Abstract: A variable valve timing mechanism 9 includes an electric motor 10 coupled to an intake camshaft 7. A plurality of rotation sensors 18 to 20 are located about the rotor 17 of the electric motor 10. Each of the sensors 18 to 20 outputs a signal corresponding to induced voltage generated by rotation of the rotor 17. Based on the signals form the rotation sensors 18 to 20, reverse rotation of an engine is detected. A counter C is decremented every time a crank signal is output after the occurrence of reverse rotation is detected. Further, a subtraction value Y is computed that corresponds to a discrepancy between the counter C and the actual crank angle caused by a discrepancy between the actual point in time of the occurrence of reverse rotation and the point in time of the detection of the reverse rotation. The counter C is reduced by the subtraction value Y.

Abstract: The invention relates to a control device for a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine and a stop/start device, and to a method for controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine in such a motor vehicle, wherein the stop/start device is designed to switch off the internal combustion automatically when at least one stop condition is met, wherein the switching off of the internal combustion engine when the stop condition is present does not take place until after a switch off delay time has passed. The control device is designed to prevent, in reaction to a first voice command, the automatic switching off of the internal combustion engine for a predefined time period and/or until a predefined vehicle operating state criterion has been fulfilled irrespective of whether or not the stop condition was already met at the time when the voice command was issued.

Abstract: A method for assisting starting of a motor vehicle by application of engine torque on starting the vehicle. In the method parameters for detection of the starting of the motor vehicle are recorded. A set point for engine management is calculated from a parameter for the driver's command. A torque for assisting the start is determined from the engine management set point. The torque assistance is used on starting the vehicle from zero speed to a non-zero speed and the set point for the engine management is calculated as a function of different values for the moment of inertia of the engine. The change from one first value to a second value is carried out on there being a given difference between the engine management value and the measured value.

Abstract: A method controls an automatic shut-off process of an internal combustion engine having a start/stop device, when predetermined shut-off conditions are satisfied by corresponding influential variables, and controls a start-up process, when predetermined start-up conditions are satisfied by corresponding influential variables. Variables influencing the evaluation of the shut-off and/or start-up conditions include the presence of a vehicle key, the state of a tank ventilation system, the fuel tank fill level, the state of a diesel particulate filter, an activity state of a workshop mode, works mode, service mode and/or production mode, the current ambient temperature outside the vehicle, an evaluation of a device for detecting the occupancy, the detection of a cylinder synchronization process, an activity state of a driving speed control system, an auto hold function in vehicles with automatic transmissions, an electric parking brake, and/or a hill hold function.

Abstract: A power output apparatus includes a control unit that controls an internal combustion engine, a generator, and an electric motor such that a required driving force is output to a drive shaft. The control unit learns an idle control amount, which is a control amount obtained during an idle operation of the internal combustion engine, in accordance with establishment of a predetermined learning condition when a rotation variation amount of the drive shaft is within a predetermined range including a value of zero, and does not learn the idle control amount when the rotation variation amount of the drive shaft is not within the predetermined range.

Abstract: A method for detecting an engine block heater includes block heater detection logic and a data table containing calibration thresholds. The method determines a time-series of delta (?) engine coolant temperatures (ECT), which represent the respective differences between a start-up ECT and a plurality of operating ECT values measured thereafter. The method integrates the time-series to obtain a ? ECT integral. The method also maintains an integrated engine speed parameter accumulated over the course of the detection period. Throughout the detection period, the method retrieves a threshold value from the table based on the integrated engine speed (Y-axis) versus an elapsed time (X-axis) since the detection period began. When the calculated ? ECT integral value exceeds the retrieved threshold, the method determines that the block heater was operated, which can thereafter be used to suppress sensor rationality testing or reporting of results thereof.

Abstract: A method is described for starting an internal combustion engine of a hybrid drive having at least one electric drive. This drive can be coupled to the internal combustion engine via a first clutch for the pulse start of the engine. A speed change of the at least one electric drive occurring during the pulse start of the internal combustion engine is compensated for by continuously occurring changes of the transmission ratio in a vehicle transmission.

Abstract: A remote starting device prevents the temperature of exhaust gas from being made too high or the amount of toxic gas around a vehicle from being made too large by engine starting by remote control. The remote starting device controls a starter for starting an engine of the vehicle when receiving an engine start command from a portable transmitter. The remote starting device includes a section for deciding whether the engine starting has been frequently conducted, and a section for limiting the engine starting through receiving the engine start command from the portable transmitter when it is decided that the engine starting has been frequently conducted.

Abstract: In the case where predetermined abnormality detection performed with operation of an engine, such as abnormality detection of a fuel system and an ignition system of the engine and various sensors, has not been completed (in the case where an abnormality detection completion flag F is zero), self-sustaining operation of the engine is performed to continue the operation (S280) when the engine is being operated and a power demand Pe* of the engine is less than a threshold Pstop1 for stopping the operation of the engine in normal time (S130) but is a threshold Pstop2 or more smaller than the threshold Pstop1 (S200 and S210), and the engine is started when the engine is not being operated and the power demand Pe* is a threshold Pstart2 or more smaller than a threshold Pstart1 for starting the engine in normal time (S310 and S320). This ensures performance of the predetermined abnormality detection.

Abstract: When determined that a driver's accelerator operation is rough during the turn-on condition of an ECO switch 88 while a hybrid vehicle 20 is driven without an operation of an engine 22 (Step S120), a threshold value Pref with respect to a power demand P* is set to a value P2 that is larger than a value P1 of the turn-off condition of the ECO switch 88 so as to give priority to fuel consumption of the engine 22 (Step S140). Then, the engine 22, motors MG1 and MG2 are controlled with a start of the engine 22 as necessary so as to ensure torque equivalent to a torque demand Tr* (Steps S150-S230).

Abstract: A diagnostic cold start emissions control system for an internal combustion engine includes a control module having a calculated engine-out energy module, an engine-out energy residual module, and a diagnostic system evaluation module. The calculated engine-out energy module is in communication with the engine-out energy residual module and is configured to determine an operating engine-out energy flow based on an operating engine torque. The engine-out energy residual module is in communication with the diagnostic system evaluation module and is configured to determine an engine-out energy residual based on the determined engine-out energy flow and an expected engine-out energy flow. The diagnostic system evaluation module is configured to determine whether the determined engine-out energy residual meets a predetermined value indicative of proper cold start emissions control.

Abstract: A method to permit the start time of a heat engine of a vehicle to be controlled. The heat engine is mechanically coupled to an induction type polyphase rotary electrical machine connected to an on-board electrical network. The method is of the type consisting of carrying out pre-fluxing by establishing an excitation current in the inductor for a predetermined pre-fluxing time (Tpref) before the phase currents are established. In accordance with the method, the predetermined pre-fluxing time (Tpref is a function of the voltage (Vbat+X) of the on-board electrical network. Typically, the predetermined pre-fluxing time (Tpref) is increased when the voltage (Vbat+X) of the on-board electrical network reduces within a nominal voltage range (V1, V2).

Abstract: An automatic choke connectable to an engine. Also disclosed is an engine including the automatic choke, an apparatus including the engine and the automatic choke, and a method of controlling a choke valve. The automatic choke includes a motor for moving a choke valve and a controller electrically connected to the motor. In one construction, the controller is configured to store position information and a flag related to a position of the choke valve, determine the engine has, and control the automatic choke with the stored position information based on the flag and the determination that the engine has re-started. In another construction, the controller is configured to generate a motor control signal to direct the choke valve to a fully-open position without providing choke relief based on a temperature value indicating the engine temperature is greater than a threshold.

Abstract: In a case where an engine ECU determines that the engine is started (restarted), the engine ECU notifies an EPSECU that cranking is to be performed to start the engine before performing the cranking. When such a notification is received, the EPSECU gradually reduces a current command limit value I*_lim and a boost voltage limit value Vbp_lim before the cranking is started.

Abstract: A method and a start control device are provided for controlling an automatic start-up process of a drive unit of a motor vehicle. The drive unit is automatically started when all of the predetermined start-up conditions are fulfilled. However, even in the event that an absence of the driver is detected, the drive unit automatically starts when the speed of the motor vehicle is greater than a predetermined limit speed and all other start-up conditions are fulfilled.

Abstract: A method of starting an engine is provided. The engine includes a cylinder and a fuel injector configured to directly inject fuel into the cylinder. The method includes: at an engine start condition, receiving a sensed engine position, in response to the sensed engine position correlating with a stored engine stop position, injecting fuel directly into the cylinder at a next suitable engine position for a first combustion cycle, and in response to the sensed engine position not correlating with the stored engine stop position, rotating a shaft of the engine an angular distance without injecting fuel directly into the cylinder until the sensed engine position correlates with another parameter, and thereupon, injecting fuel directly into the cylinder at a next suitable engine position for a first combustion cycle.

Abstract: Person authentication for determining if there is a specified driver is performed by biometrics or the like. Then when authenticated that there is a previously registered driver, it is predicted that the engine will be started, and prior to the driver operating the ignition key, operation of a fuel pump, or a heater fitted to an engine fuel injection valve, is commenced. Thereafter when the ignition key is operated by the driver, control shifts to normal control.

Abstract: A method for operating a fuel delivery system with a first pressure pump fluidly coupled to a second higher pressure pump and a fuel rail including adjusting pump operation of at least one of the first and second pumps during engine starting, the variation based on engine starting conditions. When the pressure rise during the start is correlated to an expected response, further adjusting pump operation based on measured fuel pressure, and when pressure rise during the start is less than the expected response, further adjusting pump operation independent from measured fuel pressure.

Abstract: A fuel supply device (30) for an engine (1) pressurizes the fuel drawn up from a fuel tank (31) by the low-pressure fuel pump (32) and stores it in a delivery pipe (34), and injects the fuel stored in the delivery pipe (34) from an injector (35). The fuel supply device (30) includes a return passageway (50) connecting the delivery pipe (34) and the fuel tank (31), and a relief valve (51) that is provided on the return passageway (50) and that is capable of being switched between an open state for connecting the delivery pipe (34) and the fuel tank (31) in communication and a closed state for shutting off the delivery pipe (34) and the fuel tank (31) from each other in communication. An ECU (60) switches the relief valve (51) to the open state and operates the low-pressure fuel pump (32), if a predetermined stop condition for stopping the engine (1) is satisfied.

Abstract: A glow power selected from a map based on a coolant temperature and an intake air temperature is applied to a glow plug provided at a combustion cylinder after an engine starts. Air-fuel mixture is heated and combusted, and then a rotation variation is calculated from a difference between a maximum rotating speed and a minimum rotating speed of the combustion cylinder. If the rotation variation is outside an allowable range with reference to an average rotation variation for four cylinders, the glow power corresponding to the combustion cylinder is corrected by a correction value set based on the rotation variation, thereby equalizing rotation variations for all cylinders.

Abstract: Upon a start of the internal combustion engine, a starting system causes an injector to inject fuel into and causes an ignition plug to ignite a mixture in a cylinder stopped in the expansion stroke, and causes the injector to inject fuel into and causes the ignition plug to ignite a mixture at or in the vicinity of the compression TDC in a compression-stroke cylinder that follows the expansion-stroke cylinder. When the engine coolant temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, the starting system retards the fuel injection timing for the compression-stroke cylinder.

Abstract: In a general-purpose engine having a throttle valve installed in an air intake passage connected to a combustion chamber, sucked air mixing with fuel to generate an air-fuel mixture to be ignited to drive a piston to rotate a crankshaft connected to a load, a first warm-up time period during which the engine is warmed up and a second warm-up time period which is longer than the first time period are determined based on detected engine temperature and a fuel quantity is increased during the first time period. The operation of the motor is controlled such that a change rate of throttle valve opening is limited within a range until the measured time exceeds the second warm-up time period after it exceeded the first time period. With this, it becomes possible to complete warm-up operation in a short period of time, while improving rate of fuel consumption and emission performance.

Abstract: A diagnosis apparatus for an internal combustion engine equipped with a cold start emission reduction strategy unit, includes: a temperature measuring unit for detecting a temperature of coolant of the internal combustion engine; a temperature estimating unit for calculating an estimated temperature of the coolant in accordance with a running state of the internal combustion engine; and a cold start emission reduction strategy abnormality judging unit for judging abnormality of the cold start emission reduction strategy unit in accordance with the temperature detected with the coolant temperature measuring means and the estimated temperature.

Abstract: A process for automatically controlling the rail pressure (pCR) in an internal combustion engine with a common-rail system during the starting operation, the process including: calculating control deviation from a nominal rail pressure and an actual rail pressure; calculating, in a pressure controller, a correcting variable for actuating a suction throttle on the basis of the control deviation; and the suction throttle determining the required quantity of fuel. After the engine has been started, an adaptation process is activated upon detection of a negative control deviation of the rail pressure (pCR) followed by a positive control deviation, as a result of which the correcting variable is changed temporarily in such way as to increase the amount of fuel being delivered.

Abstract: A hybrid electronic control unit sends a combustion start command to an engine ECU when the rotation speed of an engine reaches a combustion start rotation speed by engine cranking. The engine ECU sends an initial explosion advance notification to the hybrid electronic control unit when the crank position of the engine reaches a specific position prior to an ignition timing of an initial explosion cylinder by a preset crank angle ?ec. Ignition of the initial explosion cylinder is performed at a timing when the crank position is further rotated by the preset crank angle ?ec. The hybrid electronic control unit sends a torque command in view of a counter torque T? to a motor ECU after elapse of a preset time period tv.

Abstract: When a start command of an engine is given in the presence of the driver's power demand, the start control sets the ignition timing of the engine to a power demand ignition timing, in order to enable quick output of a large power from the engine in response to the driver's power demand. When the start command of the engine is given in the absence of the driver's power demand in a vehicle drive state, there is little possibility of the occurrence of gear chattering noise because of application of a torque to a driveshaft. The start control accordingly sets the ignition timing of the engine to a vibration control ignition timing, in order to reduce the vibration of the vehicle body. When the start command of the engine is given in the absence of the driver's power demand in a vehicle stop state, on the other hand, application of a small torque may cause the occurrence of chattering noise.

Abstract: Predicting of starting of an engine is performed in advance before starting of the engine. When the starting of the engine is predicted, a failure diagnosis of a device such as a heater, a pump and so forth, which are attached to the engine and to be operated before starting of the engine, is made. When the heater and the pump are determined to be normal from the result of the diagnosis, the heater and the pump are operated before the engine is started. With this, the temperature of the heater can be increased and the pressure of a fluid carried by the pump can be increased before starting the starting of the engine.

Abstract: A flow sensing fuel system for multiple port fuel injection gasoline engines, gasoline direct injection engines, or common rail diesel engines include a flow monitoring device positioned in a fuel flow passage between a fuel pump and a fuel rail, a fuel pressure sensor in fluid communication with said fuel rail, and a controllable pressure regulator closing to a fuel tank. By integrating flow monitoring device, fuel pressure sensor, and controllable pressure regulator in existing fuel systems, a flow sensing fuel system is provided that protects the engine and limits the fuel leaking into the environment in case of a stuck open condition or sealing problem of one or more injectors or in case of a leak in the fuel rail assembly. The flow sensing fuel system enables monitoring the fuel flow during engine start-up, during engine operation, and after engine shut down.

Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine, which makes it possible to estimate a fuel property parameter indicative of a property of fuel in use, in a plurality of operation modes of the engine, respectively, to thereby increase the chances of estimation of the fuel property parameter, and select an appropriate one from the estimated fuel property parameters to thereby more appropriately control the engine. The fuel property parameter is estimated when the detected operating conditions of the engine correspond to any of a plurality of operation modes. Depending on a plurality of fuel property parameters estimated in respective operation modes, one of the fuel property parameters is determined as the fuel property parameter for control of the engine.

Abstract: A fuel injection control device for an engine including a cylinder injector and an air intake passage injector is provided. The device changes a fuel injection style, from a compression stroke cylinder injection by the cylinder injector which is executed from a predetermined instant immediately after the beginning of the cold start of engine until a predetermined period has passed, to the combination of an air intake passage injection by the air intake passage injector, an intake stroke cylinder injection and a compression stroke cylinder injection by the cylinder injector which is executed after the predetermined period has passed. During the cold start of engine, the favorable combustion stability is obtained by the compression stroke cylinder injection before the predetermined period has passed, and an amount of HC is reduced after the passage of the predetermined period, promoting warming-up of catalyst.

Abstract: After an engine automatic stop processing is started, a diagnosis of a starter is started at a time of t1 when an engine speed drops to a diagnosis starting speed. Before the engine speed drops to the lower limit speed at which an engine can be restarted without being cranked by the starter, the diagnosis of the starter is conducted. In the diagnosis of the starter, it is determined whether the starter is faulty based on a current passing through the starter when a relay is turned off to stop energization of the starter before the starter actually rotates after the relay is turned on. Thereby, a malfunction of the starter can be detected before the engine is automatically stopped. It is avoided to automatically stop the engine which is incapable of being automatically restarted due to the malfunction of the starter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a control method for an internal combustion engine system, capable of preventing an internal combustion engine in a state after being automatically stopped, from falling into an unrestartable state. Upon satisfaction of a given automatic stop condition, the engine 10 being running is automatically stopped (Step 11). A value of current IEBAT flowing out of a starter battery 520 is compared with a given current value IEBAT—TH, in an automatically stopped state of the engine 10 (Step S30) to diagnosis a discharging status of the starter battery 520. If a result of the diagnosis indicates that the value of current IEBAT flowing out of the starter battery 520 is greater than the given current value IEBAT—TH, it is determined that a post-attached load is detected, and the engine 10 is restarted irrespective of the satisfaction or non-satisfaction of a given restart condition.

Abstract: The internal combustion engine control technique of the invention computes a TDC pass rotation speed Ntdc, which represents the rotation speed of an engine when one of multiple cylinders of the engine passes over a top dead center TDC (step S110). The control technique estimates an engine stop crank angle CAs from a map that is experimentally or otherwise obtained to represent a variation in TDC pass rotation speed Ntdc against the stop position of the engine (step S120), and specifies a fuel injection cylinder that stops in a preset cycle range including part of a compression stroke at a stop of the engine (step S130). The specified fuel injection cylinder receives lean fuel injection at a specific fuel injection timing (step S170). When the specified fuel injection cylinder is later presumed not to pass over a top dead center TDC of the compression stroke, a corrected amount of fuel is injected into the specified fuel injection cylinder (step S240).

Abstract: A method of managing the degraded modes of a system for the automatic starting/stopping of a heat engine of a vehicle, whereby the system receives information supplied by measurement and detection sensors and by a bus for the communication of vehicle operating data. The method comprises the following steps consisting in verifying the presence and validity of the information supplied by the sensors and, in the event of a negative result, defining a first degraded mode in which any stopping phase of the automatic start/stop mode is forbidden until an end-of-restriction condition has been fulfilled, and, in the even of a positive result, testing the communication with the data communication bus and, in the event of a negative result, defining a second degraded mode in which the automatic start/stop mode is inhibited until an end-of-inhibition condition has been fulfilled.

Abstract: A user detection system for a vehicle has a security system including a portable transponder, a touch sensor, a control system in communication with the touch sensor and the security system. A method installs the user detection system in the vehicle. The touch sensor includes a sensor strip installed on the exterior surface proximate the handle and a coating for covering the sensor strip, the coating visibly matching the exterior surface. The control system is operable to transmit the identification signal in response to receiving the sensor contact signal. The control system is operable to transmit the disable command to the security system upon authentication of the reply. An aftermarket push-to-start system includes a steering lock disabling device.

Abstract: When a crank angle CAa of a specific cylinder, which was expected to stop in a fuel injection stop range over an intake stroke to a compression stroke at a full stop of an engine and received fuel injection, actually exceeds the fuel injection stop range and reaches a preset reference angle CA4, engine stop-state ignition control of the invention ignites the air-fuel mixture in the specific cylinder receiving the fuel injection at a moment of reaching the preset reference angle CA4 (step S260) and simultaneously injects the fuel into a certain cylinder that is in the intake stroke at the moment of the ignition (step S270).

Abstract: A method comprises modifying combustion parameters of an engine of a hybrid vehicle to provide an engine power level insufficient to maintain crankshaft rotation at a desired speed including increasing a temperature of an exhaust gas and reducing an emissions content of the exhaust gas; and supplementing the engine power level with an electric machine of the hybrid vehicle to maintain crankshaft rotation at the desired speed. A control module comprises a cold start combustion control module that modifies combustion parameters of an engine of a hybrid vehicle to provide an engine power level insufficient to maintain crankshaft rotation at a desired speed, wherein the modifying includes increasing a temperature of an exhaust gas, and reducing an emissions content of the exhaust gas; and an electric machine control module that supplements the engine power level using an electric machine of the hybrid vehicle to maintain crankshaft rotation at the desired speed.

Abstract: In a speed transition period from when an internal combustion engine is started to when an engine speed settles down to a certain speed, a compression top dead center of a cylinder first operating is set as a reference crank angle and compression top dead centers of the cylinders arriving successively after said reference crank angle in the speed transition period are set as judgment use crank angles. Reference crank angle advancing times are detected and stored in advance, wherein the reference crank angle advancing times are crank angle advancing times when a reference fuel is used, and the crank angle advancing times are times required for the crank angle to advance from the reference crank angle to the judgment use crank angles. The actual crank angle advancing times are detected.

Abstract: A flow controlling method for an auxiliary intake flow passage for use in a power unit which includes a starter clutch which is automatically engaged and disengaged in response to the engine speed. An intake air control valve (IACV) carries out changeover from water temperature dependent control (open loop control of adjusting the flow rate of the auxiliary intake flow passage in response to the warming up state of an engine) to target engine speed feedback control when the actual engine speed NE [rpm] drops to a clutch disengagement engine speed NEout (engine speed at which the centrifugal clutch is disengaged) (S3: Yes) and the opening ?1 [degree] of the throttle valve becomes smaller than a predetermined threshold value (throttle valve opening threshold value TH—?1 (S4: Yes).

Abstract: A starting system for an internal combustion engine includes an energy supply device, a starting device connected to the engine and the energy supply device, and a controller connected to the engine, the energy supply device, and the starting device. The controller is configured to cause the energy supply device to supply current to the starting device and monitor at least one characteristic of at least one of the energy supply device and the starting device after current is supplied to the starting device. The controller is also configured to diagnose at least the starting device based on the at least one monitored characteristic.

Abstract: A fuel injection control device of an internal combustion engine capable of using multiple kinds of fuel includes an ECU with a ROM for storing multiple reference fuel injection quantity maps corresponding to mixture concentrations of the multiple kinds of fuels. A control program of the CPU stores which of the multiple reference fuel injection quantity map is used out of the maps in an EEP-ROM, performs starting control of an engine using the reference fuel injection quantity map which is used immediately before stopping previous time at the time of initiating the starting based on the stored maps and, at the same time, performs the starting control by gradually increasing the fuel injection quantity until the starting of an engine is finished. As a result, control of fuel supply is optimized in response to mixing different kinds of fuels, and the engine starting time is shortened.

Abstract: Exhaust emission control is exercised to restrict the exhaust amounts [g] of HC, CO, NOx, and the like. However, since the intake air amount for startup unduly increases due to an engine speed overshoot for startup, the exhaust amounts of HC, CO, and NOx increase excessively. Therefore, there is a need for optimizing the intake air amount for startup. The present invention proposes an engine startup control method that assures excellent startability and low exhaust emissions (small gas amount). Disclosed is an engine control device for starting an engine (from its stop state). The engine control device includes a section for setting a target engine operating state of each combustion; a section for detecting an actual engine operating state of each combustion; and a section for computing a control parameter for each subsequent combustion in accordance with the target engine operating state of each combustion and the actual engine operating state of each combustion.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a start-up control apparatus for an internal combustion engine that can further improve the start-up characteristics of an internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A method for estimating the composition of a fuel within an engine, comprises performing the following steps under ambient conditions: (a?) determining the ambient temperature of the fuel; (a) monitoring the fuel pressure inside a fuel rail of the engine over a period of time; (b) calculating at least one frequency component of the change in fuel pressure; (c) calculating the speed of sound transmission c on the basis of the at least one frequency component; and (d) estimating the composition of the fuel on the basis of the calculated speed of sound transmission at said ambient temperature. Suitably, the speed of sound transmission in the fuel is calculated using the equation: c=f?, where the wavelength ? of the standing wave with frequency f is 2L, where L is the length of the fuel rail. Also described are methods for estimating the temperature of the fuel at a non-ambient temperature, and determining a fuels physical properties.

Abstract: A first method is suitable for vehicles having an ambient temperature sensor and employs an estimation model configured to estimate a minimum start-up engine coolant temperature (SUECT) if the engine block heater was operated during the previous soak period. A measured SUECT is then compared to estimated minimum SUECT from the model, and if it is higher, then the diagnostic logic concludes that the engine block heater was operated during the soak period, and disables the reporting its test results. A second method is suitable for vehicles without an ambient (soak) temperature sensor employs an alternative approach. Predetermined data based on actual vehicle testing over a wide range of conditions is stored in a data structure. The data describe respective minimum and maximum start-up IAT thresholds versus SUECT. The thresholds are spaced apart to define a start-up IAT window in between. In other words, the window is bounded by minimum and maximum start-up IAT thresholds.

Abstract: An engine control system for a spark-ignition direct-injection (SIDI) engine comprises a fuel control module delays injection of fuel during engine cranking until fuel pressure is greater than a predetermined fuel pressure, retards ignition timing, and retards fuel injection until near top dead center (TDC). An exhaust cam phaser module retards an exhaust cam phaser after starting and oil pressure is greater than a predetermined oil pressure.

Abstract: Procedure for starting a combustion engine with at least one combustion chamber, whereby injections from the high pressure system are deposited into the combustion chamber during the starting process, is thereby characterized, in that at least one injection into the combustion engine can be blanked out in order to limit a pressure drop in the high pressure system.

Abstract: An engine ECU stores a map in which a region at high temperature and high pressure, a region at low temperature and low pressure, and a region provided therebetween are defined by the relationship between the temperature and pressure of fuel and the saturation fuel vapor pressure of the fuel. The engine ECU executes a program including the following steps: when start-up of the engine is requested, detecting the engine cooling water temperature and the fuel pressure; if the detection results fall into the region, setting a pre-feed time; pre-feeding until the fuel pressure reaches a desired fuel pressure threshold; and when the fuel pressure reaches the fuel pressure threshold, starting cranking. In this way, start-up failure due to fuel vapor can be avoided without unnecessarily actuating a fuel pump.

Abstract: A hydraulic control system includes a key detector that detects whether an ignition key is in an on state, a control portion that outputs different control signals according to whether the engine is on if the key is on, and a valve, such as a solenoid valve, that controls gear shifts according to the control signals from the control portion. A hydraulic control method includes determining whether an ignition key is on; determining whether an engine is on or off if the key is on; and controlling a valve, such as a solenoid valve, that controls gear shifts, differently depending on whether the engine is on or off, such as by applying different duty values to the valve. A low duty value may be applied to the valve when the engine is off, and a higher duty value may be applied to the valve when the engine is on.

Abstract: In a method for operating a direct-injection internal combustion engine, a position of at least one piston inside a cylinder in which the combustion engine is at a standstill is determined; and a starting cylinder into which fuel is injected first is selected for a start following the standstill. An instantaneous charge of the starting cylinder is determined as a function of a duration of the standstill of the combustion engine. A distance (d) between the piston of the starting cylinder and a specified position of the piston is calculated. A minimum distance of the piston of the selected cylinder is determined as a function of the instantaneous charge; and another cylinder is selected as starting cylinder if the distance (d) between the piston of the starting cylinder and the specified position is less than the minimum distance.