A method of transitioning between two intake valve lift states while providing constant engine torque output comprehends the steps of receiving a lift change request from an engine control device, determining the current phase angles of the camshafts, and determining whether the intake and exhaust camshafts are at transition positions. The transition positions are experimentally or empirically determined combinations of operating conditions that result in constant engine torque output before and after the intake valve lift transition. If they are, an appropriate, i.e., low to high or high to low cam lift state transition of the intake valves occurs. If they are not, the cam phasers move the intake and exhaust camshafts to transition positions. When the cam phasers have moved the intake and exhaust camshafts to the transition positions, i.e., positions of constant engine torque output, the intake valve lift transitions from high to low or low to high.

A system and method for cylinder deactivation in a multi-cylinder diesel engine comprises pumping air in to an intake manifold of the diesel engine using a turbocharger. Air is pumped in to the intake manifold using an intake air assisting device. And, fuel injection is selectively deactivated to at least one of the cylinders in the diesel engine. An intake valve and an exhaust valve is selectively deactivated for the at least one of the cylinders of the diesel engine.

A control device for an internal combustion engine is configured to feed fuel to a combustion chamber in an intake stroke to form a homogeneous premix and make the homogeneous premix burn by flame propagation when a temperature of an engine body is less than a first threshold value, to feed fuel to the combustion chamber in the intake stroke to form a homogeneous premix and make the homogeneous premix burn by compression ignition when the temperature of the engine body is the first threshold value to less than a second threshold value larger than the first threshold value, and to directly feed fuel to the combustion chamber in a compression stroke to form a partial premix and make the partial premix burn by compression ignition when the temperature of the engine body is the second threshold value or more.

Systems and methods for determining operation of a cylinder deactivating/reactivating device are disclosed. In one example, a warm engine is rotated without being supplied fuel to determine the presence or absence of valve actuator degradation. Degraded valve actuators may be determined when there is a lack of a temperature rise in the engine exhaust system.

A method of controlling valve timing and valve duration using a CVVT apparatus and a CVVD apparatus, the CVVT apparatus being configured to adjust an opening time of a valve in a vehicle engine, the CVVD apparatus being configured to adjust a duration of a valve lift, the method may include determining a desired valve opening time and a desired valve closing time; determining a desired valve duration by the desired valve opening time and the desired valve closing time; determining a desired valve timing through the desired valve opening time and an actual valve duration measured in real time; and controlling the CVVD apparatus to accomplish the desired valve duration while controlling the CVVT apparatus to accomplish the desired valve timing.

A method for controlling valve timing for an engine includes: classifying a plurality of control regions depending on an engine speed and an engine load; applying a maximum duration to an intake valve and controlling an exhaust valve to limit a valve overlap in a first region; controlling the intake valve and the exhaust valve to maintain the maximum duration in a second region; advancing an intake valve closing (IVC) timing and an exhaust valve closing (EVC) timing in a third region; approaching the IVC timing to a bottom dead center (BDC) in a fourth region; controlling a throttle valve to be fully opened, advancing an intake valve opening (IVO) timing before a top dead center (TDC), and controlling the IVC timing to be a predetermined value after the BDC in a fifth region; and controlling the throttle valve to be fully opened and advancing the IVC timing in a sixth region.

A valve actuation system is disclosed for an engine. The valve actuation system may have a variable valve actuator that is configured to engage a rocker arm and hold the valve at an open position regardless of motion of a cam lobe. The variable valve actuator may have a housing forming a chamber, a plunger disposed in the chamber, a control valve movable to control a flow of fluid into the chamber, and a relief valve configured to automatically open and release fluid from the housing when a pressure inside the chamber is below a predetermined pressure. The valve actuation system may further have a controller configured to cycle the control valve prior to start-up of the engine and to selectively move the control valve after start-up.

When it is determined that the initial combustion is unstable, the engine speed is forcibly increased. When the engine speed is forcibly increased, fluidity in the cylinder increases. When the fluidity in the cylinder rises, homogeneity of the homogeneous air-fuel mixture is improved. Therefore, it is possible to enlarge the flame kernel. When the flame kernel is enlarged, the initial flame resulting from the flame kernel is also enlarged. Then, the initial flame becomes easy to involve the closest fuel spray thereby the initial combustion can be stabilized.

A engine control device includes an variable exhaust valve mechanism 72 which varies an opening and closing timing of an exhaust valve 22, and a PCM 10 which controls the variable exhaust valve mechanism 72 such that the opening and closing timing of the exhaust valve 22 is varied, wherein the variable exhaust valve mechanism 72 is configured such that a lift amount of the exhaust valve 22 becomes smaller as a retarded degree of the valve opening timing increases, and the PCM 10 is configured to set a maximum retarded valve opening timing in an exhaust stroke based on the lift amount at an exhaust top dead center, and to control the variable exhaust valve mechanism 72 so as to open the exhaust valve 22 in advance of the maximum retarded valve opening timing.

A multiple variable valve lift apparatus disposed at an intake part and an exhaust part of an engine includes: a moving cam rotating together with a camshaft, being movably disposed in an axial direction of the camshaft, and forming a plurality of cams for realizing valve lift to be different from each other and a cam guide protrusion; an operating unit selectively guiding the cam guide protrusion so as to move the moving cam in an axial direction of the camshaft; a controller controlling an operation of the operating unit; and a valve opening/closing unit opened/closed by contacting any one among the plurality of cams.