A fuel filter element, which may be selectively arranged in a filter housing and may separate in the filter housing an untreated space communicating with an inlet and a return line of the housing from a treated space communicating with an outlet of the housing, may include at least one end disk, and at least one closure element, which in an operationally ready state of the fuel filter may close off the return line. The closure element may protrude eccentrically axially away from the at least one end disk. The closure element may have a seal on a surrounding surface and that, in the operationally ready state, may be in contact with a surface of the return line. In the operationally ready state, a portion of the closure element may be located in a filter chamber of the filter housing and another portion of the closure element may be located in the return line.

A method and system for operating a vehicle that includes a plurality of engine starting devices and an internal combustion engine is described. In one example, the method determines whether or not to inhibit automatic engine stopping so that a lifespan of an engine starting device may be extended. In one example, the inhibiting is based on a ratio of an actual total number of engine starts generated via the engine starting device to an actual total distance traveled by the vehicle since the engine starting device was installed.

A fuel filter element, which may be selectively arranged in a filter housing and may separate in the filter housing an untreated space communicating with an inlet and a return line of the housing from a treated space communicating with an outlet of the housing, may include at least one end disk, and at least one closure element, which in an operationally ready state of the fuel filter may close off the return line. The closure element may protrude eccentrically axially away from the at least one end disk. The closure element may have a seal on a surrounding surface and that, in the operationally ready state, may be in contact with a surface of the return line. In the operationally ready state, a portion of the closure element may be located in a filter chamber of the filter housing and another portion of the closure element may be located in the return line.

A method actively dampens a start-up resonance of a torsional damper when starting an internal combustion engine. The torsional damper (4) is fixed between an internal combustion engine (1) and a secondary side (5) of a torsional elasticity, and the internal combustion engine (1) is started using a starter generator (3) arranged on a side of the internal combustion engine (1) counter to the torsional elasticity. A counter excitation is applied to a torque generated by the starter generator (3) when the internal combustion engine (1) is started, which counter excitation is modulated on the basis of a parameter of the internal combustion engine (1) which changes when the internal combustion engine (1) is being started.

A method and system for operating a vehicle that includes a plurality of engine starting devices and an internal combustion engine is described. In one example, the method determines whether or not to inhibit automatic engine stopping so that a lifespan of an engine starting device may be extended. In one example, the inhibiting is based on a ratio of an actual total number of engine starts generated via the engine starting device to an actual total distance traveled by the vehicle since the engine starting device was installed.

A startup assistance device, which assists startup of an internal combustion engine in which fuel is supplied from an electronically controlled fuel injection device and ignition is performed by an ignition device, includes a recoil starter which is driven by manpower and which performs cranking for starting up the internal combustion engine, an electric rotary machine which adds torque to a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine during at least one of a startup period of the internal combustion engine using the recoil starter and a standby period before the startup period, a power source unit which supplies power to the electric rotary machine, and a control unit which controls the magnitude and time of the torque output by the electric rotary machine.

A vehicle comprising: an engine; an engine driven electrical power generator configured to be driven by the engine; a fuel cell; one or more vehicle subsystems; a memory storing a plurality of different power sharing templates, each power sharing template specifying different power supply sharing information; and a controller configured to: select a power sharing template from the plurality of power sharing templates; and control the engine driven electrical power generator and the fuel cell to supply electrical power to the one or more vehicle subsystems such that said supply of electrical power is proportioned between the engine driven electrical power generator and the fuel cell in accordance with the power supply sharing information specified in the selected power sharing template.

Systems and methods described herein relate to managing the freshness of the fuel in a vehicle. One embodiment tracks a freshness level of the fuel in the vehicle as time passes; determines a fuel consumption plan based, at least in part, on a predetermined refueling schedule for the vehicle and the freshness level of the fuel in the vehicle; and activates an internal combustion engine of the vehicle automatically on one or more occasions in accordance with the fuel consumption plan to consume at least a portion of the fuel.

Systems and methods for operating a spark ignition engine that includes a particulate filter in the engine's exhaust system are described. In one example, a threshold temperature at which the spark ignition engine may be automatically stopped is adjusted according to an amount of soot that is stored in the particulate filter.

A startup assistance device, which assists startup of an internal combustion engine in which fuel is supplied from an electronically controlled fuel injection device and ignition is performed by an ignition device, includes a recoil starter which is driven by manpower and which performs cranking for starting up the internal combustion engine, an electric rotary machine which adds torque to a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine during at least one of a startup period of the internal combustion engine using the recoil starter and a standby period before the startup period, a power source unit which supplies power to the electric rotary machine, and a control unit which controls the magnitude and time of the torque output by the electric rotary machine.