A standby generator includes an alternator to produce electricity for distribution to an electrical system, and an air-cooled internal combustion engine driving the alternator. The air-cooled internal combustion engine includes one or more cylinders, one or more spark plugs each configured to initiate combustion in a corresponding cylinder, and one or more ignition coils each coupled to a respective spark plug of the one or more spark plugs to provide a voltage to the respective spark plug. The standby generator also includes a battery system electrically coupled to the one or more ignition coils to provide power thereto, and a digital ignition module wiring the battery system to each of the one or more ignition coils to control operation of the one or more spark plugs.

A standby generator includes an alternator to produce electricity for distribution to an electrical system, and an air-cooled internal combustion engine driving the alternator. The air-cooled internal combustion engine includes one or more cylinders, one or more spark plugs each configured to initiate combustion in a corresponding cylinder, and one or more ignition coils each coupled to a respective spark plug of the one or more spark plugs to provide a voltage to the respective spark plug. The standby generator also includes a battery system electrically coupled to the one or more ignition coils to provide power thereto, and a digital ignition module wiring the battery system to each of the one or more ignition coils to control operation of the one or more spark plugs.

An internal combustion engine includes an engine block, a piston, and a cylinder head. The engine block includes a cylinder block having a cylinder bore, a crankcase defining a crankcase chamber with a crankshaft positioned within the crankcase chamber, and a cylinder sleeve fabricated from a self-lubricating plastic material. The cylinder head is coupled to the cylinder block to form a combustion chamber. The piston includes a piston top adjacent the combustion chamber, a piston body including a wrist pin hole configured to receive a wrist pin, a first piston ring positioned on the piston body, and a non-metallic gasket positioned on the piston body closer to the combustion chamber than the first piston ring and structured to prevent combustion gases from escaping the combustion chamber. The crankcase chamber is oilless.

An internal combustion engine includes an engine block, a piston, and a cylinder head. The engine block includes a cylinder block having a cylinder bore, a crankcase defining a crankcase chamber with a crankshaft positioned within the crankcase chamber, and a cylinder sleeve fabricated from a self-lubricating plastic material. The cylinder head is coupled to the cylinder block to form a combustion chamber. The piston includes a piston top adjacent the combustion chamber, a piston body including a wrist pin hole configured to receive a wrist pin, a first piston ring positioned on the piston body, and a non-metallic gasket positioned on the piston body closer to the combustion chamber than the first piston ring and structured to prevent combustion gases from escaping the combustion chamber. The crankcase chamber is oilless.

An engine module for a mixer vehicle includes an engine, a cooling system, and a hood. The cooling system includes a radiator fluidly coupled to the engine and a fan assembly. The fan assembly includes a fan. The hood includes a housing and a door. The housing has a first end configured to be positioned proximate a mixer drum assembly and a second end configured to be positioned proximate a rear end of a chassis of the mixer vehicle. The housing defines an internal cavity within which the engine and the cooling system is disposed. The first end defines an inlet airflow cavity having a bottom surface and an air inlet. The second end defines an opening. The door is pivotally coupled to the second end and positioned to selectively enclose the opening.

An engine module for a mixer vehicle includes an engine, a cooling system, and a hood. The cooling system includes a radiator fluidly coupled to the engine and a fan assembly. The fan assembly includes a fan. The hood includes a housing and a door. The housing has a first end configured to be positioned proximate a mixer drum assembly and a second end configured to be positioned proximate a rear end of a chassis of the mixer vehicle. The housing defines an internal cavity within which the engine and the cooling system is disposed. The first end defines an inlet airflow cavity having a bottom surface and an air inlet. The second end defines an opening. The door is pivotally coupled to the second end and positioned to selectively enclose the opening.

Embodiments of an engine generator set are provided herein with a compact, modular design and improved cooling characteristics. The engine generator set embodiments may generally comprise a horizontally shafted engine and alternator, and a cooling system. In some embodiments, the embodiments may include a set of on-board transformers. The cooling system includes one or more components, such as a radiator and one or more electrically driven fans, which are mounted above and/or below the horizontally shafted engine and alternator in a vertical stack. A generator set housing encloses the horizontally shafted engine and alternator, the cooling system and the set of on-board transformers (if included), as well as other generator set components. Due in part to the vertical stacking of the cooling system components, a height of the generator set housing may be substantially larger than a length of the generator set housing, resulting in a substantially reduced footprint, as compared to conventional generator sets.

A method for diagnosing the absence of an under-engine protection of a motor vehicle, includes: estimating a temperature of air external to the vehicle, estimating an under-hood temperature, determining whether the external-air temperature value is below the under-hood temperature value, in the affirmative, calculating an absolute value of a difference between the external-air temperature measurement and the under-hood temperature measurement, determining a diagnostic criterion by calculating a difference between the absolute value and a predetermined absolute value, obtained in the presence of the under-engine protection, comparing the diagnostic criterion against a predetermined diagnostic threshold, and emitting a diagnostic signal dependent on the result of the comparison.

An air-cooled internal combustion engine including a crankshaft rotating about a crankshaft axis, a first cylinder having a first cylinder head, a second cylinder having a second cylinder head, and a blower assembly. The blower assembly includes a blower housing, a first fan, and a second fan. The first fan is positioned proximate the first cylinder and the second fan is positioned proximate the second cylinder.

An air-cooled internal combustion engine including a crankshaft rotating about a crankshaft axis, a first cylinder having a first cylinder head, a second cylinder having a second cylinder head, and a blower assembly. The blower assembly includes a blower housing, a first fan, and a second fan. The first fan is positioned proximate the first cylinder and the second fan is positioned proximate the second cylinder.