Methods for controlling a glow plug temperature in a diesel engine are herein described. In one example, a controller may adjust a first phase voltage coupled to the glow plug in relation to a parameter associated with engine start time, and couple a lower second phase voltage to the glow plug in order to control the cylinder temperature and thereby the engine start time. In one particular example, the reduced second phase voltage allows the operating cycle push phase to be extended, which increases glow plug durability and further allows for the useful life of the glow plug to be extended.

A control device suitable for use in a vehicle (such as, for example, for a glow plug of a vehicle) includes an electrically conductive element having a first end in electrical connection with a first solder joint and a second end in electrical connection with a second solder joint. A center region of the electrically conductive element is in electrical connection with a vehicle power source. When a temperature at the first solder joint exceeds a threshold temperature and a temperature at the second solder joint is below the threshold temperature, electrical connection at the first solder joint is broken and electrical connection at the second solder joint is not broken.

This invention refers to a method for diagnosing faults in the operation of a fuel heating system associated with an internal combustion engine, that includes a plurality of routines to detection of several kinds of faults. The relevant concern is to provide a sufficiently robust solution implemented by computer, to conceive a fuel heating system that includes a main control unit and a heating control unit independent from each other, both comprising respective intelligences so that this latter is particularly able to perform several functions and/or routines relating to the self-diagnostic of the heating system. For such, a method for self-diagnostic of fuel heating system that includes at least one engine control unit ECU that includes a respective microcontroller, and at least one heating control unit HCU that includes a respective microcontroller, both fed by at least one tension source 10 interconnected to each other and to the at least heating element 13 through an electronic circuit that still includes, at least, one main relay 11 and at least one secondary relay 12.

A system for removing effluents from the exhaust gases of an engine includes an auxiliary occupational emissions device positioned downstream of a vehicle-regulated emission abatement system. One or more glow plugs is positioned between the vehicle-regulated emission abatement system and the auxiliary occupational emissions device. The glow plugs are operable to heat exhaust gases exiting the vehicle-regulated emission abatement system prior to advancement into the auxiliary occupational emissions device. A method of lighting off an auxiliary occupational emissions device is also disclosed.