A catalyst deterioration detection system 1 comprises an air-fuel ratio sensor 41, a current detection device 61, a voltage application device 60, a voltage control part 71, an air-fuel ratio control part 72 and a deterioration judging part 73. The air-fuel ratio control part executes fuel cut control, and, after the fuel cut control, executes rich control. The voltage control part, if judging that the air-fuel ratio of the outflowing exhaust gas has reached the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio when setting the applied voltage to a first voltage in a limit current region during the rich control, changes the applied voltage from the first voltage to a second voltage in a limit current region. The deterioration judging part judges the degree of deterioration of the catalyst based on the output current of the air-fuel ratio sensor when the applied voltage is set to the second voltage.

A method of start/stop engine control based on vehicle location and driving situation includes identifying the location and driving situation of a host vehicle, and classifying the location and the driving situation of the host vehicle based on the identified location and driving situation. The engine start/stop control is based on at least one of the location classification and driving situation classification.

Systems and methods are provided for cooling an overheated engine using a combination of variable displacement engine (VDE) technology and direct injection technology. In one example, a method may include deactivating a subset of engine cylinders based on an engine temperature and directly injecting liquid fuel into the deactivated cylinders. In this way, an increased thermal conductivity of the liquid fuel compared to air decreases the engine temperature at a faster rate than when air-based engine cooling methods are used, thereby preventing overheating-related engine degradation.

Methods and systems are provided for indicating whether a wastegate positioned in a vehicle exhaust system is stuck in a closed or open configuration. In one example, a method comprises activating an electric air compressor positioned in an intake of the engine and obtaining a first baseline air flow and a second baseline air flow in the exhaust system, and in response to an indication that the wastegate is potentially stuck open or closed, obtaining a test air flow measurement via activating the electric air compressor and comparing the test air flow in the exhaust system to the first and/or the second baseline air flow. In this way, the wastegate may be diagnosed under conditions of limited engine operation, such as that which may occur in hybrid electric vehicles.

The present invention relates to a method for operating a fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine, and to a corresponding device. The fuel supply system of an internal combustion engine may include: an outlet of a high-pressure pump coupled to a pressure-limiting valve and a high-pressure fluid accumulator. The method may include, when the internal combustion engine is set into a deactivated state, actuating the high-pressure pump such that, at the outlet side of the high-pressure pump, a pressure is increased such that the pressure-limiting valve is opened.

A reduction-causing agent supply device includes a tank to store a reduction-causing agent, a pumping unit to pump the reduction-causing agent, a reduction-causing agent supply passage to supply the reduction-causing agent, an injection nozzle to inject the reduction-causing agent into an exhaust pipe, a drawing-back unit to draw the reduction-causing agent toward the tank, and a controller. After stop of an engine, the controller performs: reduction-causing agent drawing-back process of drawing the reduction-causing agent toward the tank and introducing exhaust gas from the injection nozzle into the reduction-causing agent supply passage; and gas discharge process of supplying the reduction-causing agent to compress the exhaust gas inside the reduction-causing agent supply passage, discharging the compressed exhaust gas from the injection nozzle, and closing a valve of the injection nozzle before the reduction-causing agent reaches the injection nozzle.

A vehicle having a valve stop mode control unit configured such that an intake valve and an exhaust valve are stopped in a closed state during rotation of an output shaft, supply of fuel to an engine is stopped, a clutch is made to be in an engaged state, and pistons are driven by rotational forces from driving wheels through the output shaft. When there is a request for valve stop inertial running, a negative pressure is supplied to an intake passage by a vacuum pump.

A vehicle control device controls a vehicle that includes an actuator capable of generating a gas flow at a scavenging target portion of an internal combustion engine during an engine stop. The vehicle control device is configured, when at least one of a specified temperature condition and a specified humidity condition is met after the engine stop, to execute a scavenging control. The specified temperature condition is that, after the engine stop, a temperature correlation value correlated with the temperature of the scavenging target portion is higher than that at the engine stop time point. The specified humidity condition is that, after the engine stop, a humidity correlation value correlated with the absolute humidity of the gas at the scavenging target portion is higher than that at the engine stop time point. The scavenging control operates the actuator to cause the gas flow at the scavenging target portion.

Provided is a control device for an internal combustion engine that includes: a water-cooled cooler (intercooler) arranged at at least one of a portion of an intake air passage located on the upstream side of an intake port and an EGR passage; and a water pump configured to supply a cooling water with the cooler. The control device is configured: to execute a water supply operation that supplies the cooling water with the cooler by actuating the water pump when its execution condition which includes a requirement that a cooler temperature is higher than a cooling water temperature is met during stop of the internal combustion engine; and not to execute the water supply operation when the cooler temperature is lower than or equal to the cooling water temperature during stop of the internal combustion engine.

Methods and systems are provided for diagnosing a laser ignition system of an engine. In one example, a controller may operate the laser in a sealed cylinder hours after key-off. Then, the cylinder may be unsealed and a change in exhaust temperature may be correlated with laser functionality.