comprises first and second relays in a circuit path to a starter motor of a vehicle. The method and system determine if at least one of the first or second relays is in a closed position when it should be in an open position and disables a vehicle starter operation if it is determined that at least one of the first or second relays is in the closed position when it should be in the open position. The vehicle starter operation could be a stop-start operation of the engine.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the precombustion identification of a cylinder undergoing compression in an internal combustion engine is disclosed. An electrode gap (e.g., preferably a spark plug) is disposed within a cylinder of an internal combustion engine. The electrode gap is provided with a voltage differential from a power supply through a circuit (preferably an RC circuit). The engine is cranked, and the voltage differential across the electrode gap is monitored during the cranking of the engine. With appropriate choices of the voltage differential across the electrode gap, the resistance R of the circuit, and the capacitance C of the circuit, voltage pulses are produced across the electrode gap during such time when the cylinder is not undergoing a compression stroke. Such voltage pulses are suppressed when the cylinder is in fact undergoing a compression stroke due to a rise in the breakdown voltage across the electrode gap, in accordance with Paschen's Law.