Methods and systems are provided for performing mitigating actions in response to detecting a fuel injector leak. In one example, a method may include in response to detecting a fuel injector leak, performing first high pressure mitigating actions including increasing a fuel rail pressure, increasing a pulse width delivered to the leaking fuel injector, and commanding fuel injection during compression stroke; in response to the first mitigating actions not reducing the leak below a threshold rate, performing second high pressure mitigating actions including increasing the fuel rail pressure, increasing the pulse width delivered to the leaking injector, and commanding fuel injection during intake stroke for a cylinder receiving fuel from the leaking injector; and in response to the second mitigating actions not reducing the leak below the threshold rate, reducing the fuel rail pressure, and commanding intake stroke fuel injection to all cylinders.

A load driving device including a converter, an output circuit and a timer circuit is provided. The converter receives a communication frame including a data signal through a serial communication and performs parallel conversion on the data signal to output an instruction signal instructing the output circuit to transition to a first state when the data signal includes first serial data and output an instruction signal instructing the output circuit to transition to a second state when the data signal includes second serial data. A timer circuit measures a duration time during which the converter receives the first serial data. When the measuring duration time arrives at an abnormality determination time, the timer circuit forces the output circuit to transition to the second state when the measuring duration time arrives at an abnormality determination time.

A load drive apparatus (1) includes a pulse drive circuit (51) which applies a pulse voltage PS to a resistive load (4); current detection means (S14) for detecting the current flowing to the resistive load (4) through the pulse drive circuit (51); level detection means (S1, S7) for determining whether an output terminal voltage VD of the pulse drive circuit (51) is a high potential level or a low potential level; anomaly detection means (S8, S9, S18) for detecting a wire breakage anomaly, a short-to-power anomaly, and a short-to-ground anomaly based on the level of the output terminal voltage VD detected by the level detection means (S1, S7) and the current detected by the current detection means (S14), when the pulse drive circuit 51 is turned on and off.

A method for extracting characterizing features from an ion current trace retrieved from spark plugs of cylinders of an internal combustion engine, comprises the steps of: i. dividing the ion current signal into crank angle subintervals; ii. calculating a measure of ion current in each crank angle subinterval; and iii. Performing a calculation on the measure of ion currents from different subintervals such that the result of the calculation is dimension free. Further it relates to a method of monitoring combustion processes where a plurality of ion current signals from a number of spark plugs (4A, 4B) are retrieved and used in combination.

Systems and methods for determining the presence or absence of deposits that may accumulate within a compressor recirculation valve positioned in parallel with a turbocharger compressor are presented. The systems and methods adjust actuators to maintain engine operation such that it may be more difficult for a driver to become aware that a compressor recirculation valve diagnostic is being executed.

There is provided a controller configured to carry out at least one of first control and second control, in cases where the internal combustion engine is in a predetermined operating state in which the EGR valve is caused to be fully closed, the first control being that an amount of fuel to be injected into an intake passage is made smaller, and an amount of fuel to be injected into a cylinder is made larger, in the presence of the abnormality of the EGR valve being not fully closed than in the absence of the abnormality, and the second control being that a pressure of fuel to be injected into the cylinder is made higher in the presence of the abnormality of the EGR valve being not fully closed than in the absence of the abnormality.

Methods and systems are described for an engine with a cam torque actuated variable cam timing phaser. Phaser positioning control is improved by reducing inaccuracies resulting from inadvertent spool valve and/or phaser movement when the spool valve is commanded between regions. In addition, improved spool valve mapping is used to render phaser commands more consistent and robust.

Methods and systems are provided for the mitigation of wet-fouling of the spark plugs of an engine. In one example, a method may include, after spark plug fouling has been detected prior to an engine start, drawing fresh air through the EVAP system of an engine, heating it, and flowing the heated gas through one or more cylinders of an engine while the engine is not rotating.

An engine system and method for improving sampling of a port throttle pressure sensor. In one example, the port throttle pressure sensor is sampled a plurality of times during a cylinder cycle and different engine operating conditions are determined from selected samples. The system and method may improve engine air-fuel control as well as engine diagnostics.

Methods and systems are provided for reducing evaporative emissions in a vehicle during engine-off conditions responsive to an indication of undesired fuel outflow from one or more fuel injectors. In one example, at an engine-off event, an electric motor is operated to spin a vehicle engine unfueled to position a cylinder receiving fuel from a fuel injector with undesired fuel outflow with an intake valve open and an exhaust valve closed, and subsequently an onboard vacuum pump is activated to purge the contents of the cylinder to a fuel vapor canister. In this way, upon detection of undesired fuel outflow from one or more fuel injectors, during engine-off conditions mitigating action may be undertaken such that the undesired fuel outflow is purged to the fuel vapor canister, rather than being released as vapors to the environment.