A method and system for engine monitoring comprises a plurality of monitoring devices. A master monitoring device is provided which acts as a communication hub for one or more subsidiary monitoring devices. The master monitoring device is incorporated in or directly attached to the internal combustion engine and functions to sense a characteristic of the internal combustion engine. The monitoring device is configured to transmit data representative of the sensed characteristic to a remote application running on a remote device.

A method of diagnosing a leak in a coolant system of an automobile includes repeatedly measuring the coolant level within the coolant system at a pre-determined time interval, calculating a short term leak rate, wherein the short term leak rate is the rate of coolant leakage over a first pre-determined length of time, calculating a long term leak rate, wherein the long term leak rate is the rate of coolant leakage over a second pre-determined length of time, further wherein the second pre-determined length of time is longer than the first pre-determined length of time, identifying a coolant system leakage state based on a current coolant level within the coolant system, the short term leak rate, and the long term leak rate, and providing notification of the coolant system leakage state to an operator of the vehicle.

A method and system for grading pistons with deposits is disclosed. In an embodiment, a piston with upon its outer surface deposits is three dimensionally scanned and compared to a reference model to detect the location and geometry of the deposits. The location and geometry of the deposits are recorded and used to grade the pistons. The piston is increased in temperature and thermally scanned. The deposits are identified based on the temperature differences measured with respect to the temperature of the outer surface of the piston. Deposit characteristics can be generated from the identified locations of deposits and the magnitude of temperature difference with respect to the outer surface. The deposit characteristics are recorded and used to grade the pistons.

A method and system for grading pistons with deposits is disclosed. In an embodiment, a piston with deposits is three dimensionally scanned and compared to a reference model to detect the location and geometry of the deposits. The location and geometry of the deposits are recorded and used to grade the pistons.

In order to improve the identification of system parameters of a test setup of a test bench, in particular in terms of the quality of the identification, there is provision for the test setup (PA) to be dynamically excited on the test bench (1) by virtue of a dynamic input signal (u(t)) being applied to the test setup (PA) and, in the process, measured values (MW) of the input signal (u(t)) of the test setup (PA) and of a resultant output signal (y(t)) of the test setup (PA) being recorded, a frequency response (G(.sub.k)) of the dynamic response of the test setup (PA) between the output signal (y(t)) and the input signal (u(t)) being determined from the recorded input signal (u(t)) and output signal (y(t)) using a nonparametric identification method, a model structure of a parametric model that maps the input signal (u(t)) onto the output signal (y(t)) being derived from the frequency response (G(.sub.k)), the model structure and a parametric identification method being used to determine at least one system parameter (SP) of the test setup (PA), and the at least one identified system parameter (SP) being used to perform the test run.

The invention concerns a method (200) of detecting an emulator for an SCR catalytic converter system (10) with the following steps: operating the SCR catalytic converter system (10) in a test state; and measuring a test variable of the SCR catalytic converter system (10); and deciding whether the test variable is behaving as for an SCR catalytic converter system (10) with or without an emulator.

Systems and processes are provided for measuring carbon deposits on an engine. In some examples, a light source can be transmitted through a viewing window of an engine onto an area of an internal surface of the engine and reflected back through the viewing window and detected using an optical sensor. A topography of the area can be determined based, at least in part, on the reflected light source detected by the optical sensor and used to determine whether carbon deposits have increased, decreased, or remained constant on the area.

Methods and systems are provided for improving completion rates for engine system diagnostics for hybrid electric vehicles. In one example, a method may include in response to fueling of the engine of a hybrid electric vehicle being discontinued, establishing an air flow from an intake to an exhaust of the engine by relying on an electric motor to rotate the engine unfueled, and conducting a plurality of diagnostic monitors that rely on the air flow prior to reactivation of fueling of the engine. In this way, diagnostic monitor completion rates may be improved for hybrid electric vehicles, and fuel economy may be improved by coordinating the plurality of diagnostic monitors to be conducted during times when the engine is not fueled.

The present disclosure provides an air flow rate measuring including a casing and a sensor. The casing includes a main-bypass passage that defines an inlet and an outlet, a sub-bypass passage that branches off from the main-bypass passage at a branching area, and a guiding wall that changes, at a position upstream of the branching area, a flow direction of the passing air taken in from the inlet. The inlet and the guiding wall are arranged in an arranging direction along a flow direction of the intake air in the duct. The guiding wall includes an inlet side surface that faces the inlet and is not perpendicular to the arranging direction.

A method of verifying a cylinder deactivation mode on an engine is provided. The method can include activating an ignition device in a deactivated cylinder during an exhaust stroke of the deactivated cylinder. The method can include measuring a voltage of the ignition device. The method can include comparing at least one of an amplitude and a timing of a measured spike of the voltage against a baseline voltage spike. The method can include indicating a status of the deactivation mode based on the comparison against the baseline voltage spike.