An electric starter system for an internal combustion includes a pinion gear, a pinion solenoid coupled to the pinion gear, a starter motor that is selectively connectable to the flywheel of the engine via the pinion gear, and a controller in communication with the pinion solenoid and the starter motor. In response to an engine auto-stop signal, the controller is configured to translate the pinion gear into contact with the flywheel and the motor, and cause rotation of the engine crankshaft to a predetermined crank angle. In response to an engine auto-start signal, the controller is configured to command delivery of motor torque from the starter motor, through the pinion gear, and to the flywheel for a duration sufficient for starting the engine.

Systems and methods for stopping and starting a direct injection engine are described. In one example, the air is injected into one or more pre-chambers of engine cylinders to adjust engine pumping torque during an engine stop so that the engine may stop at a crankshaft position that facilitates direct engine starting.

A method of starting an integrated starter generator drives a starter generator without using a rotor position sensor to start an engine. The method includes the following steps of: (a) applying a first drive current with a first frequency and a first amplitude to drive the starter generator to reversely rotate in a speed open-loop control mode, and acquiring a first load information according to a drive voltage and the first drive current of the starter generator, (b) confirming whether the first load information meets a heavy load condition, (c) stopping reversely rotating the starter generator when the first load information meets the heavy load condition, and (d) forwardly rotating the starter generator to drive the engine to start.

An internal combustion engine for a motor vehicle includes a crankshaft, a camshaft, a cylinder, a piston movably disposed in the cylinder and coupled to the crankshaft for driving the crankshaft, a first gas exchange valve which is assigned to the cylinder, a first valve clearance compensation device, where via the first valve clearance compensation device the first gas exchange valve is displaceable between a first open position and a first closed position by a first cam of the camshaft, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to align the camshaft such that the first valve clearance compensation device is pressure-loaded in the idle state of the crankshaft by a plateau area assigned to the first cam to hold the first gas exchange valve in the first open position.

Provided is a start controller for an engine capable of reducing torque of a starter consumed to start the engine. The start controller includes a stop position sensor that detects a position of a piston in each cylinder at an engine stop time, an intake pressure sensor that detects an intake pressure in an intake passage, and a processor that determines whether the position of the piston in each of the cylinders detected by the stop position sensor is within a specified target range after the engine is stopped. In the case where it is determined that the position of the piston in each of the cylinders after the engine stop is out of the target range and the intake pressure detected by the intake pressure sensor is lower than an atmospheric pressure, the engine is started by a motor even when an engine start condition is not satisfied.

Methods and systems are provided for providing compression release during a stop/start event in an engine. In one example, a method includes: responsive to a request for a stop/start event in an engine with a continuously variable valve lift (CVVL) system including a compression release hydraulic valve actuator coupled to a valve of a first cylinder, determining a desired stop position of the engine; and prior to restarting the engine during the stop/start event, adjusting the compression release hydraulic valve actuator to open the valve during a compression stroke of the first cylinder. In this way, an amount of torque used to restart the engine may be reduced.

Methods and systems are provided for performing expansion combustion in an engine of a start-stop vehicle. In one example, a method may include, responsive to receiving an auto-start request to restart an engine from an auto-stop, determining a fuel mass to inject into a cylinder for an expansion combustion event based on a duration of the auto-stop, and actuating a spark plug of the cylinder after injecting the determined fuel mass to perform the expansion combustion event. In this way, an air-fuel ratio of the expansion combustion event may be more accurately controlled, resulting in more robust expansion combustion engine restarts.

A control device prevents damage due to backward rotation of a rotary engine and prevents misjudgment of backward rotation of the rotary engine. The control device for a rotary engine includes a motor mechanically connected to the shaft of the rotary engine, a controller (a motor ECU) that performs energization control of the motor to start the rotary engine by driving the motor, and a sensor (such as a motor rotation sensor). When starting the rotary engine, the controller stops energization to the motor based on an electric signal from the sensor when the shaft of the rotary engine rotates backward a predetermined angle or more, and then the shaft of the rotary engine continues to rotate backward for a predetermined time.

An intake variable valve timing mechanism (VVT) that collectively changes an intake valve close timing as a close timing of a plurality of intake valves and a control device that controls an engine including a plurality of injectors and the intake VVT are provided. When a specified engine stop condition is satisfied, a fuel cut is performed to stop a fuel supply into a plurality of cylinders by the injector. After the fuel cut, the intake VVT is controlled such that a retarded amount of the intake valve close timing immediately before a stop of a stop-time compression stroke cylinder as a cylinder stopped in a compression stroke from intake bottom dead center is larger than a retarded amount of the intake valve close timing immediately before a stop of a stop-time expansion stroke cylinder as a cylinder stopped in an expansion stroke from the intake bottom dead center.

A method of starting an integrated starter generator drives a starter generator without using a rotor position sensor to start an engine. The method includes the following steps of: (a) applying a first drive current with a first frequency and a first amplitude to drive the starter generator to reversely rotate in a speed open-loop control mode, and acquiring a first load information according to a drive voltage and the first drive current of the starter generator, (b) confirming whether the first load information meets a heavy load condition, (c) stopping reversely rotating the starter generator when the first load information meets the heavy load condition, and (d) forwardly rotating the starter generator to drive the engine to start.