Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Joshua Schumaker

John Eric Rollinger

Douglas Raymond Martin

Joseph Lyle Thomas

Adam J Richards

John Erik Mikael Hellstrom

Julia Helen Buckland Seeds

Karen Willard

Adam Krach

Andrew Paul Bagnasco

Tyler Kelly

Robert Milton

James Edward Godden

Allison Weir

A method for monitoring a secondary airflow (SAIR) system in an engine includes determining degradation of the SAIR system adding a SAIR to downstream of an engine cylinder exhaust based on a comparison of the SAIR before and after a shutdown of a SAIR pump, the SAIR calculated from a fuel injection amount, an exhaust air-fuel ratio, and an engine intake airflow. In this way, SAIR at the exhaust manifold can be monitored utilizing existing onboard sensors and technology, thereby maintaining OBD and emissions monitoring, reducing engine emissions, and maintaining costs.

Systems and methods for operating an engine including a secondary air system

Methods and systems are provided for improving fuel economy and reducing undesired emissions. In one example, a method may include in response to an engine speed being within a first threshold speed of an engine idle speed during a speed reduction request with engine cylinders unfueled, maintaining the cylinders unfueled, and controlling the engine to a desired stopping position responsive to the engine speed being greater than a second threshold speed lower than the idle speed. In this way, fuel usage and emissions may be reduced and engine restart requests may be conducted at least in part via vehicle inertia.

Systems and methods for improving fuel economy and reducing emissions

Methods and systems are provided for controlling engine knock. In one example, a method may include decreasing intake valve lift at a first set of cylinders where knock is indicated and increasing intake valve lift at a second set of cylinders where knock is not indicated. A stoichiometric air-to-fuel ratio is thereby maintained.

Method for knock mitigation

Systems and methods for cooling an internal combustion engine via flowing air through the internal combustion engine during select conditions are presented. In one example, lift of intake and/or exhaust poppet valves may be adjusted as a function of engine temperature. In addition, opening and closing timings of intake and exhaust poppet valves may be adjusted as a function of engine temperature.

System and method for reducing engine temperature

A method and a system for indicating more than three different fluid levels in a fluid reservoir is described for a system that includes a fluid level sensor having only two output levels. In one example, the more than three different fluid levels are determined via output of the fluid level sensor and output of one or more sensors that indicate acceleration or orientation of a vehicle.

Method and system for determining a level of a fluid

Methods and systems are provided for improving engine oil level sensing while a vehicle is moving. The output of a hot wire sensor partially immersed in an engine oil well is sampled during selected vehicle moving conditions when lateral and longitudinal acceleration is limited and the vehicle is driving in a straight line. A transfer function is used to correlate a rate of change in sensor output, sampled during the selected vehicle operating conditions, with engine oil level.

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Dearborn, MI, United States of America

Joshua Schumaker