A method may include restricting cam movement while the vehicle is moving in response to an oil pressure below a threshold oil pressure, and an engine speed below a threshold engine speed, and during a vehicle stopped condition, overriding the restricted cam movement. In one example, the vehicle stopped condition may include the oil over-temperature and the load above the threshold load.

An internal combustion engine includes a fuel nozzle for injecting a fuel into a combustion chamber, and a plasma igniter for generating one or more pluralities of free radicals within the chamber, and initiating a flame to ignite the fuel. The igniter protrudes into the chamber. A method of igniting a fuel within a combustion chamber and controlling combustion phasing includes injecting a first portion of the fuel into the combustion chamber, energizing the plasma igniter to generate one or more pluralities of free radicals, each plurality having a known voltage, subsequently injecting a second portion of the fuel into the combustion chamber, and closely coupling activation of the plasma igniter with the second injection to ignite the fuel. Combustion phasing of the ignition event is controlled by controlling the number and voltage of the pluralities of free radicals generated by the plasma igniter.

A controller for an internal combustion engine includes: a failure determination section which determines a failure state in a case where a relative rotation phase of an intake side valve opening and closing timing control mechanism does not change when controlling the mechanism after starting the driving of a starter motor and trying to change the relative rotation phase of the mechanism in a start control for starting an internal combustion engine. When the section determines a failure, the controller performs at least one of an intake air amount increase control in which an opening degree of a throttle valve is increased, an ignition timing advance angle control in which injection of fuel is performed at a timing earlier than a set timing and ignition is performed, and a multi-injection control in which the fuel is injected immediately before the ignition in addition to the fuel injection in an intake stroke.

Methods, devices, controllers, and algorithms are described for operating an internal combustion engine wherein at least some firing opportunities utilize low temperature gasoline combustion (LTGC). Other firing opportunities may be skipped or utilize some other type of combustion, such as spark ignition. The nature of any particular firing opportunity is dynamically determined during engine operation, often on a firing opportunity by firing opportunity basis. Firings that utilize LTGC produce little, if any, nitrous oxides in the exhaust stream and thus, in some implementations, may require no aftertreatment system to remove them from the exhaust stream.

Methods, devices, controllers, and algorithms are described for operating an internal combustion engine wherein at least some firing opportunities utilize low temperature gasoline combustion (LTGC). Other firing opportunities may be skipped or utilize some other type of combustion, such as spark ignition. The nature of any particular firing opportunity is dynamically determined during engine operation, often on a firing opportunity by firing opportunity basis. Firings that utilize LTGC produce little, if any, nitrous oxides in the exhaust stream and thus, in some implementations, may require no aftertreatment system to remove them from the exhaust stream.

An internal combustion engine system and methods of use are provided. The internal combustion engine system may comprise an engine chamber with a piston, and one or more of the following, configured to enable a negative valve overlap (NVO) mode of operation in which an intake valve opening (IVO) timing is later than an exhaust valve closing (EVC) timing: a continuously variable valve duration (CVVD) mechanism for both an intake valve and an exhaust valve; a dual CVVD and continuously variable valve timing (CVVT) mechanism for both the intake valve and the exhaust valve; and a cam system. The internal combustion system may comprise a fuel delivery system comprising one or more of a direct injector and a port fuel injector; and may comprise an ignition system.

An internal combustion engine includes a fuel injection system including a fuel injector disposed to inject fuel into the combustion chamber, and a plasma ignition system including a groundless barrier discharge plasma igniter that protrudes into the combustion chamber. A controller includes an executable instruction set to control the engine in a compression-ignition mode when the output torque request indicates a low load condition, including instructions to control a variable valve actuation system and control the plasma ignition system to execute plasma discharge events subsequent to controlling the fuel injection system to execute a fuel injection event, wherein the fuel injection event achieves a cylinder charge having a lean air/fuel ratio.

A control system of a compression-ignition engine is provided, which includes an engine configured to cause combustion of a mixture gas inside the combustion chamber, an injector attached to the engine and configured to inject fuel into the combustion chamber, a spark plug disposed to be oriented into the combustion chamber and configured to ignite the mixture gas inside the combustion chamber, and a controller connected to the injector and the spark plug and configured to operate the engine by outputting a control signal to the injector and the spark plug, respectively. After the spark plug ignites the mixture gas to start combustion, unburned mixture gas combusts by self-ignition. The controller outputs the control signal to the injector so that a fuel injection timing is advanced when the engine operates at a high speed than at a low speed.

A control system of a compression-ignition engine is provided, which includes an engine, an injector, a spark plug, and a controller connected to the injector and the spark plug, and configured to operate the engine by outputting a control signal to the injector and the spark plug. After the spark plug ignites mixture gas to start combustion, unburned mixture gas combusts by self-ignition. The controller outputs the control signal to the injector to perform a first-stage injection of fuel and then a second-stage injection in which fuel is injected to at least form the mixture gas around the spark plug. The controller also outputs the control signal to the injector to control a ratio of the injection amount of the second-stage injection with respect to the injection amount of the first-stage injection to be higher at a high engine speed than at a low engine speed.

An internal EGR amount calculation device for an internal combustion engine, which, even when a timing position relationship between a valve overlap period and an exhaust top dead center has changed, can properly calculate an internal EGR amount according to the change and can improve a calculation accuracy of the internal EGR amount. The internal EGR amount calculation device for an internal combustion engine includes an ECU. The ECU calculates a basic blow back gas amount, calculates a crank angle position in the center between the starting point and the ending point of the valve overlap period as an overlap center position, calculates a blow back gas amount by correcting the basic blow back gas amount according to the overlap center position, and calculates the internal EGR amount, using the calculated blow back gas amount.