Methods and systems are provided for conducting vehicle fuel system and/or evaporative emissions system diagnostics, where the diagnostics rely on a positive pressure with respect to atmospheric pressure. In one example, a method comprises activating an electric compressor positioned in an intake of an engine configured to receive purge gasses from the evaporative emissions system under boosted engine operation and natural engine operation, to direct a positive pressure with respect to atmospheric pressure to the fuel system and/or evaporative emission system to conduct said diagnostic. In this way, diagnostics that rely on positive pressure with respect to atmospheric pressure may be conducted in vehicles with a dual-path purge system, without introduction of a pump in the evaporative emissions system.

A fuel property diagnostic device configured to diagnose properties of fuel for a vehicle includes a computer configured to diagnose the properties of the fuel for each region based on the number of vehicles with clogging. The number of vehicles with clogging is the number of vehicles in which an internal combustion engine provided with an exhaust gas control device in an exhaust passage is mounted, the exhaust gas control device includes a filter for capturing particulate matter contained in an exhaust gas, and the filter is clogged.

A controller for an internal combustion engine is configured to execute: a process of switching the injection mode according to an engine operational state; an anomaly determination process of determining whether there is an anomaly in the injection system that is implementing a single injection mode during implementation of the single injection mode; a provisional determination process of provisionally determining whether there may be an anomaly in the injection system that is implementing the single injection mode during the implementation of the single injection mode; and an idle determination process of, if it is determined that there is an anomaly in the provisional determination process, prohibiting the automatic stop and executing, during an idle operation, the anomaly determination process by implementing an injection mode that uses only the injection system provisionally determined to have an anomaly in the provisional determination process.

A fuel quality rating testing system and related methodology. The system comprises a data acquisition system, comprising: (i) circuitry for receiving a time-varying signal from a pickup, the pickup for coupling to a test engine; and (ii) circuitry for determining a fuel rating in response to the time-varying signal. The fuel quality rating testing system also comprises a communications path coupled to the fuel quality rating testing system and a calibrator.

A method for predicating a service life of a fuel filter includes causing a fuel pump of a fuel system to direct fuel through a fuel filter of a fuel system. The method also includes receiving work cycle data from machines that implement a same or similar fuel system. The method further includes receiving, via sensors of the fuel system, fuel system data and determining, from the fuel system data, a pressure difference across the fuel filter. The method further includes determining, based on the work cycle data, predicted load cycle data for the fuel system and determining, via a filter life model, a filter service interval representing an amount of time the fuel filter is operable in the fuel system prior to the pressure difference reaching a predetermined value.

Systems and methods are provided herein for tracking degradation of a high-pressure fuel pump. In one example, a fuel system controller is configured to receive an output pressure signal from a pressure sensor, transform the output pressure signal to the frequency domain to generate frequency content of the output pressure signal, and diagnose a condition of a fuel pump based at least in part on the frequency content of the output pressure signal, the fuel pump fluidly coupled to a fuel injector via a common fuel rail, and the fuel injector is operable to inject fuel to a cylinder of an engine.

A vehicle controller includes processing circuitry and a storage device. The storage device stores relationship specifying data that specifies a relationship between a state of a vehicle and at least one action variable. The at least one action variable is a variable related to operation of an operating unit of an internal combustion engine. The processing circuitry is configured to execute an obtaining process that obtains a state of the vehicle, an operating process that operates the operating unit based on a value of the at least one action variable, a reward calculation process, an updating process that updates the relationship specifying data, and a determination process that determines whether the internal combustion engine has deteriorated. The determination process is executed on condition that at least one of the at least one action variable equals a predetermined value.

An internal combustion engine is provided. The internal combustion engine includes a control device, and at least one injector for liquid fuel. The injector(s) can be controlled by the control device via an actuator control signal. The injector(s) include an injector outlet opening for the liquid fuel which can be closed by a needle. A sensor is also provided for measuring a measurement variable of the injector(s). The sensor is or can be in a signal connection with the control device. An algorithm is stored in the control device, which algorithm calculates a state of the injector(s) based on input variables and an injector model, compares the state calculated via the injector model with a target state, and produces a state signal in accordance therewith. The state signal is characteristic of a change in the state of the injector(s) that occurs during intended use of the injector(s) and/or an unforeseen change in the state of the injector(s). The input variables include at least the actuator control signal and the measurement values of the sensor. A method for operating such an internal combustion engine and an injector is also provided.

A method according to the invention for checking the plausibility of the function of a pressure sensor in an injection system of an internal combustion engine includes acquiring a calibrated actuation profile, by which peak current values for opening at least one electrically actuatable injection valve are assigned to existing internal pressures. An existing internal pressure is measured in the form of an actual sensor pressure value by the pressure sensor. The method includes obtaining the electrical peak current value corresponding to the measured sensor pressure value from a calibrated actuation profile, such that the corresponding electrical peak current value acquired in this way is applied to the injection valve. Subsequently, an opening state of the injection valve is monitored in reaction to the applied electrical peak current value, and a functional state of the pressure sensor is assigned as a function of the opening state of the injection valve.

An example system includes a controller configured to: receive pressure information indicative of a pressure level of the pressurized fuel between an electro-mechanical valve and an engine; based on the pressure level being below a first threshold pressure, send a first signal to open the electro-mechanical valve; determine, based on the pressure information, that the pressure level is increasing upon sending the first signal; in response to the pressure level increasing, send a second signal to activate a pump; determine that the pressure level has increased to a second threshold pressure; and provide information indicating that the engine is ready for operation.