Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Other

Kenneth M Simpson

Stephen F Majkowski

Hallett D Breidenbach

Malcolm James Grieve

Steve L Melby

Michael J Steckler

James W Jeffers

Andrew D Herman

Mahfuzur Rahman

David Allen Dues

Alton L Schuessler

Peter Hull Maehling

Paulo F R Tranquilli

Carelton Williams

Yichao Guo

In Kwang Yoo

James Patrick Waters

Jon C Darrow

Michael Cottrell

Salem Ahmad Fayyad

Michael E List

James D Ward

Carol A Galskoy

Mitchell Ober

Warren Huang

Daniel R Meacham

Timothy K Sheffer

Mike W French

Charles O James, Jr

Eric Bommer

A method of operating an engine in a vehicle equipped with an evaporative emissions system is described. The engine is configured to perform automatically an engine stop and an engine restart when the vehicle stops moving to increase fuel economy of the vehicle. The method includes the steps of determining if an engine stop is allowed while a diagnostic test of the of the evaporative emissions system is being performed if an engine stop is requested, and preventing the engine stop if the engine stop is not allowed.

Method for performing evaporative emission system diagnostics on engines configured for stop-start operation

An adapter for releasably gripping the end of a long-handled tool handle. The adapter including a plurality of grippers threadably mounted around a tubular body. An engagement plug having both male and female threaded ends is removable secured to the end of the tubular body for engaging a tool's work head.

Tool handle adapter

A method for diagnosing the performance of a refueling event detection system for a vehicle is provided. The method includes the steps of a) determining a fuel change amount based on a difference of an indicated fuel amount and a previously indicated fuel amount, b) determining a consumed amount of fuel consumed by the engine since a prior refueling event was detected, and c) diagnosing the performance of the refueling event detection system based on the consumed amount and the fuel change amount.

Diagnostic method for a refueling event detection system

A method for diagnosing a component failure in a saddle-type fuel tank assembly is provided. The method includes a) updating a maximum amount to a subsequent amount of fuel if the subsequent amount of fuel is greater than the maximum amount, b) updating a minimum amount to the subsequent amount of fuel if the subsequent amount of fuel is less than the minimum amount, c) determining a fuel consumption amount, and d) determining that one or more of a first fuel level sender and a second fuel level sender have failed if the difference between the maximum amount and minimum amount is less than a first threshold, and the fuel consumption amount is greater than a second threshold.

Method for diagnosing component failure in a saddle-type fuel tank assembly

A method to determine a performance characteristic of an exhaust system of an engine, where the exhaust system includes an exhaust gas sensor that outputs an exhaust gas signal. A combustion event in a cylinder is fueled at an air-fuel ratio selected to produce exhaust gas that is expected to be distinguishable by the exhaust gas sensor from exhaust gas produced by other combustion events, and used to determine the performance characteristic. The performance characteristic may be an exhaust gas transport time of the exhaust system, a sensitivity characteristic of the exhaust gas sensor, or a fueling correction value necessary to restore fueling to, for example, stoichiometry. Such a method is useful to detect physical changes in the exhaust system such as relocating the exhaust gas sensor, or detect if the exhaust gas sensor is damaged or not operating properly.

Method to determine performance characteristic of an engine exhaust system

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 (&#x394;) 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 &#x394; 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 &#x394; 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.

Method to detect the presence of a liquid-cooled engine supplemental heater

An apparatus and method for diagnosing an airflow control system of an internal combustion engine, the method comprising: determining if a valve is in a stable position; commanding the valve of the airflow control system to move from a first position to a second position; determining a period of time for the valve to move from the first position to the second position; providing a first signal if the period of time is greater than or less than a predetermined period of time, the predetermined period of time corresponding to an amount of time necessary to move the valve from the first position to the second position under predetermined conditions; and providing a second signal if the period of time is within a range defined by the predetermined period of time.

Apparatus and method for diagnosing an airflow modifying control system

A system and method for evaluating the integrity of a leak detection test for a purge valve of a fuel system in a vehicle reduces or eliminates false failures. The method is executed on an engine control module (ECM) and is configured to determine when vehicle soak conditions meet first criteria conducive to fuel vapor condensation in the fuel tank. The first criteria include a predetermined temperature drop in ambient air temperature between successive drive cycles. The ECM is further configured to determine when a vehicle maneuver meets second criteria indicative of the capability of the maneuver to initiate fuel slosh in the fuel tank, to thereby establish a trigger event. The ECM is further configured to determine, after the trigger event, the maximum slope of a fuel tank vacuum increase. The ECM is still further configured to produce a slope ratio as a function of the maximum vacuum increase slope and a reference vacuum slope corresponding to a slope that is unaffected by any slosh/condensation events. The ECM is configured to invalidate a purge leak test when the slope ratio exceeds a threshold.

Method of validating a diagnostic purge valve leak detection test

In a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having intake valve deactivation apparatus providing de-activation of the intake valves of selected cylinders during engine operation, correct cylinder activation status is verified by measuring gas pressure in a conduit conducting combustion related gases through the cylinders of the engine, detecting consecutive pulses in the pressure due to predetermined activations of the intake valves, comparing the time periods between the consecutive pulses to reference time periods based on crankshaft position and corresponding to expected time periods between the consecutive pulses and providing verification signals and cylinder identification of faulty intake valve deactivation or activation in response to the comparisons.

System for verifying cylinder deactivation status in a multi-cylinder engine

Low range limiting malfunctions of an engine coolant temperature (ECT) sensor are diagnosed by comparing a change in the sensed temperature during engine operation with a calibrated temperature change. If the change in sensed temperature fails to exceed the calibrated temperature change, and a diagnostic for detecting a stuck ECT signal is either inconclusive or passed, a low range limiting malfunction of the sensor is indicated. If the diagnostic for detecting a stuck ECT signal is failed, the low range limiting diagnostic concludes with no report even if the change in sensed temperature fails to exceed the calibrated temperature change.

Method of diagnosing a low range limiting malfunction of an engine coolant temperature sensor

The rationality of a measured temperature of transmission fluid is assessed by comparing it to an engine coolant temperature. The rationality assessment is enabled when the ambient air temperature is reliably determined and deemed normal, a sufficient soak condition is confirmed, and the measured temperature, the engine temperature and the ambient air temperature are all within prescribed ranges. The rationality assessment monitors the ambient temperature relative to the initial engine temperature during the assessment period, and the assessment is disabled if the ambient air temperature deviates from the initial engine temperature by more than a calibrated value.

Method and apparatus for assessing the rationality of a transmission fluid temperature measure

A control system and method to monitor an intake air temperature sensing circuit for an internal combustion engine is shown. The electronic controller is connected to the intake air temperature sensing circuit, coolant temperature sensor, and a plurality of other engine sensors. The controller determines whether the measured intake air temperature changes in response to a change in actual intake air temperature, based upon the engine operating conditions and the measured intake air temperature. The controller determines whether the measured intake air temperature is representative of actual intake air temperature, based upon the measured intake air temperature, the coolant temperature, and at least one engine operating condition. The invention is an element of an on-board diagnostic system, typically related to vehicle emissions.

Method and apparatus to evaluate an intake air temperature monitoring circuit

A default value of transmission input speed in a motor vehicle powertrain having an automatic-shift multi-gear ratio power transmission is continuously updated based on a measured value of the input speed and other reliable speed data including transmission output speed and engine speed. The default value is substituted for the measured input speed when a malfunction of the input speed sensor is detected, and transitions back to the measured input speed when the input speed sensor malfunction is no longer present.

Method of determining a default transmission input speed

A default value of transmission output speed in a motor vehicle powertrain having an automatic-shift multi-gear ratio power transmission is continuously updated based on a measured value of the output speed and other reliable speed data including transmission input speed and vehicle speed. The default value is substituted for the measured output speed when a malfunction of the output speed sensor is detected, and transitions back to the measured output speed when the output speed sensor malfunction is no longer present.

Method of determining a default transmission output speed

The present invention relates a method of detecting leaks and blockages in a fuel system. The leaks are detected using a RAMPOFF mode and a TANK mode. The RAMPOFF mode modifies the evaporative diagnostic purge logic to increase the ramp down rates of the evaporative purge duty cycle to aggressively shut off the purge solenoid valve for tests used to detect leaks as small as 0.02 inches in diameter. The TANK mode modifies the evaporative diagnostic purge logic to support aggressive purging requirements for tests used to detect larger leaks of greater than 0.04 inches in diameter. The MASS FLOW mode modifies the evaporative diagnostic purge logic to hold a constant purge mass flow rate necessary to detect blockages across a vent solenoid valve. The RAMPOFF mode, TANK mode, and MASS FLOW modes support evaporative diagnostics that are run continuously within a fuel system when acceptable engine operating conditions are present.

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Swartz Creek, MI, United States of America

Kenneth M Simpson